# Forum Home Renovation Bathrooms  Repairing a chip in a porcelain enamel steel bath

## davo

Had a bad day yesterday and managed to chip a new Caroma Stirling porcelain enamel steel bath I am preparing for installation in a bathroom.   
It's only a small chip but will get wet everyday as it's right under the overhead shower. 
The chip measures about 4mm long x 2mm high in the centre where it's back to the metal (black area in centre). The wider area of damage to the white orcelain enamel is about 9mm long. 
I've read a couple of posts here and elsewhere about some of the repair options available. 
Paints
Selleys Appliance Touch Up - about $17
Tubby DIY Chip Repair Kit - $55 
Fillers
Selleys Porcelain Repair - $22
Caroma Enamel Repair Kit" - - $70 
My major concern with any of these repair solutions is that the paint/filler will absorb a tiny bit of mositure and the metal underneath will begin to rust. I have visions of it looking fine for about 5 years and then ever increasing brown streaks to start appearing as the metal underneath rusts. I will be living in the house for another twenty years so am looking for a good solid solution. 
In the past 15 years, I've tried many "rust proof" paint solutions on outdoor projects, car floors etc. White Knight Expoxy enamel (with its related primers) has been pretty good on some of these projects but eventually breaks down after about 10 years - sooner if there had been any rust underneath, even if brushed back to "bare metal". I called the White Knight Support desk yesterday and they said the Expoxy enamel would yellow over time. He even suggested a product from a competitor - the Selleys Porcelain Repair Kit. 
So I'm wondering if any one has had long term success with any chip repair solution on a porcelain enamel steel bath? I'd be particulrly interested in any feedback on the Caroma Enamel Repair Kit as I can't find any comments on this at all. I suspect it's just a paint like the Selleys Appliance Touch Up, but marked up $$$ as it carries the Caroma name. 
Any comments much appreciated, Davo

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## Oldsaltoz

There are a number of professional people who do this sort of work, not cheap, but you do get a warranty and an invisible repair. 
Good luck.   :Smilie:

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## goldie1

I have used the Selleys porceline repair on several acrylic baths. It works great longterm.  As you said rust would be 
and issue on steel.  I would go with Oldsaltoz and call a pro.

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## davo

Thanks for your comments Oldsaltoz and goldie1. 
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be anyone near my town (Ballina NSW) who does this sort of work, only one place in Lismore that does full bath re-painting. But even if a pro did do it, I'm not confident it wouldn't rust after about 10 years - unless he had some special filler that didn't absorb moisture, or some sort of 100% moisture proof resin primer that sealed it before the filler went on. 
I was hoping there would be some method of treating a new chip which hasn't been exposed to water and has no existing rust. But I've search and searched and I can't find anything really specific on how to do a good solid repair on a porcelain enamel steel bath. 
goldie1, how well did the colour of the Selleys Porcelain Repair Kit match the colour of your acrylic bath? And were you able to polish it with a fine grade of wet and dry to get a smooth finish?

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## goldie1

The colour match is good ( basic glossy white tub ) and then you rub it back with fine wet and dry same as filler on a car. 
Then final finish using a cutting polish. Same as for a car if you havn't polished it for a while. Do you know any spraypainters 
or any one into restoring old cars? They would give you advise on primers.  
I did one for a mate about three years ago who lives near me so I will go around to his place this arvo and get a pic.

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## davo

Thanks goldie1 that's good info. I was wondering how to restore the gloss finish. Look forward to seeing the photo.

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## goldie1

This is the patch three years on. The ding was done with a ladder on the edge of an acrylic tub. This is the Selleys  
porcelin repair. As you can see it has gone slightly yellowish.  This has got me interested I will give it a cut back  
with car polish and see if it improves and post another pic

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## davo

Thanks very much for posting the photo.  
From what I can make out, the Selleys product looks a little like a building filler I use. It's a two part polyester product made by Fuller that's sandable and dries to a matt finish with a very slight porous apperance on the surface. 
When you first apply the Selleys product, does it have a matt or glossy finish? 
It will be interesting to see how it changes after you polish it again.

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## China

I have used the sellys prodoct in the base of a bath constanly being wet ( under shower ) after two years it is starting to rust, just claim it on your insurance as accidental damage and replace it

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## davo

Good information China. How long after the damage occurred was the Selleys product applied?

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## goldie1

> Thanks very much for posting the photo.  
> From what I can make out, the Selleys product looks a little like a building filler I use. It's a two part polyester product made by Fuller that's sandable and dries to a matt finish with a very slight porous apperance on the surface. 
> When you first apply the Selleys product, does it have a matt or glossy finish? 
> It will be interesting to see how it changes after you polish it again.

  This is a two part epoxy similar to araldite. Quite hard, glossy when first applied

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## goldie1

> I have used the sellys prodoct in the base of a bath constanly being wet ( under shower ) after two years it is starting to rust, just claim it on your insurance as accidental damage and replace it

  Did you use a primer?

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## China

I did use a primer,  I do not know how long the chip had been there ( is was there when purchased the house ) although I cut it back to bare metal.

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## goldie1

1 cut and polish       2 unpolished

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## shauck

Is it you're fingernails that are cut and polished? They're very neat.   :Biggrin:

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## goldie1

> Is it you're fingernails that are cut and polished? They're very neat.

  Thats a thumbnail. A thumbnail of a thumbnail.   :Smilie:

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## shauck

he he

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