DIY

My sister and her husband recently purchased their first home and welcomed their first baby. While they loved much about their new house, they did not love the dated and barely functional 1950s kitchen.

The 1950s Kitchen Before: Aesthetic and Functional Problems

There was no dishwasher, and with lots of baby bottles to be washed, that was a problem. The range vent hood also hung so low over the stove that it made it almost impossible to use the back burners.

Limited cabinet space forced them to use a mash up of bookcases to store food and appliances. At least they had that great wall-mount telephone to call their friends! Ha.

And style-wise, well, I think the photos speak for themselves. What is hard to tell in these photos is that the yellow gingham wallpaper also covered the ceiling. It made a statement. The large exposed hinges on the cabinets also drove my sister crazy.

In addition, there were two types of countertops (wood-look laminate and black tiles), and multiple styles of tile backsplash – all of which were falling off the wall.

In short, this kitchen was a HOT MESS.

Kitchen Remodel: The Plan

My sister and brother-in-law planned to do a gut renovation of the space (like, with real contractors and designers). But when they realized their remodeling priorities would need to shift with the addition of a new family member, I devised a plan to remodel their kitchen for both looks and function . . . DIY style.

Having just completed my own DIY Kitchen Makeover, I decided to torture myself again.

Here is the official proposal and plan, which I scribbled on notebook paper Memorial Day weekend 2021. It’s very sophisticated, as you can tell.

Since my sister and brother-in-law are both teachers and had the summer off of work, we decided to tackle this 1950s kitchen remodel project as a team, and with the help of many others, so that their kitchen would be ready to go before school started again.

We got to work almost immediately! It was a lot to take on, but so much fun (not always – I’m not going to lie to you!)! We worked hard to make the kitchen look so much better, and work better for the family, and I am so proud to show you how it all turned out!

DIY 1950s Kitchen Makeover: The Process

A lot of the work was completed by my sister and brother-in-law while I wasn’t there. We live in different states, so it was impossible for me to be there all of the time! During the times I wasn’t there, I was obsessively calling my sister to make sure they were staying on track with the insane job list I’d given them.

They started by removing the wallpaper, repairing the walls, and painting the walls and ceiling Sherwin Williams Moderne White. My brother-in-law also removed that low-hanging vent hood and shortened the upper cabinet to accommodate an over-range microwave / vent combo.

Once these jobs were complete, my mom, kids, and I crashed in to do an intense three day cabinet painting marathon. We took turns sanding, priming, painting, and entertaining children. We could not have done this so quickly without my mom taking care of the kids and pitching in to paint while the baby was napping!

Having painted my own kitchen cabinets months earlier, I knew exactly what to do, so we were able to pound this out. (And hey, if you’re interested in learning how to paint cabinets, check out my digital cabinet painting ebook, which gives you EVERYTHING you need to do this job right!)

For these cabinets, we used Behr Cabinet and Trim Enamel in Hillside Green. I really liked working with this cabinet paint because the recoat time was much faster than Benjamin Moore Advance. I also think it covered and self-leveled nicely.

Once we finished painting the cabinets green, we felt like the kitchen was already looking so much better!

The next project in this kitchen was covering up the old linoleum, which was discolored and dingy no matter how many times it was cleaned. My sister scrubbed the floors and removed all of the wax buildup, and then primed them with a self-adhesive tile primer.

The next day she and I worked like crazy while my mom watched our kids (she was the MVP for sure), and we put down an entire new peel and stick floor right over the old linoleum! (Check out this post on her Peel and Stick Kitchen Floor!)

I loved this part of the project; it was exhilarating to see this kitchen change right before our eyes! This peel and stick tile is beautiful and very nice quality. I don’t think it will last forever, but it will do the trick until my sister and her husband are ready for a full renovation.

On the wall where the bookcases previously served as a pantry, we added floating shelves, new cabinets painted to match the original 1950s cabinets, and a portable dishwasher. Yes, that’s right, a portable dishwasher! My sister and brother-in-law just roll it over to the sink when it’s time to do the dishes. It’s been a game changer for them.

