tub refinish questions

[project66]

I gutted a 66 Overlander Twin to replace the rear floor section. The tub and rear sink are in good shape but are in need on refinishing. I am thinking of using POR 15 WhiteCote. Am I better off to refinish the tub, then install it, or install first and refinish later. I don't know how brittle this finish is. I am concerned about cracking it during installation. And what are the pros and cons of brushing vs. spraying the Whitecote? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Tom

[rd tighe]

We used products like this in our business and were always disappointed. My suggestion replace it now with new and enjoy it later. But in a A.S. this product might perform well because your use is not as heavy as a home. Good luck! Post photos would love to see it.

[Becky B.]

I used the Por-15 whitecote in my Bambi II shower/black tank refurb. I did all the work with it out of the trailer & installed it after it was finished. I've done a lot of work around it, so tools, etc. have been in it. I should have covered it with some heavy cardboard, because I think I dropped something in it & made a little mark in it. Nothing bad, I'm just a bit anal about stuff! I'll probably give it a quick coat when I'm finished working in there. I used a brush for the application. It is very thin & you have to be very careful of runs. I had a bunch of runs & had to sand it down after it got hard. I made small batches & gave it numerous coats. I'm happy with how it turned out. It's not brittle as of now. If you don't have to bondo or fiberglass anything, you could do it in place. I don't know why not.

[CMSmith]

So does this stuff fix/fill cracks or is this just to give a new finish?

[Becky B.]

Originally Posted by CMSmith

So does this stuff fix/fill cracks or is this just to give a new finish?

It doesn't fix/fill cracks. I used bondo and fiberglass to fix/fill. I sanded it down till it was smooth & then painted with the product by Por-15.

[ventport]

Most of the 60's/early 70's shower pans have way too much resin with the color sprayed into the mold before the fiberglass was applied. The resin cracks and needs to be ground out and a layer of fiberglass cloth and resin applied. If you do this you can save most all shower pans.

[LarryGlover]

What is the material that is used to make the sink, counter, and tub? Mine are in great condition, but I would like to change color and don't know what product to use.

[68 TWind]

In my 68, the tube is fiberglass with a gelcoat layer on top while the lav was plastic (ABS maybe). Two very different materials. First it will be much easier to paint them outside the trailer. I used a product I bought at Sherwin-Williams called Tile Doc. It is a two part epoxy paint designed to paint tile and bath tubs. The instructions said you could brush it but I did not like the results. Instead I purchased a PreVal sprayer (Preval — Preval Val-Pak) at my local NAPA store and sprayed the product on the tub and lav. I needed to thin the paint a little more and used several light coats. The results were outstanding and very durable.Surface prep is the key to any paint job. I used West System Epoxy with microballons add as a filler to fix defects in the surfaces before painting. I would do the same thing again. I had a few runs on the tub. I just let the paint dry a few days and then wet sanded the runs with carbide paper and lightly misted another coat. It blended great. Word of caution, the fumes are very dangerous. Buy and use a good breathing mask that is certified for volatile organic fumes (carbon filters) and do it in a very well ventilated area.

[perryg114]

How much did this paint cost?

Perry

[1973 Owner]

Can you get these out without destroying them? What about other tubs etc.?

[overlander64]

Greetings 1973 Owner!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Airstream ownership!

Originally Posted by 1973 Owner

Can you get these out without destroying them? What about other tubs etc.?

All interior furnishings entered your Airstream through the entry door so it is possible to remove any of the interior furnishings. The general recommendation is to reverse the factory installation scheme . . . installation began at the rear and worked forward . . . so removal begins at the front and works to the rear. Removing just the bath components typically requires removing most of the bedroom furniture first.

Since the floor in my Overlander was sound, I didn't want to remove the interior compoenets to refinish the bathroom. Not being good with spray painting equipment, I sought out a professional bathroom refinisher to refinish my coach's bathroom. I was fortunate to find one who happened to be a collector car hobbyist who offered me a great price of less than $500 for the complete job. The transformation was amazing . . . from stained Avacado Green to a much warmer feeling Antique Pewter finish. The before and after photos are below:



Above -- Bathtub before Refinishing

Below -- Bathtub after Refinishing





Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin