Services
Bathtub Refinishing & Fiberglass Repair Services
Absolutely Smooth Bathtubs repairs and refinishes tubs, showers, sinks, and tile throughout Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan. Residential and commercial, free estimates, 35+ years of hands on experience.
Bathtub Refinishing in Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan
Refinishing restores the surface of a tub you already own. The tub is cleaned and etched, damage is repaired, and a new bonded finish is applied and cured on site.
Bathtub refinishing is a full surface restoration done in place. Caulk and old coatings come off, chips and cracks are filled, the surface is prepped so the new material bonds, and the finish is sprayed in even coats. A typical tub takes about 4 to 5 hours and is ready to use in about 24 hours.
Replacing a tub pulls in a plumber, a tile setter, and a dumpster. Refinishing solves the surface problem without touching the wall, the floor, or the plumbing, and an original cast iron tub stays in the house.
Bathtub Reglazing
Reglazing is another name customers use for the same work. If a Southeast Michigan homeowner asks for bathtub reglazing in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, or Novi, that is a refinished glossy surface applied over a properly prepared tub.
Bathtub Resurfacing
Resurfacing describes the prep heavy version of the job, where the original surface is repaired and rebuilt before the finish coats go on. Deep cleaner damage, rough spots, and old failed coatings all get corrected first.
Damage we address
- Dull, chalky, or etched surfaces that no longer clean up
- Stains, hard water marks, and cleaner burn
- Chips along the rim and drain
- Rust spots on steel and cast iron
- Failing or peeling refinishing done by someone else
Benefits
- About 75% less than replacing the tub
- No demolition and no damaged tile or flooring
- One visit instead of a week long remodel
- 5 year warranty on residential refinishing
Fiberglass Repair, Crack Repair, and Hole Repair
Fiberglass repair is Jim's specialty. Cracked floors, soft spots, and holes that other companies call unfixable can usually be rebuilt and refinished.
Fiberglass tubs and one piece units flex over time, especially where the floor is unsupported. The damaged area is opened up, reinforced from below or behind where access allows, rebuilt with new material, then sanded, textured, and color matched so the repair blends into the original surface.
A one piece fiberglass tub and shower unit was installed before the walls were finished. Replacing it usually means cutting drywall and trim. A structural repair avoids all of that.
Fiberglass Crack Repair
Cracks are ground out, backed for strength, filled, and refinished. Hairline spider cracking around the drain and along the floor is one of the most common calls in Livonia, Canton, and Westland.
Fiberglass Hole Repair
A hole in a fiberglass tub or shower wall is rebuilt with new material and reinforced from the back so the patch carries weight. Many customers are quoted a full replacement before they find out the tub can be repaired.
Damage we address
- Spider cracks and stress cracks in the tub or shower floor
- Holes punched through thin fiberglass
- Soft, flexing floors that move underfoot
- Failed do it yourself patch kits
- Cracked jetted and whirlpool tub floors
Benefits
- Keeps a one piece unit in place, which usually cannot be removed without cutting walls
- Structural reinforcement so the crack does not come back
- Color and texture matched to the surrounding surface
- Far less cost and disruption than a new surround
Shower Repair and Shower Pan Repair
Shower pans crack where the floor flexes and water finds the seam. Repair and refinish stops the movement and restores the surface.
A cracked or spongy shower pan is reinforced underneath where access allows, then the crack is rebuilt and the pan is refinished. Worn shower walls and surrounds can be refinished at the same time so the whole enclosure matches.
Replacing a shower pan means opening the wall, resetting the drain, and redoing tile or surround. Repair keeps the enclosure intact.
Walk-In Shower Refinishing
Walk-in showers with worn floors and dull walls are refinished in place, with an anti-slip surface on the floor when requested.
Damage we address
- Cracked shower pans and shower floors
- Flexing pans that were never fully supported
- Water working through a floor crack into the subfloor
- Dull, stained, or rough shower walls
Benefits
- Stops the leak path without a tile tear out
- Anti-slip finish can be added to the pan
- Walk-in showers refinished in place
- Back in service in about a day
Porcelain Repair, Chip and Rust Repair, and Tile Refinishing
Porcelain over steel and cast iron chips at the rim and rusts at the drain. Tile surrounds in older Southeast Michigan homes are often sound but dated.
