Originally Posted by
speedball1
While Letmetellu claims to be a shop owner he doesn't give the best of plumbing advice. Here's part of the post you coppied
This is incorrect! The foam consists of air bubbles that will give im time under the weight of the water and a persons body. The only way to bed a tub is with mortor or cement.
he also stated,
Bottom cut out of the tub? That's a new one. He might have been referring to a tub reliner but who knows? You don't cut the bottom outta a tub to install a reliner. But reliners are pricy.
Let's talk about repair.
One way to repair acrylic or fiberglass baths is to install a liner. This essentially relines the entire bath area with a new, inner bath area: a pocket inside a pocket. Or you can tear it all out and install a new shower or bathtub.
Fiberglass/acrylic repair kits are a sort of lesser option--but certainly much cheaper. They allow for spot-repair of cracks and holes that may have been plaguing you, much in the same way one might repair a boat or car. In fact, one company that makes shower/tub repair kits is Bondo, best known for its automobile body repair compounds.
How Do Fiberglass/Acrylic Shower Repair Kits Work?
It's not difficult, though the odor can stink you out. The basic method is so:
Clean the areas to be repaired thoroughly. Make sure all cleaning products are off the surface before you begin the repair.
Apply a special fiberglass tape to the cracked area.
Mix resin, hardener, and tint together.
Spread compound over taped area, smoothing it as carefully as possible.
Allow compound to harden.
Sand down surface.
How Does It Rate?
Fiberglass/acrylic repair kits are a good stop-gap if you plan on a complete repair or relining in the near future. But you're almost sure to be disappointed by the repair job. Tints come in basic one-size-fits-all colors, like white or almond. Your shower/tub surface will never quite match the repair compound. Bondo's tub/shower repair kit is cheap and lets you get the job done in a day. (Buy Direct - Bondo #20186 Tub/Shower Repair Kit) Don't look to Bondo for any customer support, though. Their main product line is still cars and boats, and they pretty much ignore their home repair llne. You might also check out Bath Wizzard.
If you elect to repair the crack you should really bed the tub before you do it. A fiberglass or plastic shower stall or bathtub should be bedded, which means support is required under the base so the floor does not flex or give when someone is standing on it. If the unit is installed without proper support then in time the drain seal will rupture and cause a leak. Putting cement or mortar under the floor when it is installed gives it a solid platform , which prevents flex in the floor. Simply puddle or make a ball of thin set, cement or mortar and place them around under the tub and bear the drain. Without this support, the flex will cause movement at the pipe connection resulting in cracks in the base and leaks at the drain.
Good luck in whatever you decide. Tom
