Should I Repair Crack In Bathtub

Fiberglass tub

Most modernistic homes take advantage of the benefits of updated manufacturing and materials, containing fiberglass or acrylic bathtubs rather than traditional porcelain-coated cast fe or stainless steel. Affordable, attractive, and durable, fiberglass is notwithstanding prone to groovy and pitting overtime.

Fortunately, repairing a cracked or damaged tub or shower pan is a straightforward DIY job that most homeowners can do to relieve themselves money over an expensive replacement. The cost to hire a professional to fix problems may prove worth the minor investment to ensure the cause of the effect is addressed to prevent future problems.

This guide covers the nuts for fixing all shower floors, including bases and pans, but it mainly focuses on the most common issue – fiberglass tub repair.

This project costs an average of $20 to $240, depending on the extent of repairs needed and whether y'all hire a professional or handle fixing the damage on your own. Modest impairment often but requires an epoxy kit, available at most home improvement stores. More extensive cracks and chips may require drywall mud, special two-component foam, and patches. Even at the high end, repairing is considerably less expensive than installing a new tub, and it usually only takes four to six hours including drying time.

On This Folio:

Repairing a Fiberglass Tub
1. Tools Needed
2. Assessing the Extent of the Damage
3. Purchasing a Kit
4. Steps
Repairing a Fiberglass Shower Pan
Care & Maintenance Tips
Acrylic Tub & Shower
Fixing a Tile Pan
1. Tools
2. Steps
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

Tub

Repairing a Fiberglass Tub

No matter how bad a crack or an indentation may look, the procedure is the same as if it was a little pit. In either case, it'south surprisingly simple. By using a bones epoxy kit with a few essential items, repairing a fiberglass tub takes every bit little as one 24-hour interval, with most of that fourth dimension spent as the compound dries.

Materials and Tools Needed

In general, this project requires minimal tools. For starters, you'll need household cleaner and a sponge to clean the expanse before getting started. Additionally, you'll need:

Protective gear (goggles, respirator or mask and gloves)
Rotary tool
Drill
80-grit sanding paper
Fine grit sanding paper
Cellophane tape
Ii-component foam
Fiberglass mesh/cloth
Fiberglass repair kit

What Type of Repair? Crack, Fleck or Hole?

Assessing the damage is the beginning step to determining the type of repair needed. Over time, heavy use can exit fiberglass, acrylic and other tub and shower materials vulnerable to cracking and chipping. Additionally, if something heavy drops on the surface, it could leave a large crevice or a substantial hole, especially if the base isn't properly supported.

Superficial fries, cracks and scratches may only require simple filling and refinishing. But for large ones, a professional should address the potential underlying problem and add extra support to the structure before patching and refinishing the base.

What to Look for in a Bathtub Repair Kit

To make your repair simple and stress-free, await for an spread-out kit that has everything you need to fix nigh issues. Minimally, kits include:

Polyester resin/epoxy in putty or paste form
Liquid hardener
Mixing stick and tray or mat
Sandpaper of various grits
Protective gloves
Colorants for common tub hues (i.east. almond, fair), if needed
Finishing shine

For larger cracks and pits, information technology may too be necessary to purchase fiberglass mesh to reinforce the putty and make it less likely to dimple. As a rule, apply mesh for any fissure wider than a quarter-inch or an open hole that is too large to make full in with the resin mixture alone. More all-encompassing problems caused by improper installation and support may require drilling shallow holes in the tub, filling those holes with two-component foam, and calculation fiberglass patches earlier using a refinishing kit.

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Step-by-Step Guide

Filling a small hole or crack in fiberglass is a simple process, but you should set aside a whole day to permit time for the mixture to harden between steps. For this reason, this is a skilful job to begin in the morning and complete throughout the solar day between other home comeback projects. Repairs are like for acrylic tubs, merely we'll comprehend the differences between the ii processes beneath.

1. Set up the Area – Before getting started, clean the area with household cleaner and a sponge. Use rubbing alcohol, acetone, or a similar solvent capable of removing oils, soap scum, and glass fibers.

1. Drill equally Needed – When a lack of back up is the root of the problem, you need to address the consequence head on. Instead of removing the tub and rebuilding the support organization, drill six to eight small holes in the tub and add foam (see next footstep). If you lot aren't working on the underlying back up, but you're repairing a crack, apply a rotary tool with 80-grit sand paper to grind a bevel that'due south about 1 1/two inches broad centered on the crack.

1. Add Ii-Component Foam – For actress back up, inject two-component foam into the holes that you drilled. It sets in a few minutes and creates a stiff foundation.

1. Apply a Patch – If using fiberglass mesh, lay it over the crack or hole to measure, and then trim information technology so that information technology is slightly larger than the opening it is to cover. More than than one layer may be necessary for especially deep holes.

1. Mix the Filler – While wearing protective gloves, mix the resin putty and hardener every bit directed by your repair kit, adding colorant if working with a not-white tub. Use the provided mixing stick and tray and put it atop a piece of scrap cardboard to forbid accidental spills onto porous bathroom surfaces.