During this process, my sister was sharing her progress on Instagram, and one of her co-workers saw that we needed help with some electrical. She enlisted her husband, a contractor, to help, and he spent 1.5 days with my brother-in-law teaching him how to fix the electrical issues. Can you believe that generosity?

Once that was taken care of, the new countertops could be installed. My sister opted for a beautiful marble-look laminate as a durable and budget-friendly countertop. She went through Home Depot for installation, and they did a great job!

The Kitchen Remodel Reveal

Although there are still a few minor details to be wrapped up in this kitchen, after about four months of work it is 95% finished! I am so happy for my sister and brother-in-law because they have a kitchen that makes them feel good when they step inside, and it actually works for them now!

The original 1950s cabinets look so much better painted in Behr Hillside Green, and updated with gorgeous hardware that was gifted to us by D Lawless Hardware.

My sister chose flat black hinges, black knobs, and black pulls to coordinate with the black appliances in the kitchen. I’ve purchased hardware from D Lawless before (including for my Oak China Cabinet Makeover), and the price and quality cannot be beat. The updated hardware was a huge improvement from the original 1950s cabinet hardware!

In case you’re missing the gingham wallpaper that previously covered the walls and ceiling, don’t worry. We saved a piece of it and used it as artwork in the kitchen. Aaah, memories.

Unfortunately, one relic of the 1950s kitchen that didn’t survive was the wall-mounted telephone. Taking its place is an entirely new bank of cabinets, the portable dishwasher, and gorgeous DIY open shelving that houses items my sister and her family actually use, as well as decorative items to give the space personality. (I think we’ll take the shelves over the phone.)

The toe kick panels still need to go on the base of the cabinets, but you get the idea of what this will look like when it’s totally finished.

This added counter space and storage (including pull-out trash), has been incredible for the livability of this kitchen!

This 1950s kitchen remodel was a lot of work, but it was an incredible joy for me to get to spend time with my sister and our families, and to make such a difference in her happiness and home.

With the constant flow of home renovation content on television, Instagram, and blogs, it can feel like a total renovation is the only option for updating a kitchen and making it work for you. But that is not the case: with some creative planning and hard work from family and friends, you can create a space you love and that works for you, without spending a small fortune!

Thank you for reading all about this project that we poured our hearts and souls into. Please let me know if you have any questions or need a pep talk! You can leave me a comment here, or find me on Instagram!

This is an easy hardwood floor scratch repair technique that you can do yourself!

If you have hardwood floors, you know how frustrating it is to see scratches marring their beauty.  After lots of trial and error, I have figured out the easiest way to fix scratches in a wood floor, and it doesn’t involve ANY sanding at all!

I can’t tell you how excited I am about this hardwood floor fix.  It may seem dumb, but I lived with unsightly white scratches on my hardwood flooring for years before finding this solution.  It takes about 20 minutes and costs hardly anything to fix.  

Supplies Needed to Fix Scratched Hardwood Floors Without Sanding

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

• DAP Wood Blend Sticks (get the color that matches your wood floor most closely.  There are packs for dark wood and light wood)
• Clean, dry, lint-free cloth (tip: I like to use cut up men’s undershirts for this)
• Minwax Paste Finishing Wax (if your floor is not finished with glossy poly or in an ultra-matte finish)

Hardwood Floor Scratch Repair with a Wax Stick

After replacing some furniture in my living room, scratches left on the floor from the old furniture were really starting to bother me.  There were large sections of white marks that stuck out like a sore thumb all over the place.

Then one day while digging through my utility drawer (aka the “who knows what’s in there drawer”), I found a pack of DAP Wood Blend Sticks.  I have no idea where these things came from.  I have no memory of buying them and neither does my husband.  But I digress.  

Anyway, I decided to see if they would work for wood floor scratch repair.

Step One: Rub the Wax Sticks on the Hardwood Scratches

I cleaned up the section of the floor where I needed to work, and then I started rubbing the wood blend sticks over the scratches – kind of like I was coloring on the floor.  (My three-year-old was watching me the whole time, and I just know that I’m going to find Crayola crayon drawings on the floor sometime soon.)  

