Resurfacing & Refinishing

On an apartment or student housing turn, the constraint is days, not dollars alone. A unit that cannot be leased is a unit producing nothing, and replacement work in an occupied building means demolition noise, hallway traffic, dumpsters, and elevator time.

Refinishing changes that calculation. A tub, a vanity top, and a surround can be brought back to a clean, uniform finish without opening walls or hauling out debris, and finishes can be standardized across a property so units match regardless of when each one was built or last updated. For property managers running dozens of turns a year, consistency is worth as much as speed.

A refinished surface fails for one reason: the new coating did not bond to the old one. Everything about longevity is decided before any finish is applied.

• Cleaning and degreasing — soap scum, body oils, cleaning product residue, and silicone from old caulk all prevent adhesion and all have to come off first.
• Etching or abrasion — a glossy surface is profiled so the coating has mechanical grip rather than sitting on polished glaze.
• Repairs — chips, cracks, and gouges are filled and sanded flush, because a coating follows the shape underneath it and hides nothing.
• Caulk removal — old caulk is cut out entirely; coating over silicone guarantees a failure line at the joint.
• Masking and ventilation — surrounding surfaces, fixtures, and floors are protected, and the space is ventilated throughout the work.
• Primer and topcoat — a bonding primer suited to the substrate, followed by the finish coat and a protective clear coat.

A refinished tub can feel dry to the touch long before the coating has reached its working hardness. Putting it back into service early is the most common way a good refinish gets ruined, because the finish is still soft enough to imprint, scratch, or lift at the drain.

Cure schedules vary by product, temperature, and humidity, so the specific return-to-service time comes with your job rather than from a general figure. Expect to keep the surface dry and unused for the stated period, to leave any drain hardware and caulk work until it is complete, and to hold off on bath mats with suction cups, which are hard on any refinished tub even long after cure.

Refinishing works on porcelain and enameled steel or cast iron tubs, fiberglass and acrylic tubs and surrounds, ceramic tile walls and countertops, cultured marble, laminate countertops, solid surface material, and masonry fireplace surrounds and hearths. On most of these the surface is sound and only the finish has failed, which is exactly the situation refinishing exists for.

It is the wrong answer in a few cases. A tub with structural cracks, soft spots underfoot, or rust perforation through the shell needs replacement — a coating does not restore structure. Surfaces with active water intrusion behind them have a leak problem that has to be fixed first. Natural stone that has been sealed and honed is normally restored by polishing and resealing rather than coating. And a surface that has already been refinished several times may need the previous coatings fully stripped before anything new will bond.

Resurfacing and refinishing are available for homes, commercial buildings, and multifamily properties across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia. Call 1-888-389-CMAC.