Can I repaint the inside of an old bathtub that I use as a water trough?

[luckycricket123]

The tub that I am using as a water trough is an eyesore, but it came with the house and it is awfully convenient. I think it just needs a fresh coat of paint on the outside to hide the rust. I was wondering if I can repaint the inside as well. Its not as hideous as the outside, but if I am already putting the effort into the outside, I figured I’d try to make the whole thing pretty. The only problem is I can’t find any information on paints that are safe to use on water tanks.

Has anyone done this before?

[AltersAreUs]

Not really. Paint isn’t the answer for a metal tub, enamel is what you want. What you would do if it was a bathtub in your house is have it refinished. I guess you could try to do it yourself with the right materials . This Old House has sort of has instructions - https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/…-cast-iron-tub but the chemicals involved sounds yucky.

[SonnysMom]

There are products you can buy from Lowes/Home Depot to re-enamel a bathtubs. I this an old bathtub or an old galvanized livestock water trough?

If it is a galvanized water trough how about this?
http://www.clearcoproducts.com/cold-galvanizing-high-performance-zinc-spray.html

On the Spec sheet for Surfaces it lists Food Plants.

[JanM]

There are commercial tub repainting companies that do a great job on repainting porcelain tubs. If it’s a galvanized tub, then I don’t know if they could electroplate (I think that’s what it is, or electro static?) the inside and outside of the tub.

A quality job by a professional is worth the extra money. I’ve seen a repainting job on a porcelain tub before that wasn’t a quality job, and it peeled off almost immediately.

[gumtree]

I am probably of the last generations that grew up with “bathtubs” being used as field water tanks as the norm more than not. All of old free standing bathtubs were being replace when everyone was remodeling, updating bathrooms in the late 50s, 60s early 70s. They were being thrown out everyday. Easily found for free, just come and get. Easier said than done because they were/are REALLY heavy, thick and made from cast iron. We needed several people to heave them into a trailer and unload.

But that’s what made them fantastic for horse tanks. Way too heavy for the odd swimmer that every paddock, field end up with. They can’t be tip, or pulled one over by the majority of normal horses. The fact they have a porcelain interior finish keeps them rust free for years and years unless chipped or worn to the metal.

Painting the outside is easy and time needed depends on what level you want to spend on the project. Sanding down the rusted metal can and is time consuming. But we are not working with furniture here. You can just lightly sand with steel wool to knock off the loose rust off. Or not sand at all and just spray with a metal paint. It will look fine, its in a field/paddock not your house. Yes spraying over the rust doesn’t allow the paint to adhere nearly as well as prepped bare metal and it will peal/flake sooner rather than later. But IMO no big deal just spay it again. Cheap and not much time evolved.

You can coat the whole tub with navel jelly rust remover and scrub off with a wire brush which will give good results with not much effort. If you have a power washer even better, less work. Me I have bigger and more important things that I should devote my time to. Things that are much more in my face and others that need sprucing up.

As to what kind of paint to use on the porcelain interior talk to somebody in the paint department what is best. There maybe very good primer to be had for this. Depending on the condition of the porcelain, but I think regardless it will needed to be cleaned well and best to lightly sand the surface to rough it up and give a better bonding surface for the paint. it will most likely peal in places over time depending on what is used. But again, IMO no big deal, I would just do a quick prep and spray again.

[SonnysMom]

The other option for prepping the underside of an old bathtub is to rent a sand blaster. They are messy but effective.

[StarPattern]

Without seeing pictures of the bathtub in question, why not just build a wooden surround for it? It’ll hide the ugly rusted outside and no one really looks in the inside anyway. Then you can stain and seal the wood however you want to protect it. Wood is cheap enough that you could rebuild the case every couple years when it gets chewed down or looks too banged up.

[Bluey]

You can get enamel paint made just for that at Home Depot.
I got some for an old enamel cabinet and it worked fine for that.

[js]

there is paint made for potable water tanks, like this: http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/industrial-brands/high-performance/epoxy-coatings/w9200-system-potable-water-coating

I know the tubs work well but would it be easier just buy a regular water trough?

[luckycricket123]

@js

there is paint made for potable water tanks, like this: http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/industrial-brands/high-performance/epoxy-coatings/w9200-system-potable-water-coating

I know the tubs work well but would it be easier just buy a regular water trough?

Its probably not worth the cost of junk removal, that alone for a tub this heavy will cost me several hundred dollars. I want to keep using it until I can get automatic waterers installed.

[luckycricket123]

@StarPattern

Without seeing pictures of the bathtub in question, why not just build a wooden surround for it? It’ll hide the ugly rusted outside and no one really looks in the inside anyway. Then you can stain and seal the wood however you want to protect it. Wood is cheap enough that you could rebuild the case every couple years when it gets chewed down or looks too banged up.

That’s actually pretty brilliant, but I’m better at painting than I am at woodworking. Also my newest horse is an awful wood chewer and would destroy it.

[merrygoround]

I can recall that old tubs usually had a curving lip going around them. This lip was idea for banging / lacerating knees. I know many used them with no problems. But the new tubs bought from the local farm store are less than the cost of a vet visit.

[gumtree]

@luckycricket123

Its probably not worth the cost of junk removal, that alone for a tub this heavy will cost me several hundred dollars. I want to keep using it until I can get automatic waterers installed.

Old ones are VERY heavy. SOP when removing from house is to take a sledge hammer and wack it into smaller pieces. Assuming it is an old cast iron type. It doesn’t take much to break up cast iron.