I used several of the colors that came in the pack, since my floors vary in tone from place to place.  

Step Two: Buff off the Excess Wax

After I applied a lot of blend stick to the scratches, I let it sit for a couple of minutes.  Then I grabbed a lint-free cloth and got to work buffing the areas I’d colored.

I had to use a lot of elbow grease to get all of the excess wax stick off of the floor.  It was easy to tell when I’d removed all of the excess blend stick from the floor because the cloth moved over those spots easily and it no longer felt sticky to the touch.

The scratches looked much less pronounced after I’d done that, but it wasn’t totally perfect yet.

Step Three: Apply Paste Wax

I then grabbed the S.C. Johnson Paste Wax that I love to use on my furniture refinishing projects, and I applied a thin layer over the scratched areas.  

NOTE: since publishing this post, SC Johnson Paste Wax has been discontinued by the manufacturer. However, Minwax Paste Finishing Wax is the same thing. It is a substitute you can use.

You can apply the wax with a wax brush, plastic putty knife, or by rubbing a clean cloth into the wax and then transferring that to the floor.

Once it had been on there for about twenty minutes, I buffed the excess off and was SO EXCITED to see that the scratches on my hardwood floors were virtually invisible now!  Everything blended together so nicely and the floor looked beautiful once again!  

Of course if you put your face right up to the scratches you can see them because there are still the scratch indentations there (I didn’t sand anything down after all). But, to a person who isn’t checking the floor out with a microscope, it looks beautiful.  

(I’m not sure if this would be true for very deep scratches, however.)

This little trick for fixing scratched hardwood floors without sanding has made a big difference in the look of my floors.  And it is so inexpensive (compared to refinishing!), and easy!  

If you need to get scratches out of a wood floor, I recommend giving the DAP Blend Sticks and Paste Wax a try.  Remember to only use the Paste Wax if your floors have a finish of a subtle sheen (as opposed to gloss or matte).  

I will paint anything. Really. But being totally honest, I was nervous to spray paint my bathroom faucet and tub fixtures. Thankfully, it was a HUGE success, and I can’t wait to show you the best way to spray paint a faucet and bathroom fixtures for a lasting finish!

I completed this tub fixture painting project months before writing this post so I could be sure the process actually works. I didn’t want to give you bad advice about spray painting faucets (or any other bathroom fixture, for that matter)!

I stand behind this process and the products used, and I believe this inexpensive painting project can be an integral part of updating any bathroom!

Spray Paint a Faucet: Supplies Needed

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.

To spray paint my bathroom fixtures as I show you in this post, these are the exact supplies I used.

• Lime-A-Way cleaner
• Comet cleaner
• Sponge
• Rubber gloves
• Sandpaper (I used 150 grit)
• Tack cloth
• Painters tape
• Masking film
• Rustoleum spray Automotive Primer
• Rustoleum Matte Finish Custom Shop automotive spray paint

How to Spray Paint a Faucet or Bathroom Fixtures

After I painted this bathroom’s bath tub, the tub fixtures looked even dingier and gross than they did before. I was hesitant to try and remove them because they were strongly caulked in place, and I was worried about disturbing old plumbing and causing problems for myself.

I worked up the courage to paint the tub fixtures, including the faucet, and I’m so glad I did! I was concerned that I’d accidentally get spray paint on my newly-painted tub or the shower tile, but it all worked out.

Step One: Clean the Faucet and Fixtures

As with any painting project, one of the most important things to do is clean the surface properly!

In this case I scrubbed the faucet and fixtures with Comet cleaner, and then followed up with Lime-A-Way to remove the calcium and lime buildup from the pieces.

The tub overflow plate was especially gross with tons of buildup, so I put that in a Ziploc bag and let it sit. The Lime-A-Way ate through the bag, but luckily I had it sitting on a plate so it didn’t ruin the table I had it sitting on! Just be careful if you use Lime-A-Way as it seems pretty caustic.

Step Two: Sand the Bathroom Fixtures

Once the fixtures were clean, I lightly sanded them with 150 grit sandpaper and then removed all of the dust with tack cloth.

