There's also the bathtub material to consider—for example, acrylic vs. cast-iron or fiberglass vs. porcelain—all of which affect the cost, durability, and ease of cleaning.

Q. I have an old–30-plus years–garage door that is fiberglass and is the faux woodgrain look. The finish is faded but the door is very durable and I don’t need to replace it. Can you ...

Ask the Carpenter offers tips for repairing a faded fiberglass door. Get more home improvement tips at realestate.boston.com. ... If you choose to go this route, use an exterior acrylic.