Refinish old cast iron bathtub ?

I know their are companies that spray a coating on bathtubs. Is it possable/and cost affective to tear it out and have new porcelin finish baked on, or is it cheaper to buy a new one ? I would do the install, just the cost of replating.

Is it a clawfoot tub or built-in? Clawfoot could go 300lbs. The one thing with refinishers is, they can make your tub look good while you're signing the check, but durability is only told by time. I would be extremely careful hiring somebody. I used Klenk's 2-part paint once and my efforts failed. You have to acid etch the enamel, neutralize it, and get it perfectly clean. The tub I did had a low spot in the back and water tended to stand there, that's where it failed. There's the issue of chips, not sure how to fill them if there's gonna be baking involved. I think porcelain is very high temp. Maybe you could have it powder coated! I think I saw an in situ process on This Old House once. They came in and did all the work in the house.
I got the cheapest steel tub I could find at HD, it's a Bootz brand. It's little more than a car fender, and you can't use abrasives on it. It has a non-skid bottom that has proven impossible to clean perfectly. Ya get what ya pay for. Good luck.

How bad is it? We have porcelain tub here that was in perfect shape until some jackass didn't realize there was screw sticking out of the plywood that was put down to protect it during some demo work. Of course this ONE SCREW was exactly over the edge.

We picked up some "white porcelain fixer stuff", it's an epoxy paint. Haven't tried it yet but I'm guessing it will work pretty good because its scratches, not big chunks missing.

It a built into an alcove, no claw feet. The finish is ok ,if you like light brown I figured to redue the tile anyway sometime, so demolition would not be the problem. I would just as soon have it re enameled the right way, if possable and not more $ than a new one.

A buddy of mine had his tub refinished by a guy out of NH
He said it came out great. Looks brand new and cost him $280.00
That was about eight years ago and he says it's holding up just fine.
I guess his son chipped it some how, the guy came back and fixed it for free.
Can't find service like that any more!

I have a clawfoot tub here, it's an original. It needs to be refinished, and it ain't light (moved it once). I could get it out of the bathroom, but I would have to remove the sink and toilet first, then remove the feet from the tub and turn it sideways to get it out the bathroom door. So if there is a way to refinish it in place I'd be interested.

My father & I refinished his inside ......... with a sledgehammer.

We buried the pieces in the back yard, then went to Home Sleazepo for a plastic one molded in china.

At one time American Standard had a cast iron tube manufacturing facility in Baltimore. A friend's father worked the night shift applying the porcelain glaze. Tubs were glowing cherry red after the came out of the casting mold. He held a shaker basket with the glaze. Foot pedals controlled the rotation of the hot tub. Trick was to shake some power on, let it become liquid and then spread it by rotating the tub. Hot dirty job. He had arms larger than any other man I've every seen. He would sucker bet anyone for arm wrestling.

I'll have to get the info off the bottom of the tub I have, I remember there is lettering in the casting. For many years these tubs were scrapped (with the advent of "modern" built in tubs), for me it was one of the better features of this place when I was house hunting.

A plumber speaking here. Throw it out and buy a new one. I could give you a lot of reasons but I don't feel like typing them. Trust me!

Throw out my clawfoot??

I would'nt throw it out!!!!
It's a classic.

Then again, it might make a nice planter

I tossed one that was in my yard when I moved here. Didn't have the feet, but was the same style. In hindsight I probably should have tried to unload it on eBay or somewhere ...

Mine's not going anywhere, not to worry.

You would'nt believe what the rich folk in Boston pay for stuff like that!!