Re-enameling a toilet bowl.

DeclanDublin

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I put in a new toilet bowl about four years ago. Somehow the bowl has become somewhat scratched and I was looking at replacing it. However, I saw something on YouTube where a toilet was re-enameled using an (epoxy?) spray paint. I dropped into my local hardware, who are great for advice, and the painter guy said this doesn't really work. He said it was difficult to get the paint to 'stick' to an enameled surface, altho, I told him the surface is in fact somewhat rough now. It would save me a lot of trouble to use the paint rather than refit a new toilet (with new tiles etc around the toilet base, any thoughts on it anyone, any recommendations at to product, or am I wasting my time trying?
 
I haven't seen a toilet bowel done but i've seen a bath re-coated. Saw it when done and again over the months following as it was a builder friend who got it done as a tester. It now looks faded, dull and hard to clean properly. It's not for me and my friend doesn't recommend it to any clients either. Also, it wasn't cheap.
 
I put in a new toilet bowl about four years ago. Somehow the bowl has become somewhat scratched and I was looking at replacing it. However, I saw something on YouTube where a toilet was re-enameled using an (epoxy?) spray paint. I dropped into my local hardware, who are great for advice, and the painter guy said this doesn't really work. He said it was difficult to get the paint to 'stick' to an enameled surface, altho, I told him the surface is in fact somewhat rough now. It would save me a lot of trouble to use the paint rather than refit a new toilet (with new tiles etc around the toilet base, any thoughts on it anyone, any recommendations at to product, or am I wasting my time trying?

If you get a new toilet, make sure you tile first all of the floor and then put the bowl in.
Never understood the tiling around the bowl.
 
Securing the bowl to the floor with the screws is a lot easier than trying to do so through the tiles. It's called common sense.
 
Yep. tx No problem, looks like it's a new loo....

Out of interest, what is the cost of a new toilet (including getting someone to fit it and doing the few replacement tiles etc.) ?

- I've been considering changing the one in our en suite (on and off) for the last few years.
 
Securing the bowl to the floor with the screws is a lot easier than trying to do so through the tiles. It's called common sense.

No easier or harder than drilling through floor tiles.

Better to tile first and put toilet bowl down on top of tiles... it also means that should accidents happens the tiles will dry out quicker than a damp concrete patch.
 
Better to tile first and put toilet bowl down on top of tiles... it also means that should accidents happens the tiles will dry out quicker than a damp concrete patch.

Correct, that's the only way to do it. Any 'pro' who suggests otherwise is a cowboy.
 
Not everyone tiles a bathroom, are you calling them cowboys? I'd chose my words more carefully, wouldn't want anyone calling you a cowboy. Would we? :)
 
Not everyone tiles a bathroom, are you calling them cowboys? I'd chose my words more carefully, wouldn't want anyone calling you a cowboy. Would we? :)

The comment was made in the context of tiling, in agreement with a previous post on tiling first. If you're putting down lino, then obviously tiling first wouldn't be a good idea.

I'm still happy to call anyone who fits bathrooms for a living who would suggest fitting a toilet first, then attempting to cut tiles around it a cowboy though. Even as a DIYer with a tile router, I wouldn't consider it.
 
Securing the bowl to the floor with the screws is a lot easier than trying to do so through the tiles. It's called common sense.

There is many reasons not to tile around a toilet, apart from the significant amount of additional work to cut the tiles neatly. Drilling two holes through the tiles to secure the toilet is a very simple job indeed (use the right drill bit though).
 
With modern equipment/tools there's a very simple, easy, uncomplicated way to cut a bowl into situ and you'd be surprised the amount of customers who demand this, for many various reasons and believe it or not builders do what's asked of them. To call the person doing so a cowboy is nasty, childish and very unprofessional. If it's your opinion, that's fine. But, like a good lad, leave out the vindictiveness, there's absolutely no need for that.
 
With modern equipment/tools there's a very simple, easy, uncomplicated way to cut a bowl into situ and you'd be surprised the amount of customers who demand this, for many various reasons and believe it or not builders do what's asked of them. To call the person doing so a cowboy is nasty, childish and very unprofessional. If it's your opinion, that's fine. But, like a good lad, leave out the vindictiveness, there's absolutely no need for that.

Clearly you cannot see why it is not a good idea to tile around the toilet instead of setting the bowl on top of the floor. That's fine, as in whatever you think, but it is still unprofessional for a builder to do so and not talk the client (who usually doesn't have a clue) out of it.
 
With modern equipment/tools there's a very simple, easy, uncomplicated way to cut a bowl into situ and you'd be surprised the amount of customers who demand this, for many various reasons and believe it or not builders do what's asked of them.

You still haven't said what those reasons might be, the only possible valid reason I can think of would be where the bowl was glued to the subfloor and there was a strong possibility it would break trying to remove it. Even in that case, if it was my house I'd take the chance as I'd rather replace the toilet than tile around it.

Like I said, I have this tile [broken link removed], it does an amazing job, but even the best job will not look as good and take a lot longer than lifting the bowl, tiling then replacing the bowl.
 
I did a complete drain-out of the loo. (Not a pleasant task!) And realised the discolouration was caused by limescale build up, which was quite dense in parts. The only reason I can think for this is that I travel a lot and water is left 'standing' in the loo for days on end. I hate environmentally damaging cleaners, so I did a quick scan on the internet and came up with the eco-friendly, and cheap solution of pure white vinegar as a cleaning agent. It's the acid that does it. And apparently lemon juice works as well. Popped a full bottle into the loo, left it for a few hours and it is as clean as a whistle. The enamel is completely smooth again. I hope it lasts, but at least I know an easy, environmentally friendly answer to the problem.
 
Well done Declan !

Finding the eco-friendly approach was great.

Did the smell from the vinegar linger for long, after you had used it ? ... I think I'd head straight for the lemon juice myself, if I was choosing from the two options.
 
Just on the "to tile or not to tile" before refitting the loo, Its not always practical and Noproblem is correct to judge it on case by case.

While I would prefer to have continuous tiling, I found out the hard way on a bathroom refit. Having raised the loo by about 30mm due to the loo now sitting on tiles, it had a knock-on affect with the inlet pipe fitting and the waste outlet.

So one size does not fit in all scenarios.
 
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