Serving all Chicago neighborhoods
Chicago Bathtub Refinishing
Cutting Edge Refinishing refinishes bathtubs, tile, sinks and shower bases throughout Chicago. Refinishing bonds a durable acrylic coating to the surface you already have, so there is no demolition, no dumpster and no replacement. Most Chicago jobs are finished in one visit, with roughly 24 hours of cure time before the tub is back in use.
It costs a fraction of replacement, and there will be no beginners or trainees on your job. That is the part that decides how a refinished tub looks in five years.
Built for Chicago's old bathrooms
Chicago's housing stock is full of bathrooms that were tiled once and never touched again. Brick bungalows across the Bungalow Belt, two-flats and greystones on the North and West Sides, courtyard buildings, and prewar walk-ups all share the same story: a heavy cast iron tub set into a tight alcove, surrounded by original wall tile, still structurally perfect and just tired-looking.
That is exactly the situation refinishing was made for. A cast iron tub in a second-floor two-flat weighs a few hundred pounds, and getting it out means a back staircase, a demo crew and usually a wrecked tile wall on the way. Refinishing skips all of it. We mask the room, prep the surface, spray the coating and leave the same day.
It also solves the problem that catches most homeowners off guard: old alcoves are rarely a standard size. Pull a 1920s tub out and the modern replacement often does not fit the opening, which turns a tub swap into a tile job, a plumbing job and a drywall job. Refinishing leaves the original tub exactly where it sits.
Common in Chicago
- Cast iron tubs in bungalows, two-flats and greystones
- Original wall and floor tile recolored to match
- Condo and walk-up jobs with no elevator access
- No demolition, no dumpster, no permit pulled
What we refinish in Chicago
One crew, one day, no demolition. Pick the surface you are dealing with.
Bathtub Refinishing
Porcelain, cast iron and fiberglass tubs resurfaced in a single day.
Tile Refinishing
Dated wall tile recolored without pulling a single piece off the wall.
Clawfoot Tub Refinishing
Antique cast iron tubs refinished inside and out, feet included.
Cracked Fiberglass Repair
Flex cracks reinforced from underneath, then refinished over.
Bathtub Chip Repair
Chips, gouges and rust spots filled and blended in.
Slip Resistant Coating
A textured non-slip bottom applied during refinishing.
Bathtub Liner Removal
Failed acrylic liners pulled, the original tub restored.
Shower Base Refinishing
Stained and cracked pans resurfaced without touching the surround.
Jacuzzi Refinishing
Jetted tubs refinished around the fittings, jets left working.
We also serve these nearby communities and everywhere in between:
Berwyn Oak Park Elmwood Park Melrose ParkChicago refinishing questions
Can you refinish a bathtub in a Chicago condo or walk-up?
Yes. Refinishing needs no elevator, no dumpster and no demolition, which is why it works in condo buildings and third-floor walk-ups where a tub replacement would be difficult or prohibited by the association. We mask the room, ventilate it and leave the unit clean.
Do I need a permit to refinish a bathtub in Chicago?
Refinishing is a surface coating, not a remodel. Nothing is removed, no plumbing is altered and no structure is changed, so it is not treated the way a tub replacement is. Check with your condo association about scheduling, since some buildings ask for notice on any contractor work.
What is bathtub refinishing?
Bathtub refinishing restores a worn tub by bonding a durable acrylic coating to the existing surface. Nothing is torn out, no plumbing is moved and most jobs are finished in a single day.
How much does refinishing save compared with replacing a tub?
Refinishing typically saves 60 to 80 percent versus removing and replacing a bathtub, because there is no demolition, no plumbing work, no retiling and no disposal.
Should I refinish a bathtub myself with a kit?
No. Hardware store kits use a brush-on product with a fraction of the durability of a professionally sprayed coating, and the prep work is where most DIY jobs fail. A peeling refinish costs more to strip and redo than it would have cost to do correctly the first time.
Free quote for your Chicago bathroom
Text or email a photo of your tub or tile and we will price the job without a sales visit.
Skilled, fully insured technicians. Read customer reviews or see job examples.