[Chris Sweeney]

My friend has a jacuzzi tub and wants to update the hardware. However, it's not going to be possible, because all access to the outside/underside of the tub is tiled around and there is no access panel. If we unhook, say, a jet or something, and a tube falls under the tub, we're screwed; we'd not be able to get it hooked back up unless we removed some tile, and that's just not an option. Here's what the tub looks similar to: http://www.ecobuildingbargains.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/whirlpool-jacuzzi-tub-450.jpg.

So, my friend likes to use spray paint, and she's actually very good at it. She's thinking she can just spray all the jets/escutcheons/spout/etc., but she would certainly need to mask the tub area. The hardest part would be around the round escutcheon plates.

So my question is this. How the heck do you mask around round objects like the escutcheon plates? There's gotta be an easier way than taking small strips of tape and slowly placing them on the tub around the escutcheon. Any suggestions? Do they happen to make a masking tape that is pre-cut, say, every inch on one side to allow it to be rounded?

 

[oh'mike]

Typically the spot /handles and escutcheons can be removed from the top without disturbing the valves and such that are fastened from below.

If you wish---new trims could be purchased---

 

[Chris Sweeney]

Typically the spot /handles and escutcheons can be removed from the top without disturbing the valves and such that are fastened from below.

If you wish---new trims could be purchased---

Thanks for the response Mike; I wish that was the case for us. As soon as we unscrew an escutcheon, though, the valve/jet assembly will fall through. The escutcheon is threaded and is holding the valve assembly in place. She actually has the same tub in another bathroom, and I tried it there since I DID have access to the undersides. Darn thing fell right through, but luckily I was able to get it back together.

 

[Brushjockey]

Use wide tape and cover them completely. Then with a sharp razor knife cut the excess away .
Are you painting the inside of the tub? Takes special paint to stick there- what are you /she using?

 

[oh'mike]

Bad news---just do your best with the tape----no magic---lots of little strips====

 

[Brushjockey]

Just noticed there is a bit of height to them. Go around the circumference with 1" ,bend it over, then fill in with the wider stuff. Taping takes a bit of problem solving..

 

[Chris Sweeney]

Use wide tape and cover them completely. Then with a sharp razor knife cut the excess away .
Are you painting the inside of the tub? Takes special paint to stick there- what are you /she using?

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my original post. She does not want to paint the tub. Rather, she just wants to paint the jets/escutcheon/spout/etc. So all that chrome stuff in the picture I linked to above is going to get paint. Good tip though; I hadn't thought of that.

She's using a couple cans of Rustoleum to give the hardware a bronze-like finish. First can is like a brown, and then the second can is like a gold.

 

[Brushjockey]

I wouldn't be too confident on that staying on there- chrome is pretty hard to stick to.

 

[pinkfloyd43]

This part may be moved to the painting. Be sure to clean, clean, clean and if the parts of metal use a decent primer on them. I did some bath fixtures a few years back, although I took them out, they actually lasted quite a bit with no issues at all. If I recall used the Rustnoluem stuff!

Masking around it should not be that bad and I cover everything and then go back with a xacto knife and remove what I want painted.