How to Make a Resin Bathtub: Steps + Care

Resin is a high-quality composite that mimics the look of stone. It’s significantly lighter and cheaper than stone. While it’s still pricey, the pricing reflects the material’s longevity. In addition, resin bathtubs are scratch-resistant, stain-resistant, and discolor-resistant, besides retaining heat effectively.

To make a resin tub, find a tub made of another material, then cover it with waxed paper. Cover it with fiberglass clothing, prepare the resin of your chosen color, then pour it into the tub. Give it 12 hours to dry up, remove it from the mold, cover it with resin, then fix the faucets.

Resin outlasts other bathtub materials and keeps looking new with frequent cleaning. Besides the price, resin has a few drawbacks and merits to its positive reputation. You can also use sandpaper and polishing compounds to maintain a resin bathtub.

Resin battub

How to make a resin bathtub

People nowadays like experimenting with everyday items in new ways, such as DIY bathtubs. As a result, translucent resin tubs are gaining popularity among trendsetters. Luckily, creating a resin bathtub is a simple procedure that results in a beautiful product. With these skills, you can even make a wooden bathtub as well.

To construct a resin tub, gather the following materials: fiberglass cloth, fiberglass resin, resin hardener, bucket, and waxed paper. Follow the steps below:

1. Find a tub

First and foremost, you must locate a tub where you will produce your own.

2. Cover the tub with waxed paper

The next step is to cover the entire tub with waxed paper.

3. Cover it with fiberglass cloth

You then use fiberglass cloth to cover the area, as it will serve as the tub’s mold. Dry the frame thoroughly so that there are no moist areas remaining.

4. Prepare the resin

You must adequately prepare your resin. You’ll need a lot of resin, so choose a large container to mix it.
To produce the correct combination, follow the instructions on the resin packet.

5. Pour the resin into the mold

Pour the resin mixture onto your frame as best you can. Try to cover the entire surface and use a brush to paint the tub’s side. Repeat the steps a few times to provide a good foundation.

6. Leave it to dry

Allow 10 to 12 hours for the tub to rest. It’s better if you let it dry for a day (24 hours).

7. Remove the resin

Gently remove the tub from the mold. You may need help doing this.

8. Coat with more resin

If necessary, add more resin to areas you feel aren’t strong enough.

9. Fix all faucets

Once the tub has dried, create holes for the drain pipes and faucets, and install it where you want it. Make sure you get the rough-in dimensions for the tub fixtures right.

You can create your own bathtub using these basic steps. You need patience and reasonable DIY skills to pull this off, although it’s not difficult.

Advantages of a resin bathtub

Real, genuine stones are crushed and combined with polymer resin and other natural minerals to create stone resin tubs, similar to how cultured marble stone tubs are made of limestone, resins, and other materials.

Resin tubs are impervious to water, and fillers with a gel finish are watertight. Water discoloration is avoided by using a glossy gel coating. Resin bathtubs, although built of stone, are highly versatile.

The advantages of resin bathtubs are numerous and include the following:

Resin Bathtub AdvantagesResin Bathtub Disadvantages
Easy to clean and maintainCostly 
Retain heat wellNot very durable
Made of flexible materialHard to repair
Lightweight 
Sturdy 
Resistant to mold

1. Easy to clean and maintain

For starters, they’re simple to clean and maintain, making them an excellent choice if you want a pleasant bathing experience but don’t want to spend too much time on it.

2. Retain heat well

Stone resin tubs retain heat well, allowing you to enjoy a long, relaxing bath without re-heating the water. 

3. Made of flexible material

Resin tubs are made of a very flexible material that can be molded into various tub types, sizes, and shapes. You can thus pick one that suits your tastes and design demands.

4. Lightweight

Resin bathtubs are lightweight, constructed of stone and minerals, and do not require lengthy or expensive installation.

5. Sturdy

Stone resin tubs are sturdy and will not easily scratch, crack, or shatter. In addition, stone resin tubs are both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

6. Resistant to mold

Since they are nonporous, they resist mold, stains, germs, chemicals, flaking, breaking, and dirt. If damage occurs, repairs are doable and not too difficult. 
If you choose to reglaze it, make sure you choose the right bath mat for reglazed tubs.

Disadvantages of a resin bathtub

While resin tubs have several advantages, they also have certain disadvantages to consider, such as the following:

1. Costly

While stone resin tubs aren’t the most affordable for starters, they aren’t the most costly either. They range from $1,250 to $3,500 or more.

2. Not very durable

While stone resin tubs are simple to clean and maintain, the tub becomes much more difficult to clean if the gel coating peels off over time or due to heavy use. In addition, if the gel coating wears off, cracks can emerge on the tub’s surface, making it unpleasant and undesirable to many homeowners. 

Luckily, they can last 10 to 15 years with proper care.

3. Hard to repair

Stone resin tubs may be restored to their original appearance, but the work is easier the sooner the problem is handled.

Resin bathtub repair and maintenance

Resin, often known as artificial stone, produces a long-lasting surface that can survive daily use without losing its aesthetic appeal. In addition, the resin’s nonporous surface protects your tub against stains, scratches, and discoloration. To keep your resin bathtub in top shape, follow these steps:

  • After each use, wipe the surface with a gentle cloth. 
  • When cleaning with a cleaner, use one that is gentle and suitable for painted surfaces.
  • Avoid abrasives, acids, and ammonia-based products.

Clean the surface with water if your resin tub becomes damaged to remove debris and dust. Then, using coarse-grit #800 sandpaper, rub in tiny, circular strokes until the scratch is gone. 

After that, sand the surface smoothly using #1200 sandpaper (fine grit), then dry with a towel. Finally, finish using a polishing compound like 3M Extra Cut Compound to polish the surface.

Conclusion

Resin is a high-quality tub that mimics the look of stone and is significantly lighter and cheaper than stone. It’s pretty pricey due to the material’s longevity. These tubs are scratch-resistant, stain-resistant, and discolor-resistant and retain heat effectively.

Resin outlasts other bathtub materials while still looking new if frequently cleaned. Aside from all these aspects, resin has a few drawbacks and merits to its positive reputation. With the tips in its guide, you should enjoy your tub better.

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