Clawfoot redux

This clawfoot tub came with the house. It had clearly been painted at least twice, if not more, but only on the side facing the bathroom. Yeah, that’s the bathroom the way we found it. Jealous?

Our original plan was to put it in the third floor bath and buy a freestanding tub for our bathroom on the second floor. But when you don’t even like taking baths, and the bathtub that you’d probably buy is this one, but you really want is this one and it’s so pricey you have to call for the price ($7,000 in case you were wondering), well, paying strong men $180 to move the clawfoot back to the second floor seems like a great idea.

So does just building a shower and not having a tub, until you think about all it takes to build a shower (according to Lou). Plus, we already redid the floors in the bathroom so we’d just be covering them up with the shower when a tub would show them off.

Here’s where I insert my disclaimer: IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO REFINISH THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR CLAWFOOT TUB, THIS IS NOT WHERE YOU FIND THEM. Although I did get them off the internet, and I’m about to repeat them loosely, so, you’re kind of in the right place. Plus, our tub looks good. Even our plumber complimented it. And I assume he’s seen a lot of tubs.

Here’s the rundown: Wear a mask so as not to inhale paint, metal particles and other people’s skin dust. Remove dirt and paint (like, decades worth) with wire brush.  Then go over the tub with sandpaper. Next, wipe down the tub with water and then mineral spirits to clean any last bits off. Then tape off the rim and the pipes. Spray Rustoleum primer on it. Let it dry. Spray Rustoleum spray paint on it, in the color of your choice (we chose matte black, duh). The feet get the same treatment, only they got a final coat of semi-gloss white. Oh, and take lots of photos of intricate tub parts in the afternoon light.

Final reveal will be later this week when it’s moved down to the bathroom and its little claw feet are put on.

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