Step Three: Protect the Surrounding Area

Next to cleaning the fixtures, protecting the surrounding surfaces is probably the second most important thing to do!

For this, I hung masking film from the shower ceiling and sides, and then carefully cut small holes to push the tub fixtures through. Once the fixtures were through the masking film, I taped up the rest of the film on the opposite wall.

Then I draped masking film over and into the bath tub, and taped that to the masking film on the walls.

This was sufficient to protect everything from overspray – thank goodness!

Step Four: Prime the Faucet and Fixtures

Now it’s prime time! For this step I sprayed the faucet, trim valve / handle, shower arm, and overflow plate with Rustoleum Automotive Primer. (Instead of painting the shower head, I purchased this matte black shower head, which I added to the shower arm after the fact.)

It dries very quickly, and I topcoated it (next step) within one hour of application. Note that if you don’t apply a topcoat within an hour, you’re supposed to wait 48 hours before topcoating.

Step Five: Spray Paint the Faucet and Bathroom Fixtures

And here is where the magic really started to happen! I spray painted the faucet and fixtures with Rustoleum Matte Finish Custom Shop spray paint in black.

I applied a light coat to everything, and recoated almost immediately. Unlike other spray paints I’ve used in the past, this spray paint allows you to recoat at any time.

Two coats of the automotive spray paint did the trick and covered the faucet and fixtures perfectly.

I let this dry for two days, which is longer than the spray paint can recommended. I figured better safe than sorry!

The spray painted finish is holding up absolutely perfectly on the tub faucet and fixtures. My kids use this tub/shower two times daily, so the paint finish is definitely getting a test.

Cleaning Spray Painted Faucets and Fixtures

Part of the secret to maintaining painted faucets and painted bath fixtures is using gentle cleaning products on them.

I clean both the painted bath tub and the painted fixtures with a mix of hot water and Mr. Clean concentrate, and apply with a sponge cloth. I wipe off water spots with a soft cloth and avoid using paper towels to clean these surfaces, as the paper fibers could scratch them (maybe?).

If these spray painted fixtures ever start to chip or flake, I will update this post. For now, everything looks amazing! If you’re looking to give your bathroom a low-cost update, consider spray painting the fixtures!

If you’ve got a blank wall and kids who love making art, then this pegboard for kids is just what you need!

With some inexpensive pegboard and some colorful paint, you can make an adorable art pegboard that gives your kids a place to create their masterpieces, and keeps all of their art supplies neat and tidy.

I chose to make my art pegboard station in the garage, but you could do this anywhere you have an empty wall!

Let me show you what I started with – a beat up piece of wood attached to my garage wall and a piece of pegboard that was so old it was literally crumbling upon being touched!

My garage was pretty nasty, and this eyesore was not doing anything for it. My kids LOVE playing outside, so that’s how I came up with the idea to transform this neglected wall space into something fun and useable!

Supplies Used to Create an Art Pegboard for Kids

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

• Pegboard
• Pegboard hooks
• Pegboard accessories (like baskets, larger hangers, etc.)
• Acrylic paints in various colors
• Chalkboard paint
• Paintbrushes
• Buckets
• Screws
• Drill

How to Make an Art Station Pegboard for Kids

Since I couldn’t reuse the pegboard that was already installed, I purchased new pegboard and ATTACHED IT MYSELF! Yep, I found the proper screws, got out the electric drill, and put that baby up all by myself. I definitely high-fived my five-year-old daughter when I finished and shouted “GIRL POWER!”  (Note: since writing this post back in 2016, I have done a lot more with power tools!)

Since this is for my kids, I decided to go a little crazy with the paint colors. I taped off a design and got to work painting rainbow color stripes all over the pegboard.

Then I patched some holes in the wood below the pegboard and lightly sanded to even out the surface somewhat.  Then I painted that with chalkboard paint.

Once the pegboard paint dried, I removed the tape to reveal this fun pattern that my kids LOVE!  I added some pegboard accessories and filled them up with some of my kids’ art supplies.

My favorite feature of the entire art station pegboard is the DIY banner paper roll that I made with pegboard hooks and a dowel!

