Archive for the ‘Showers’ Category

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Bath Safety Month

January 6, 2012

It’s National Bath Safety Month! It only takes a few seconds for a young child or elderly person to become injured in the shower or tub. Fortunately, Chris Duty can help keep your bath area clean and safe.

  • Avoid Injuries: Chips, scratches, and rust can make the surface of your bathtub rough. This makes it uncomfortable to bathe in and the potential to cut yourself on the uneven surface. Refinishing your tub will leave a smooth surface.
  • Prevent Slipping: The surface of your tub becomes very slippery when wet. Many bath time injuries are the result of falling in the tub. To protect yourself, Chris can install an anti-slip mat in the bottom of your tub. Please note that using a bath mat with suction cups can peel off the finish on your bathtub. Hand rails and shower seats can also prevent accidental slips and falls.
  • Keep It Clean: You should keep your tub clean to help prevent rust and dirt buildup. A shower caddy can help keep your items organized and prevent spilling soap or shampoo on the surface. Bath toys and other items should not be left in or on the tub. Razors can be dangerous to young children, and can also chip your bathtub finish. Once a week, wipe down your refinished tub with a towel. You should also keep toys and bottles clean to prevent mold growth.

Celebrate Bath Safety Month by reducing your risk of injuries with a clean, newly refinished bathtub or shower.  To repair your bathroom in the DFW area, call Striking Image Porcelain Refinishing at (940) 395-1406.

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Protect Your Belongings During Refinishing

April 13, 2011

As with any home improvement project, prep work is necessary to ensure your belongings aren’t harmed. I’m Chris Duty of Striking Image Porcelain Refinishing, and I recommend that my clients remove all personal belongings from the room in which a fixture is being refinished.

While I am refinishing your tub, sink or countertops, I will open windows and use filtered fans to help eliminate the odor from the process. I will line the walls, cabinets, and floors with a static paper that attracts overspray. The filtered fans also draw out overspray. These methods work, so not only will you have a beautifully restored fixture, you won’t even know that I was there.

I advise my clients that a refinished surface need to 48 hours to fully harden.

Upon completion of the project, I will give you instructions for care and cleaning of your refinished sink, tub, or countertop. By following my instructions and avoiding abrasive cleaners, you can enjoy your refinished surface for 10 to 20 years or longer. Refinished surfaces, like porcelain, can chip if you drop something heavy on them, but I also offer chip repair services. Read the rest of this entry ?

Posted in Antique Bathtub Refinishing, Bathtubs, Clean Bathrooms, Kitchens, Porcelain Refinishing, Showers, Tile & Counters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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Refinishing the Tub is Not a Do-It-Yourself Project

March 10, 2011

With spring approaching quickly, homeowners are ready to spring clean and fix up the house. Many people will watch home improvement programs and think they can handle everything themselves. Some decide to take on the bathroom and give it a whole new look. There are several ways to spruce up the bathroom and increase the value of your home, but not all are do-it-yourself projects.

Let’s look at your bathtub. You can go to any home improvement store and purchase a new bathtub for around $200. With that, you need to add in the cost of demolition, removal, tile replacement, and plumbing. Suddenly your $200 bathtub just cost you plenty more … even thousands!

You have probably seen advertisements for acrylic liners. These bandages are actually more expensive than a new tub, and they only hide the real problems.  You could purchase a DIY refinisher and attempt to repair the tub yourself.  Without experience, it is virtually impossible to achieve a smooth finish. Not to mention, most DIY finishes peel and chip. So what other options do you have?

I’m Chris Duty, owner and operator of Striking Image Porcelain Refinishing, and I have been refinishing bathtubs, sinks, and showers for years.  I have saved my customers hours of aggravation and money with my custom refinishing. Upon completion of your refinished project, I will give you instructions for the care of your new refinished bathtub.

I not only do refinishing work on tubs, sinks, and counter tops, I do remodeling projects such as tile, painting, flooring, and have a crew of trustworthy plumbers and electricians. We can take that DIY project off your hands or fix that project so you can enjoy your weekend.

If you are in the DFW area and need bathtub refinishing or minor remodeling, call me at (940)395-1406 for a free estimate.  I will provide you with professional references upon request.

Posted in Bathtubs, Chip Repair, Porcelain Refinishing, Remodels, Repairs, Showers, Sinks, Tile & Counters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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Shower Refinishing Looks Like New

December 15, 2010

This week I completed a full shower refinish project. The home owners were displeased with the discoloration and matte finish of their fiberglass shower unit. Through the years, abrasive cleansers and daily wear and tear will break down the finish on a shower or bathtub. We’re told to use special cleaners on our cars — cleaners that are not abrasive — yet we use harsh cleansers on our showers, tubs, counter tops, and sinks at home. Imagine what your car would look like after 10 years of washing it with Comet, Ajax, or Bab-o cleanser. Yikes!

So, long story short, that’s pretty much what happened to this shower stall.

As you can see, after refinishing, the shower looks as good as new, and the owners saved a bundle because they didn’t have to rip it out and put a new shower in. Saving money on home improvements…now that’s a Christmas present everyone can love!

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Best Practice for Tile Shower Seat Installation

September 28, 2010

I’ve seen many nice shower seats succumb to wood rot just five or ten years after installation. Tile crews usually frame out a shower seat with wood, add crete board, then tiles. Over time, water invades and causes rot. The best practice for installing a shower seat is to frame out a mold, pour concrete, let it dry, remove the mold, then skip the crete board and just adhere the tiles to the cement.

The shape and location of a shower seat is based purely on preference. Corner seats are nice, but a rectangular seat can provide more space. Consider the size of your shower, the location of the door and how it opens, and how tall you’d like the seat. The height should be comfortable for anyone who may use the shower, even after you sell your home. I have found that a seat set at 14-25 inches off the floor is best. A lower seat works well for shaving legs, and a higher seat is good for tall men. Sit in your favorite chair, then ask your spouse to do the same. Use a measuring tape to determine the height that you both feel is most comfortable.

The best time to install a shower seat is when you’re re-tiling your shower. Installing a seat with tile behind it is not a good idea. Because it can be difficult to match tile, I always recommend shower seat installation during re-tiling. Your tile crew should be able to install the seat at a moderate cost. Be sure that they understand you want a solid cement installation.

Striking Image offers bathroom remodeling, tile installation, and bathtub and counter refinishing. If you would like an estimate, please give me a call. I’m Chris Duty, owner and operator of Striking Image. My company serves homeowners, builders, realtors, and property owners in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.

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