I have an old upstairs bathtub, probably installed around 1940. It began leaking on ceiling below. Plumber said tub shoe was worn out and would be very difficult if not impossible to find a replacement. I did find one service that can remake the part if I send the old one, which is not practical. Alternative is to tear out old tub and replace -- a big job.

I am fairly handy with fiberglass, using polyester resin. I am wondering if I could layer in fiberglass strip by strip all around the tub shoe and stop the leak. My thinking is, the ceiling below the tub is open now anyway and will be until this problem is solved. Second, if I can't stop the leak by fiberglassing around the shoe, no harm done because it is all going to be removed for a new tub anyway.

My experience with fiberglass does not include any commercial or industrial work -- so I am assuming the glass and resin will adhere to the shoe, which I also assume is steel.

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions or comments about this? Thank you.

A typical tub shoe,(see image) is made of brass and the drain and lip are chrome over brass. They are not made of steel. What makes yours so special that it can't be replaced? If you can get to it, it is a 15 minute repair job. Talk to me. Tom

Thanks for the reply Tom.

Don't know why my plumber said it would be a hard part to find. I assumed because it was so old and perhaps the dimensions were not consistent with what is available today. The shoe connects to a pipe that measures 5" outside circumferance. I could take a photo of it, but I just signed on to this site and I'm not sure how to do that yet. Will read help section and see if that is possible. Are there other measurements or such I should do to narrow this down.

I have two tubs like this and the other needs to have a valve stem replaced. They are old American Standard gear that stick up from floor outside tub, with faucet part going into tub.

Do you have a rubber pull stopper coming out of the drain or a pop-up ?
Tub shoes are tub shoes. One size fits all. Walk into any plumbing store and ask to see one. Regards, Tomk