Repairing Or Fixing Crack In Your Shower Floor
If water seeps through a crack in an acrylic, plastic, or fiberglass shower, it could cause significant damage to the space beneath or behind the shower in addition to being unattractive. Purchase a DIY kit to repair the fracture in the plastic shower wall yourself rather than tearing out the complete shower enclosure. The type of the problem will determine the appropriate kit. For a hole or crack in the shower floor or a crack brought on by a lack of support between the wall and the shower surround, use a shower pan repair kit. For small cracks not brought on by a lack of support behind the shower, a paste-type kit works nicely.
Repair Kits For Minor Cracks Or Holes
- While many businesses offer simple repair kits for small shower holes or cracks, others offer the kits in a range of colors that are meant to complement typical bathtub and shower colors. This paste-style repair kit comes with enough filler to patch up numerous 7-inch cracks, significant blisters, or dings.
- To use this kind of kit, gouge the crack along its entire length, cutting no deeper than 3/16 inch, to ensure that the cut only removes a portion of the surface acrylic or plastic material and leaves the fiberglass base beneath it intact. Use a sharp utility knife to cut the notch, or use the grinding attachment for a rotary tool. Working with a grinding attachment requires wearing eye protection and a dust mask. The hands are shielded from cuts when using a utility knife by work gloves.
- After cutting the notch, use the sandpaper that came with the repair kit to smooth the area. To clear the area of debris, wipe it with a moist cloth. After that dries, use nail polish remover to wipe the surrounding area and get rid of any soap scum or buildup. To prevent inhaling in the fumes, keep the windows open while working.
Using The Paste Repair Material
- Open the windows and dispense enough paste material and catalyst into the mixing cup that is provided. Put on rubber gloves and combine them. Read the directions carefully before using because the precise ratios vary depending on the brand. Add a few drops at a time while stirring until the hue matches the shower surround if the kit comes with tints to mix your ideal color.
- With the craft stick that comes with it, spread the paste-like material over the groove. Fill the hole as evenly as you can, and then smooth down the extra material with a plastic card or a scrap of card stock.
- After the repair has roughly an hour to harden, lightly sand it to bring the shower surround and patch level. Use the supplied compound and a soft cloth or buffing pad to buff the repair.
Shower Pan Repair Kit
- If the absence of support from behind or beneath the shower surround caused the shower pan to fracture or split, it must first be reinforced with spray foam insulation before being patched. These paste kits include a resin and catalyst to make a firm, long-lasting patch, just like the paste kits. Fiberglass mesh is occasionally included in these structural repair kits to provide additional support in large holes.
- While the windows are open, use nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol to thoroughly clean the project area. Create a border of six to eight 1/4-inch holes all the way around the plastic that bends inwards when pushed. Additionally, drill 1/4-inch holes at the ends of the fissures to stop them from expanding.
- To provide a strong structure behind or beneath the shower, squirt a two-component insulating spray foam into the holes you've drilled. This kind of foam dries rapidly, making it perfect for the task at hand. Cut away any extra foam that drips into the shower area by using a utility knife.
Completing The Repair
- As you would with a small crack, grind, gouge, and clean the afflicted area surrounding the hole or crack. A tiny sheet of fiberglass mesh, cut to just larger than the hole, should be placed on top of the ready area for a large hole to provide additional support.
- Using a rubber scraper or the provided application tool, mix the two-part polyester resin and apply it to all prepared holes and cracks, including the drill holes. Wearing a dust mask and eye protection, sand or grind away extra material once it has hardened. Once the surface is smooth and level, use increasingly finer sandpaper grits, and then wipe away the dust with a moist towel.
- Use a buffing compound or refinishing compound from the package to buff the repaired areas. Use a urethane automotive polish and adhere to the instructions on the polish container if this isn't part of your kit.