I recently had the same question because I am re-using a vintage farmer's sink and bathtub from a house we're rebuilding. A representative of a company called the Miracle Method came to the house, checked out both pieces and said she wouldn't recommend re-doing either one. (They're in pretty good shape even though they're about 20 years older than yours.)

The "method" is actually a new paint job, applied after preparing the surface to hold the paint. Works best in tubs, she said, not in kitchen sinks where pots and pans can ding the surface. The price for the tub would have been $499. Not cheap.

Her other advice was to try the Home Depot brand of tub cleaner, which we did with great results!

She also said never use bleach on a porcelain surface. So we're keeping the clorox away from those pieces.

Good luck. I love re-using perfectly good things!

Thanks Pegsie! I kinda thought it might be an expensive process to refinish.... I'll definitely check out the Home Depot cleaner.

I have reglazed a few tubs and if I didn't have to do it again, I wouldn't. I land up in old houses with shorter but beautiful deep soaker tubs that I cannot replace. My current condo's tub was reglazed about 15 months ago as part of a totla bathroom redo and it is a mess already, dings, chips, etc., and the reglazer (best reputation around here) said it could be touched up but could not be done over again because it has been done 4 times! Had I known, I would have bitten the bullet and replaced it with the ugly, shallow, but clean and shiny Kohler Villager tub, the only cast-iron I could fit in there. I am going to ask a contractor how much damage will occur from my replacing my tub now, after completing a new tile job and new floor - if I had only known!

Sorry mountainbasketmaker, this thread is several months old now and you may have moved on!

We have an old cast iron bathtub that is the same vintage as yours. The white finish had seen better days when we bought the house, and I had it refinished 12 years ago.

The biggest drawback is that you are told you can no longer use a bath mat with suction cups, and must find one with holes in it. The only one I ever found that fit the bill just wasn't secure enough to make the tub safe.

Like everything else, the process has improved over time. They now can apply some kind of pebble finish before the spray coats, which eliminates bath mats altogether. I have no experience with it personally, but it is in use in several big hotel chains, and satisfies their liability concerns.

The new surface is not as resiliant as the original. The longest warranty currently offered in our area is 10 years.

Hope this helps!

I am wondering too, has anyone lined an old tub with glass and grout or any creative mosique?