Let me just say that the kids love this pegboard art station!

They even share and play nicely while using it!

Since the supplies are higher than they can reach (intentionally – I didn’t want them getting into the paint without supervision (PS those are my FAVORITE paint markers for kids!)), I added a little hook to the side of the chalkboard where they can hang a bucket of supplies during use. Once finished, I can just pop the bucket back up onto the pegboard.

Not gonna lie – I kind of love pulling into the garage and seeing all that pretty color now. My husband – not so much.

This art pegboard for kids is a really great way to let your kids use their creativity whenever they feel like it.  It’s nice for them to have a space of their own to create, and a way for you to keep their art supplies organized!  (Speaking of which, check out my Spinning Art Supply Caddy project if you’re looking for another great kid art supply organization idea!)

I’m in the middle of a modern vintage bathroom makeover, part of which included refinishing the almond-but-once-avocado-green bath tub.  Refinishing the tub made it look BRAND NEW, but the project was not without its challenges! I’m going to show you how to paint a tub with Rustoleum Tub and Tile, an epoxy tub paint, and give you tips to make your project as smooth as possible.

The Bath Tub Before Refinishing

The bath tub had already been reglazed or refinished at some point in the past.  I guess the owners decided that avocado green was no longer their style!  Unfortunately for us, that finish had started wearing off, leaving the tub with a very ugly, splotchy appearance.

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

The original green tub finish was appearing on the inside more with every day that passed.  Everything about this bath tub looked dirty.  I decided to paint the tub with the Rustoleum Tub and Tile Kit to see if I could improve it, and figured I would hire a pro to refinish it if I failed.

Spoiler alert: with some bumps along the road, it ended up turning out beautifully!  I’m so glad I can share my experience and instructions for how to paint a tub with you – I really think it will help!

Things to Consider Before Painting a Tub Yourself

Before you jump right in and start painting your tub, there are a few things you should consider.

First, the Rustoleum Tub and Tile Kit has terrible instructions.  I was amazed at how inadequate they are.  They do have a somewhat helpful video about repainting a tub, but otherwise the instructions are just bad.  Reading blog posts like this and customer reviews on sites like Amazon and Home Depot may be very helpful to you.

Next, you need to consider the timing of this project in terms of weather conditions and your availability.  With respect to weather, you must do this project when the weather is good: not too hot and not too cold.  I explain that later in this post (in the “Ventilate the Bathroom” section).

As for your availability, each step of the tub painting process needs to happen within specific timeframes, and there is a three-day period once you finish painting where you can’t use the tub.  You’ll need to plan out how you can accomplish the painting and the waiting period so that this doesn’t happen when you have a house full of guests arriving and no tub available.

Finally, understand that there is more cost involved than just one painting kit.  Rustoleum makes it seem like you buy one kit and you have a brand new tub, but it doesn’t work quite like that.  As I explain later in this post, I needed two Tub and Tile Kits.  I also purchased primer and then all of the supplies like paint brushes, etc.  I still came out way ahead of having someone else paint the tub for me, but it was more expensive than the cost of one paint kit.

Supplies Needed to Prep a Tub for Painting

Now that you know a bit more about what to expect when painting a tub, let’s talk about what you need to thoroughly prep the bath tub.  These are the supplies I used to get the tub ready to be painted:

• Comet powder cleaner
• Lime-A-Way cleaner
• ScotchBrite Heavy Duty Scour Pads
• Caulk remover tool (or utility knife)
• 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper
• Tack cloth
• Rubber gloves, mask, protective eyewear
• Optional: vacuum

How to Prepare a Tub for Painting

For this project, I did all of the prep work the night before I planned to paint the tub.  It took around two hours to complete this portion of the project.  The reason I prepped the night before was to ensure that the tub would have enough time to completely dry before priming and painting.

Clean with Comet

I started by giving the tub the best cleaning it’s ever gotten.  I scrubbed it like crazy with Comet powder cleaner, and then rinsed all of the nastiness down the drain.

Remove the Caulk

Next, I used a caulk remover tool to take out as much of the caulk around the tub as I could.  I didn’t do a perfect job, but I got most of the old caulk out.