1. Repair the Crack, Scrap or Hole – Immediately spread the mixture into the crack or pigsty, or on top of the fiberglass mesh. Have care to work it in thoroughly to get it into all crevices and prevent dimpling. Don't be afraid to pile the mixture atop the hole to fill information technology in completely; you will exist sanding it later.

1. Allow the Mixture to Set – Allow the mixture to fix in the hole for ii-3 hours or longer for larger, deeper holes. Once set up, use the sandpaper to carefully polish the surface. This might take some time and elbow grease.

Refinish the Surface – Use the finishing smooth to consummate the patch and assistance the new area blend into the tub.

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Fiberglass shower floor

Repairing a Fiberglass Shower Pan

If y'all're repairing the flooring of a fiberglass stall, the method you utilize to complete a patch is no different than in a larger tub. However, because almost of the surface of the base of operations is horizontal and flat, information technology is possible to fix and reinforce larger holes and pits with scrap plywood in add-on to epoxy, only only if you accept admission to the back or lesser of the pan. Some quick steps are:

Spread epoxy on the plywood and printing it onto the crevice, from the unexposed side of the pan, to seal it.
Apply the upper layer of epoxy on the exposed surface and sand information technology down.

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Fiberglass Tub Care and Maintenance Tips

Like well-nigh home fixtures, when information technology comes to extending the life of your tub, preventing issues is the best solution. Your starting time line of defense force it regular cleaning with the right type of cleaner and methods. This material responds best to balmy lather, like dish soap, or fifty-fifty merely a paste of baking soda and water. This is because the blanket is thin and bailiwick to wear over time. For this aforementioned reason, it is important to never utilize annoying cleaners on these fixtures.

To maintain the luster of a unmarried- or double-slice fiberglass tub, you might also consider giving information technology a regular polishing using automotive finishing products designed for fiberglass. Avert using waxing products on this type of floor as this poses a safety risk when the shower is in employ.

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acrylic shower pan

Acrylic Tub & Shower Repair

Acrylic is another commonly used material that tin can ofttimes be repaired instead of replaced. The steps are similar, but slightly unlike.

1. Drill 1/4-inch holes in a 1-foot foursquare around the damage, being conscientious to avoid drilling all the fashion through.

1. Fill the holes with insulating foam to halt the acrylic from flexing later on you've repaired the crack. Remove any foam leaking from the holes with a craft knife before sanding over the dried foam with a 240-grade sandpaper.

1. Drill holes at either end of the crack, avoiding drilling through the acrylic.

1. Use a two-role polyester filler to repair the damage, spreading it evenly over the drill holes and the scissure with a rubber spreader.

1. Once the filler is dry, sand it smooth and level with the residual of the tub's surface.

1. Wipe over the surface area with denatured alcohol to remove any dust.

Use bathtub repair paint to create a smooth, well-matched surface. Once the paint dries, add together a final layer of urethane chemical compound, and buff the area to create a polish, hard terminate.

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removing old tile from shower

How to Repair a Tile Shower Floor

If the crack is pocket-sized, y'all may be able to repair it without incurring the toll of retiling the surface area. Otherwise, yous'll need to remove the damaged tiles and replace them before re-grouting.

Tools & Materials Needed

Grout saw
Drill with a masonry bit
Chisel
Scraper
Notched trowel
Tile adhesive or thinset
Grout
Sponge/rags

Stride-by-Pace Guide

When removing the tile,

1. Use a grout saw to remove the grout surrounding the affected tile/tiles.

1. Drill a hole through the middle of the damaged tile, or several holes in a large tile.

1. Suspension the tile into small pieces using the chisel, and use the scraper to remove them along with the thinset or tile adhesive behind the damaged tile.

1. Apply a fresh coat of thinset or tile adhesive with a notched trowel or a putty knife if you're working in a small area.

1. Press the new tile in place and allow the agglutinative dry before grouting over the repair.

Use a damp sponge to remove backlog grout from the tile. Let the grout to cure earlier using the shower.

When repairing the tile for a minor chip or fissure,

1. Clean the area with a mixture of oxygen bleach pulverisation and water.

1. Use epoxy gum over the area to level it with the rest of the tile.

1. Paint over the repair with a porcelain touch up kit to match it to the undamaged tile.

1. Let the pigment dry out and add a coat of clear urethane.

One time everything is dry, wipe over the area with a damp cloth.

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DIY Considerations

Depending on the extent of the damage, this is a unproblematic DIY project. If you determine to DIY this prepare, brand sure you allow yourself plenty of time to let the epoxy and other materials used in the repair dry out between steps. Additionally, consider covering the surface area across the surface you're working on with cellophane tape to forestall the refinishing materials from running over the intact role of the tub or shower pan.

If y'all doubtable that the crack or pigsty has created water damage in the subfloor, or if the project feels similar it's more than than you want to accept on, hire a pro to do the work for you lot.