Painting Over a Bathtub

Scrub at the bathtub with warm water, mild detergent and a scrubbing sponge to remove any mold, dust or dirt that has accumulated over time. The tub should be completely clean before applying any paint. White vinegar is also useful in mold removal.

Run a palm sander over the surface of the tub. This roughens the texture of the tub so it bonds to the paint more effectively. Wipe down the tub with a towel afterward to remove any loose sand or particle remnants.

Rub a chemical adhesive over the tub surface with a clean cloth. This assists the paint in sticking effectively to the bathtub. Allow the adhesive about five minutes to dry.

Use masking tape to cover any areas around the tub that you don't want affected by the paint.

Spray a primer over the tub using a paint sprayer. The primer bonds to the adhesive while also covering up the previous color of the tub so it doesn't bleed through to the surface of the paint job. Two coats of primer works best, with the second being applied only after the first has dried.

Flush out the paint sprayer and apply a paint with an acrylic polymer coating using the sprayer for best results. The coating helps make the paint more durable and it withstands the effects of water more effectively. Keep the paint even by using a back-and-forth motion while painting.

Add two more coats of paint once the first coat dried. The three coats helps give the acrylic paint a thicker appearance and makes it more durable.