Bathtub Refinishing Near Buckman Field in Portland's Inner Eastside

Clawfoot Tubs from the Field House Era Deserve Restoration

Buckman Field House opened in 1922. Many tubs in nearby homes date from that same decade. These aren't boring builder-grade tubs stuck in a corner. These are statement pieces with decorative feet and rolled edges.

Clawfoot tubs weigh even more than built-in cast iron tubs. They sit on four ornate feet, usually painted black or white. The outside of the tub shows. You can see it from every angle when you walk into the bathroom. That means both the inside and outside matter.

Most people want to refinish the inside where they actually bathe. The coating we apply gives you a smooth, clean surface that's easy to keep sanitary. You can take showers every day without worrying about the finish wearing down.

The outside is different. We can refinish it with the same coating as the inside. Or we can paint it to match your bathroom colors. Some people paint the outside navy blue or forest green. Others keep it white to match the original look. The feet can be any color you want.

These tubs are often the centerpiece of the whole bathroom. When you refinish one, the entire room looks better. The old porcelain might have been stained or yellowed. The new finish comes out bright and modern.

I refinished a clawfoot tub last fall in Sunnyside. The homeowner had painted the outside purple twenty years ago. The inside had rust stains and chips. We refinished the inside in white and repainted the outside a soft gray. The tub looked like something from a magazine.

Many homes in Laurelhurst have these same-era fixtures. The neighborhood developed in the 1920s right alongside Buckman Field. Those tubs are now approaching 100 years old. They're built better than anything you can buy new today. Refinishing brings them back to life.