This was a harder job than I expected!  Once I finished with this part, I used a little industrial vacuum to suck up all of the caulk bits.

Clean with Lime-A-Way

We have well water and a whole ‘lotta minerals in our water, so I made sure to do a second sweep with Lime-A-Way.  I sprayed it on, let it sit for five minutes, and then scrubbed the tub again.  It looked so clean I couldn’t believe it!

Even if you don’t have a lot of minerals in your water, a second cleaning is a really good idea.  You need the tub to be spotless when you paint it.  Any residue left on the tub will cause adhesion issues with the paint, so cleaning is key!

Sand the Tub

I wiped down the tub with a towel, and then sanded the entire thing with 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper.  400 grit sandpaper is a very fine grit sandpaper, and it helps to slightly rough up the surface before painting (giving it something to hold onto), and also to remove any flaking paint from a previous refinishing job.

Remove the Dust

Finally, the last tub painting preparation step is removing the dust.  I washed everything down the drain, dried the tub, and then went over it with tack cloth to get any fine particles that were left.

Once I finished this, I let the tub dry overnight and poured myself a nice glass of wine.  (Okay, maybe two glasses.)

Supplies Needed to Paint a Bath Tub

The next day I was ready to paint the tub and begin the beautification process!  Here are the supplies I used:

• Tub Cast primer (NOTE: As of April 2024 it does not seem that this product is being made anymore! BUT, it is an optional step so it won’t kill your project that you can’t get it.)
• Rustoleum Tub and Tile Kit (NOTE: get two kits. You will probably need to use two.  If you end up only needing one, you can return the other.)
• 4″ foam rollers (at least 4)
• 4″ roller tray
• 2″ foam brushes (at least 4)
• Painters tape
• Microfiber cloth
• Stir sticks
• Paper towels
• Drop cloths
• Disposable gloves, mask, protective eyewear
• Recommended: air purifier and fans
• Tub caulk

How to Paint a Tub

As I mentioned above, the timing of this project is really important in terms of both weather (don’t do it when you can’t have the windows open) and product application (each coat needs to be applied within a certain timeframe).  So keep that in mind if you decide to do this yourself!

Ventilate the Bathroom

The biggest drawback of this tub and tile paint is the terrible smell.  Think of an awful smell and multiply that by ten.  It’s really bad.

I highly recommend doing this job in a window of time where you can have the windows in the bathroom and the rest of the house open for at least two days.  Do not attempt it in the middle of winter or the dead of summer.  Please.

Also, make sure to have a fan going and wear a ventilator or N95 mask.

If you can swing it, consider using an air purifier while painting a tub, too.  I was gifted this Mi Air Purifier 3C and have loved using it during this bathroom makeover.  The carbon filter helps remove odors, and the HEPA filter removes 99% of pollutants in the air (including bacteria and viruses).  An air purifier pulls double duty because when I’m not using it for my DIY projects, it’s amazing for my daughter who has terrible seasonal allergies.

Apply the Primer

Tape off around the edges of the tub with quality painters tape so you don’t accidentally get paint where you don’t want it.

Then, apply a coat of wipe on TubCast primer with a microfiber cloth.  The Rustoleum Tub and Tile Kit does not come with primer and it does not say that you need to use primer.  I have painted enough tricky surfaces in my day to feel like primer is a must have, so I researched and found this product, which has been tested with Rustoleum Tub and Tile paint.  You can skip this step if you just want to apply the Rustoleum epoxy tub paint alone.

(NOTE: as mentioned in the supply list, it appears that this tub primer product is no longer available as of April 2024. I do not have a recommendation for an alternate primer – I’m sorry!)

If you do apply the TubCast primer, it only takes twenty minutes to be ready for topcoating, so you don’t have to wait long at all!  You just wipe it on – it’s not even like paint.

Mix the Rustoleum Tub and Tile Paint

Once the primer is dry (if you chose to do that step), it’s time to mix the Rustoleum Tub and Tile Paint components.  You will mix Part A and Part B for two minutes each, and then pour Part A into the Part B container, and continue mixing for two minutes.

