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thehandyman · 03-11-2015, 06:54 AM

I knew I would have to tackle the bathroom eventually. Put a little to much pressure on the shower surround behind the valve's and crack. It split in the corner were the turn up is. Will most likely tape it for now we have a trip planed this weekend. Has anyone hade to fix something like this and how.

AnnArborBob · 03-11-2015, 07:04 AM

I'm no expert for sure, but for what it's worth...

The short term answer is of course, duct tape!

Longer term, you might look into a bondo or fiberglass repair kit as is often used by DIY types in the auto body business. The results are not likely to be pretty, but functional.

mandolindave · 03-11-2015, 07:15 AM

From what I hear, the best way is to take the pan out so you can apply filler to both sides

Lumatic · 03-11-2015, 07:36 AM

Just using filler may crack in time. I would use polyester or epoxy resin with fiberglass tape.

The bigger question is did vibration from running gear cause the crack.

**moosetags** · 03-11-2015, 08:19 AM

That's a 35 year old piece of plastic. It has probably just cracked from age and movement. I don't think that filler or caulk would be a long term fix. I would take a look at marine fiberglass repair kits that use some sort of repair mesh. This may get you a repair that will last for a while.

Brian

aquinob · 03-11-2015, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moosetags

That's a 35 year old piece of plastic. It has probably just cracked from age and movement. I don't think that filler or caulk would be a long term fix. I would take a look at marine fiberglass repair kits that use some sort of repair mesh. This may get you a repair that will last for a while.

Brian

Agree. Whats more, it would probably be better to be fixed from the back which would entail removing it so you could build it up with cloth and resin. Unfortunately you might see more cracks by the time its out since it is probably very brittle at this stage. Assuming you get it out, patch it from the back, then you could use some filler on the front, feather it in and then paint it all so it looks even and clean again.

Or you could look to replace it, maybe build one from scratch out of plywood and fiberglass?

acstokes · 03-11-2015, 09:01 AM

This is just a suggestion as I have not tried it myself. What about a bead of Sikaflex 221 adhesive caulk? It's used on trailer roofs as a sealant. It's adhesive, waterproof, very strong, and very durable.

**moosetags** · 03-11-2015, 09:12 AM

Agreed. Repairing it from the back would be preferable. My only concern is that the plastic pan material may be so brittle that your attempt to remove it could result in an irrepairable break.

Brian

Pams72 · 03-11-2015, 09:31 AM

is that ABS plastic? I repaired my old shower pan with a scrap piece of ABS from the old toilet surround and ABS cement, worked great.

eubank · 03-11-2015, 09:39 AM

You know, there was breakage of this general kind on the inside of our MG when we bought it. The choice was to try to locate new parts, or to repair the old. We went with repair.

To do so, carefully remove the whole part, which may come off in pieces. On the BACK side (where it's invisible), prepare the surface and apply cloth+solvent fiberglass. Once hardened, sand down any little bumps as needed, and then reinstall the part.

Lynn

ALANSD · 03-11-2015, 10:57 AM

drywall tape and sealant over it.

macofpei · 03-11-2015, 11:05 AM

If you use fiberglass to make this repair, for a smoother finish, put the fiberglass on waxed paper and smooth it into the cracked area. I would use my fingers to first push it into the crack and shape it to my satisfaction. Final smoothing with a squeegee to get it as smooth as possible. The waxed paper will easily peel away after the fiberglass hardens and will not have all the little strings sticking up. This makes for easier clean up and sanding. You might want to drill a few small holes for the fiberglass to penetrate and cause it to adhere better to the wall .

Cochese · 03-11-2015, 11:26 AM

Might want to "V" notch the crack to apply whatever epoxy you choose...

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mayco · 03-11-2015, 11:46 AM

...short of replacing, I think I would calk the break well, then cover the entire length of that line with a small piece of aluminum "trim".

thehandyman · 03-11-2015, 07:50 PM

Thanks for all the info I will most likely remove and fiberglass from the back when I have time. I did manage to get to the back side from the compartment behind the toilet. Got some aluminum tap on it to help keep it closed and hopefully keep it from getting worse.
Think the bathroom redo got move up on priority list.