My apartment has the original 1925 tub, and the surface is in sorry shape. It looks like someone tried to refinish it previously, and the finish has started to peel.
I thought I'd get it refinished, which is commonly done in my coop (replacing the tub is undesirable and crazy expensive). However, the super has started on a warpath against odors from construction, and has refused to grant approval to having it done professionally. He says I have to find a company that uses products with zero VOC, as in "low VOC" is not acceptable. I'm not sure such a thing even exists, and for sure no refinishing contractor within earshot offers it.
I'm trying to figure out what my options are and could use advice from experienced folks:
- IS there such a thing as a zero-VOC tub refinishing product?
- Is there an alternative such as a tub liner I could try? I don't want to change the shape of the tub - it's quite unique (rectangular with rounded corner, extra deep).
- What if I just cleaned/scraped the tub and didn't bother trying to repaint it? I can live without a shiny white tub, but I hate the stains & peeling bits.
- Is it worth the effort to refinish it myself? I assume I could get away with it if I use a low-odor product and keep the bathroom ventilated with a box fan in the window. I'm not terribly handy and also don't have a lot of spare time unfortunately.
- Alternatively I could scrape it, wait for the super to encounter other shareholders who would like to refinish their tubs, and try again later. Or go to the coop board with the problem.