Bathmat Option 

Traditional bathmats are damaging to the finish on a tub.

• The porcelain finish on an old cast iron tub is incredibly durable. In terms of sandpaper, 40 grit is about as aggressive as you will find at the home store. You can’t even sand the porcelain finish on an old cast tub with 40 grit paper. Over time, however, a bathmat will erode through the porcelain finish all the way down to the cast iron. In old cast iron tubs with long term bathmat use, you can see where the bathmat was located by the erosion on the bottom of the tub.

Bathmats which aren’t removed after every use prevent the tub from drying out and promote the growth of bacteria, yeast and mold.

Bathmats with suction cups continuously pull on the surface finish.

I don’t tell customers to not use a bathmat, however, for the reasons described above I don’t warranty damage from them.

I do provide an alternate option, which is a permanent bathmat that’s bonded to the tub floor. In order to install the mat, I must return to your location at least 3 days after refinishing to do so.

• This bathmat can only be installed on tub bottoms that are smooth. If your tub already has a textured bottom, this mat can’t lay flat as needed for a proper installation.

Below are images of the permanent bathmat installed in a tub refinished in Kohler White.

If you must use a bathmat, you can minimize long term damage by using one without suction cups and removing it after each use so that the tub can dry out.