Painting Your Bathtub & Sink: DIY-Tutorial & Pro-Tips

Do you want to bring a fresh shine back into your bathroom? Turn it into a real oasis of well-being? We'll show you how to repaint your bathtub and washbasin. Even though the colours from MissPompadour are not suitable for the inside of the bathtub or washbasin, you can add a whole new colour accent to your bathroom by painting the outside.

Table of contents

1. Ideas for painting your bathtub and sink from our community (Before-/After-Pictures)
2. Preparation: How to choose the right colour for your bathtub & washbasin
3. Painting your bathtub & sink the right way: Instructions from MissPompadour
4. FAQ: Frequently asked questions about painting bathtubs & sinks
5. Materials and accessories for painting bathtubs & washbasins

Ideas for painting the bathtub and sink from our community

For our MissPompadour painting community, the bathroom is more than just a place where you brush your teeth or wash yourself. The following pictures show that there are no limits to creativity, even - or especially - in the bathroom. Get inspired for your bathroom project!

Preparation: How to choose the right colour for your bathtub & washbasin

So before you start giving your bathroom a new look, you need to think about the right colour. But with our varnishesn it's easy: they adhere perfectly to different surfaces and with the wide range of colour shadesn there are no limits to your imagination. If you need help choosing, our colour cards will certainly help you.

We especially recommend our MissPompadour Eggshell Varnish. A varnish in a variety of great colours that is easy to apply, dries quickly, gives great coverage and a satin sheen. It is particularly robust and durable and is also suitable for painting wall tiles.

What do you want to paint?

Give both your bathtub and washbasin a fresh new coat of paint with our varnishesn. Bathtubs can be free-standing or bordered with tiles. The colours mentioned above are all very suitable for varnishing tiles. If you want to paint very smooth tiles, or if your bath is free-standing, you will need to apply a primer beforehand so that the paint holds well. Please note that our varnishes do not tolerate standing water. Therefore, you can only paint the outside of your bathtub and washbasin.

What material is your bathtub or washbasin made of?

If you want to paint a bathtub that is bordered with tiles, you can paint it directly. In our magazine you will find detailed instructions on how to painttiles.
However, ifyour bathtub is free-standing, you must determine whether it is acrylic, enamel or metal before painting. Washbasins are usually made of ceramic. With the right primer, however, just about any varnish will adhere to the various surfaces - even if you want to paint your ceramic wash basin. We will explain which primer is suitable for which material in the next section.

Professionally paint bathtub & sink: Instructions from MissPompadour

With our step-by-step guide, we'll show you how to give your bathtub and sink a new coat of paint on the outside.

Step 1: Ensure sufficient space and a clean surface

The first step is to remove everything from the bathroom that could get in your way: Bathroom rugs, free-flowing shelves, washing utensils and towels. Next, thoroughly clean the bathtub or washbasin before varnishing. Remove dust and limescale deposits as well as old soap residues as best you can. Use our To Clean - MissPompadour cleaner for this. It is environmentally friendly and very powerful. It gives you a clean and, above all, grease-free surface.

Professionaltip: If your bathtub is made of metal and there are traces of rust on the outer surface, you must remove them completely before painting and then prime the surface. You can find out which primers are suitable in step 4.

Step 2: Cover and mask off

Although our paints hardly splatter, to be on the safe side, line the floor with plastic drop cloth and tape the edges with To Mask - MissPompadour tape. You should also protect the fittings. You can also tape off the area above and below the bathtub that you don't want to paint. Make sure that the tape seals well - this will give you a clean edge.

Step 3: Repairing damaged areas

You can fill in uneven or damaged areas with To Fill - MissPompadour filler. When the compound is dry, sand it smooth and clean everything again.

Step 4: Apply primer

For all smooth surfaces such as tiles, but especially for metal, enamel, ceramics and acrylic, you should always use a primer to ensure that the varnish adheres well.

• If you want to paint enamel or acrylic tubs, use the primer To Bond - MissPompadour primer. This will give you a secure hold and an even painting surface. Note, however, that acrylic is elastic on large surfaces and the varnish can therefore flake off. This is not a problem on small surfaces, as our colours "move" well.
• For freestanding metal bathtubs, use To Block - MissPompadour Stainblock. This prepares the metal surface perfectly and creates an even base that protects the material from rust.
• If you want to paint over silicone joints, you should first prime them with MissPompadour - To Seal Silicone.

Step 5: Paint the bathtub or washbasin

After the primer has dried - after about 4 to 5 hours - it's time to paint. It is best to use a varnish roller for large areas. For small areas, corners and edges, the To Paint - MissPompadour brush with its bevelled shape is particularly suitable. To achieve a beautiful depth of colour and stability, paint the area twice. In between, you must wait until the first coat is completely dry - it is best to let it dry overnight.

Professionaltip: Paint your bathtub or washbasin during the heating season. The varnishes can be applied best and dry well at around 23°C room temperature.

Step 6: Painting the chrome fittings

With our paints you can even paint the fittings of your bathtub or washbasin. Use To Bond - MissPompadour primer as a base coat. Of course, this will not achieve the robustness of chrome.

Step 7: Apply sealer if necessary

If you want to be on the safe side with heavily used surfaces, you can seal the outside of your bathtub or washbasin - e.g. with To Seal - MissPompadour sealant

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Painting Bathtubs & Washbasins

Material and accessories for varnishing the bathtub & washbasin

In addition to the primers and varnishes used, you should stock up on the following accessories before painting:

• Cleaning agent: For a clean, dust and grease-free surface, it is best to use our environmentally friendly To Clean - MissPompadour cleaner.
• plastic drop cloth and painter's tape: To avoid annoying paint splashes, plastic drop cloth and the To Mask - MissPompadour tape, which is available in different widths, are suitable.
• Filler: If you have found damage on the surfaces you want to paint, repair it with To Fill - MissPompadour filler. Then sand smooth with To Sand - MissPompadour Sanding Pad.
• varnish roller and brush: For larger surfaces the varnish roller for water-based varnishes is particularly suitable, for small surfaces and narrow angles the To Paint - fine MissPompadour brush with bevelled shape.
• paint tray: To avoid contamination of the varnish in the original can, you should always pour the required paint into a paint tray and pick it up from there