Chips are filled and leveled, rust is cut back to sound material and sealed so it does not bleed through, and the surface is refinished. Tile surrounds and floors can be refinished in a new color rather than torn out.
Tearing out tile in a 1950s Ann Arbor bathroom often does more damage than the tile problem itself. Refinishing gives a clean surface without opening the wall.
Sink Refinishing
Bathroom and utility sinks are refinished or repaired the same way. If a sink is cracked through, Jim will tell you when replacement is the smarter option.
Whirlpool Tub Refinishing
Jetted and whirlpool tubs are refinished with the jets and hardware protected, and cracked whirlpool floors are reinforced before the new finish goes on.
Damage we address
- Chips at the rim, drain, and overflow
- Rust bleeding through porcelain on steel and cast iron
- Dull, etched porcelain that will not shine again
- Dated tile colors and stained grout lines
Benefits
- Small chip and rust repairs are quick and inexpensive
- Whole bathroom can be brought to one color
- Original fixtures stay in the house
Color Changes, Custom Color Matching, and Anti-Slip Treatments
A dated color is not a reason to replace a good tub, and a slick tub floor is a safety problem worth fixing.
Almond, pink, blue, and harvest gold fixtures can be changed to white or another color you choose. For repairs, Jim matches the existing color so the work is not visible. Anti-slip treatment is applied to the tub or shower floor during refinishing.
Damage we address
- Dated fixture colors
- Repairs that need to disappear into the surrounding surface
- Slippery tub and shower floors
Benefits
- Whole bathroom brought to one consistent color
- Safer footing for older adults and children
- Done during the same visit as refinishing
Commercial
Commercial Refinishing for Apartments, Hotels, and Multi-Unit Properties
Property managers call when a unit needs to turn over and the tub is the only thing holding it back. Refinishing takes a few hours per fixture instead of days, so the unit goes back on the market quickly.
- Apartment complexes and student rentals
- Hotels and short term lodging
- Multi-unit and condo properties
- Property managers handling turnovers
- Commercial buildings with tub, shower, and sink surfaces
Refinishing cuts replacement cost, shortens fixture downtime, and avoids the noise, dust, and hallway disruption that comes with demolition. Scheduling can be arranged around tenant move outs so several units are handled in sequence.
Materials
Surfaces We Work On
Most tubs, showers, sinks, and tile surfaces in Southeast Michigan homes and apartment buildings fall into one of these five materials.
- Acrylic
- Cast iron
- Fiberglass
- Porcelain
- Steel
Service covers Oakland County, Washtenaw County, Wayne County and roughly a 50 miles radius around Ann Arbor, including Ann Arbor, Brighton, Canton, Chelsea, Dearborn, Dexter, and the surrounding communities. See finished refinishing and repair projects.
Answers
Service Questions
More detail on materials, warranties, and commercial work.
Can fiberglass holes be repaired?
Yes. Holes in fiberglass tubs, shower floors, and shower walls can be rebuilt with new material, backed for strength, then sanded and refinished. Many homeowners are told a holed tub has to be replaced when it does not.
What surfaces can you work on?
Acrylic, cast iron, fiberglass, porcelain, and steel. That covers most tubs, showers, sinks, and tile surfaces found in Southeast Michigan homes and apartment buildings.
Do you offer commercial refinishing?
Yes. Absolutely Smooth Bathtubs handles apartment complexes, hotels, multi-unit buildings, and other commercial properties, with units returned to service quickly.
Is there a warranty?
Residential refinishing work is backed by a 5-year warranty. Jim is licensed and insured.
Can you change the color of my tub?
Yes. Color changes and custom color matching are both available, whether you want a dated color turned white or a repair matched exactly to the surrounding surface.
Do you add anti-slip surfaces?
Yes. An anti-slip treatment can be applied to the tub or shower floor during refinishing, which is a common request for older adults and family bathrooms.
Not Sure Which Service You Need?
Send a photo of the tub, shower, or sink and Jim will tell you what it needs and what it costs. Estimates are free.