If your bathtub develops a couple of holes due to an accident or wear, there are a few ways to fix the problem. The most extreme and more expensive option is just to rip out the grody old thing and throw it away in a storm of anger. The alternative is to buy a bathtub patch kit that lets you fix spot problems or to completely rework the surface of a bathtub if necessary. The solution depends on the material form which the bathtub is made.

Tiles do not have the same problem with ingrained dirt and small holes. They are made of ceramic and are impermeable to water, chemicals, and dust. They are sealed with some type of lime flux that makes the surface as smooth and durable as glass. If a tile breaks, it fractures and it has to be repaired.

Most bathtubs are not made with ceramic. There are several reasons to do this, including reduced weight and increased durability. A plastic or fiberglass material is able to bend and resist the tension of a human body moving through shifting water. It is more durable in terms of handling a shifting load. It can get dents and breaks in the surface and still remain intact.

While this prevents the whole tub from shattering, it makes it prone to staining on the surface and it can form holes if tools and objects fall onto the surface. The solution is to rework the surface, either as a spot solution or to apply an enamel over the old surface to make it look good as new. These bathtub tile kits can be used by professionals and frequently are. They are also simple enough to be used by the home amateur who is handy with a putty knife.

A bathtub patch kit contains a polymer that has the consistency of putty and then is mixed with a hardener similar to other types of enamel glues. The end result is a patch that will both adhere to the broken surface very strongly but will be hard and indistinguishable from the tub surface once it is sanded down and polished. Most tubs are white, although specific colors can be found for nonwhite tubs.

Find all your bathroom repair pastes and equipment from a retailer that specializes in interior renewal. Find hard setting bathroom enamels that might be difficult to find in stores. It is possible to go to a large home improvement retailer and not find a fraction of the inventory available on this site.