On the package instructions it says that there is no need to wait to use the paint once it’s been mixed.  However, my experience was that the paint, as mixed, was extremely runny at the top of the paint can – almost like really thin milk – and that the runny part at the top would not blend with the thicker paint at the bottom of the can.

Apply Two Coats of Rustoleum Tub and Tile Paint

So, for the first coat of tub paint that I applied, it was practically transparent and – to be frank – awful.  It was very runny and streaked all down the sides of the tub.  I worked quickly with the foam roller to smooth out streaks and do the best I could.

The instructions said the second coat needed to be applied within six hours, so I left the first coat and the rest of the paint in the can, and took a two-hour break to pick up my son at camp and eat lunch.  When I came back, the paint seemed to have thickened in the can, so I was hopeful that the second coat would apply thicker.

Indeed, it did!  The second coat was much more opaque and provided more coverage than the first coat of paint on the tub.  I again applied small parts of paint in the corners of the tub with the foam brush, and rolled the rest of the tub.  The paint self-leveled nicely and I did not have an issue with streaks, drips, or runs with the second coat of paint.

Apply a Third Coat of Tub and Tile Paint

Because the first coat of paint was so thin, it was clear that I needed a third coat of paint on the tub.  Because the paint, as mixed, has to be used within six hours, I had to use a second Tub and Tile Kit on the next day to get a third coat of paint.

Learning from the runny paint experience the day before (or so I thought), I mixed the paint per the package directions and let it sit in the can for about 1.5 hours.  When I came back to get to work, it still seemed runny to me at the top, so I poured about half of the paint into a disposable plastic cup and set it aside on the vanity.

I then used the thicker paint that was at the bottom of the can to apply the third coat of paint to the tub.  As with the day before, it went on nice and thick, and the third coat gave me the coverage I needed.

When I finished painting the tub, I got up and could not believe my eyes: tub and tile paint was all over the granite countertop, in the sink, and running down the front of the vanity I’d just painted.  The epoxy paint had EATEN THROUGH THE CUP and gone EVERYWHERE.  It was a disaster and I freaked out.

Thankfully my husband was home, and he heard me screaming so he ran in to help.  We got most of the epoxy off of the granite and floors.   I had to repaint the vanity and order new hardware, but it could have been much worse!  Moral of the story: do not transfer this paint to any other container.  It is extremely caustic!  I really think Rustoleum needs to add this as a warning to its product information.  This was a terrible experience!

Remove the Painters Tape

I was traumatized from the “epoxy on everything” experience, so I forgot to remove the painters tape from around the tub within an hour of applying the last coat.

I removed it about six hours later, and it was fine. Phew!

Caulk Around the Tub

The next day, once the paint was totally dry, I caulked all around the tub with DAP Kwik Seal Plus tub caulk.  This made a perfect transition between the tub and tile, and tub and wall, and was the cherry on top of the tub paint job.

Let the Tub Paint Cure for Three Days

Finally, I let that tub paint cure and harden for at least three days.  There was no way I was going to ruin this beautiful paint job after all the hard work and tears that went into it!  As Tom Petty says, “the waiting is the hardest part” and that is true! Sharing a tiny bathroom with my kids while this paint was curing wasn’t the most fun, but it was worth it!

In the waiting period, I spray painted the tub fixtures (I will have a tutorial on that soon), to freshen up this bathroom even more!

The DIY Painted Bath Tub

In the end, the results of this project exceeded my expectations! (You can see how I spray painted the faucet and the tub/shower fixtures, too!)

This bath tub looks BRAND NEW.  Really.  I’m not just saying that because it was a tricky project.

I saved around $200 doing it myself, and absolutely love the results.  The kids have been using it for about three weeks now, and there are no signs of chipping or flaking.

I’m optimistic that with gentle cleaning, this painted tub finish will last for several years.

If you’re scared to paint your tub, I totally get it.  Think about this: what’s the worst that can happen?  I think the worst thing happened to me (paint everywhere!), but you won’t make that mistake because I filled you in!  You can do this – give your tub a brand new life and look.  You’ll be so happy you did!