How to Lacquer a Tub

Remove as much hardware as possible from the bathtub, including the faucet and fixtures, with a screwdriver. Protect hardware that can't be removed by covering it with painter's tape.

Cover the walls that surround the bathtub with plastic drop cloths and secure them in place with painter's tape. Lay an additional drop cloth on the floor next to the bathtub.

Put on a face mask and rubber gloves. Apply an etching solution for porcelain to the entire interior bathtub surface. Brush the etching solution on with a paintbrush. Allow the solution to sit for 15 minutes to effectively etch the porcelain.

Rinse the bathtub surface thoroughly then dry it with cleaning rags.

Fill a paint sprayer with porcelain primer. Apply a thin coat of primer to the interior bathtub surface. Move the sprayer back and forth to create an even, drip-free coat. Allow the primer to air-dry for four to six hours.

Repeat Step 5 to apply a second primer coat. Let this coat dry overnight or for 12 hours.

Fill the paint sprayer with a polyurethane-based clear coat for porcelain. Apply a light, thin coat with the same technique you used to apply the primer. Allow the clear coat of polyurethane to air-dry for four hours.

Repeat Step 7 to apply three more coats of polyurethane-based clear coat. Allow the last coat to air-dry for at least 48 hours before using the bathtub. Screw the hardware and fixtures back into place.