Cracked shower base repair

I hope this thread is appropriate place for this problem. My shower base has developed a 2-3" crack near the step/seat. I am 200# and suspect I placed all 200# on ONE heel. In any case, does anyone have any ideas on how one might repair this plastic base? It certainly looks like a monumental task to replace the entire base. I do not think that 2-part epoxy will hold because of the flexing in the base. (Currently, on my way back home, I have a piece of duct tape sealing the crack :-(

I am in the process of replacing the tub because the former owner broke it. As you say, "It certainly looks like a monumental task to replace the entire base." Not only that, the tub may not be available if you have the old style with the faucet on the end - the new tub has the faucet in the corner.

[Bill]

Bert -

I don't know if the tub can be repaired. However, there is a plumber's trick that may eliminate the flexing, which would at least give you a chance.

First, pull the converter out of the wall. This gives you access to the area under the tub. If you want to work some epoxy into the crack to seal it, and smear some around the crack on the back of the tub to help it bond, now is a good time to do it.

Line the floor area under the tub with a sheet of plastic or tarpaper.

Next, along the centerline of the tub, build up a base of boards between the floor and the underside of the tub. Use wooden wedges/shims to get the support as firm as possible, under as many points of contact as possible.

Now get a can of expanding foam. These days there are foams with many different properties. Try to choose one that is very firm when it is set up. And a foam that doesn't expand a whole lot is probably better than one that fills the room. Blast the foam into all the little nooks and crannies in the boards and shims. Shoot a pile beside the boards, between the floor and the underside of the tub. It will expand and provide extra support. Go away for a day and let it set up to full strength.

Reinstall the converter. If the foam has expanded so much that the converter won't go back into the hole, cut away the excess foam.

The combination of boards/shims and the cushy foam should stop the flexing, and provide good support for the floor of the tub. You may get away with it. On the other hand, if the trick doesn't work and you have to pull out the tub, the initial layer of plastic or tarpaper will ensure that all the foam comes out with the tub, instead of sticking to the floor.

Bill

[Keith Wire]

Bill,

You have a 2006 2720SL and we have a 2007 2720SL so I think our tubs are the same...

Every time I use the shower I am worried I will break the floor because is flexes soooo much when I stand in it (weighed 181 on the scale this morning. )

Is yours soft in the middle too?

And have you done the shim/expandable foam mod you suggested to Bert?

Keith

[Bill]

Keith -

No, I have not done it in the TM. It is on my "round tuit" list, but pretty far down, since the floor doesn't seem to flex much.

If the tub has not cracked, the approach is easier. You don't have to eliminate all of the flexing, just reduce it a lot. In that case, I think you can omit the boards/shims, and just spray in a big glob of foam. If you spread 180 pounds over, say, 2 square feet, the load is pretty low.

By the way, I learned this trick in a house I once owned. A big one-piece shower had been retrofiited into one of the bathrooms, and it flexed A LOT. At some point, I had a plumber come in to take care of some other things, and asked him what I could do about the flexing. He whipped out a 1/4-inch drill and drilled a hole in the middle of the floor of the shower. Stuck in the nozzle of a can of spray foam and pulled the trigger. As I recall, he then stuck a waxed or greased nail into the hole. Next day, he pulled out the nail and filled the hole with some white silicon caulk. He smoothed the surface of the caulk with a wet finger - and that was it. The color match wasn't perfect, but it was close, and the small dot on the floor was really not noticeable unless you were looking for it. And the flex was close to gone. I'm not suggesting that you drill a hole in the floor of your TM's tub - I would still go in via the converter opening - but you don't have to play with boards and shims.

Bert's problem is a little more advanced since there is already a crack. He really needs to bring the flexing to zero if any crack repair is going to hold.

Bill

[Keith Wire]

Thanks for the info Bill.

As you may remember we own a hardware store and I have been asked several times how to fix a soft shower base. I never thought of that...

Keith

Bill:
Thanks for the great ideas on supporting the shower base. Sorry about the slow response. I am in NS Canada and was not near an internet connection. Will be heading back to TX on 4th. When I get home, I intend to try your suggestions. I'll post my results as others may have similar problem. I would hope that TM might fix this shower base weakness in new units.

This past weekend discovered my shower base has a 2 inch crack in outer wall side base. Has any one used EternaBond to seal the crack & if so what kind of results did you achieve? I know first I need to shim it from the bottom & foam it to stop it from flexing. What makes me so mad about this problem, TrailManor should have taken all flex out before any of these units are shipped out. Very poor quality control!!!

I have not had the problem with the tub cracking in our TM but I have had the problem in the house. West www.westsystem.com/ makes some great products for repairing and building with fiberglass. I think I may be reinforcing my tub with a layer of fiberglass material and epoxy. West system epoxy is very liquid and is applied with a brush or roller then apply a layer of fiberglass cloth and paint on more epoxy. I have used it to repair boats, bathtubs, plastic utility trailer tops use it to reinforce wood joints. Great stuff to work with.

[Wavery]

Sallby is spot on.

All you need is an appropriate amount of 4oz or 6oz fiberglass cloth, 1qt of polyester resin (you don't need to use epoxy resin, it is 4x the price of polyester and they used polyester in the tub construction), some TSP, Acetone, 80G sand pater and 150G and paper (preferably aluminum oxide), some LP Paint, a couple 98-cent 2" paint brushes and a good quality 1 1/2" brush that will work with LP paint.

1. Scrub the tub bottom with TSP 3 times, to remove all of the soap and body oils before sanding. Wipe it out with a damp cloth, then a paper towel. Sand the area with 80G sandpaper. Wipe it out with a lint free rag, covered with Acetone.

2. Prepare an area at least 3" on either side of the crack. If I were doing it, I would F/G the entire tub bottom to up about 3" on the sides. Put masking tape around the area to be glassed, mask off everything else and lay down plastic all over to protect surfaces

3. Cut your F/G cloth to the size that you want to cover. Cut 3 pieces, each piece 1" smaller than the other. If you do the entire tub bottom, cut your 1st piece 3" larger than the tub bottom then make 3" slits in the corners, to make your curves up.

4. Lay your 1st piece of F/G cloth (largest one) on a large piece of cardboard.

5. Mix about 1 cup of resin & add the proper amount of catalyst (per instructions on the can). It's best to use a mixing container that is at lest 6-8" in diameter so that the resin will set slower.

6. Brush a thin coat of resin in the tub base (where the cloth is to be placed).

7. Poor just enough resin on the cloth so that you can spread the resin out (with a cheap brush) and just cover the cloth, without over-wetting. You may want to put a few ounces down, spread it with the brush until you can't spread any more, then add just enough to wet it out completely. Take your time, you have about 15 minutes to work with it.

8. Pick up the cloth from the cardboard by the corners (it will easily peel off) and lay the cloth in place in the tub. This may be best achieved with 4- hands if you do the entire tub bottom). You will be able to slide it around with the brush, a little, after laying it in place. Get it in place then dob all of the air bubbles out with the brush by pushing them out the sides until they are gone.

9. Do the same with the second piece, laying it on top and 1" inside the first piece. Then do the same with the 3rd piece.

10. allow about 2 hours to dry, then cut the drain hole with a razor blade. It should cut fairly easily. Neetness doesn't count, it can be sanded smooth later.

11. Allow to set over-night then sand with the 80G paper, then the 150G paper. Paint with the LP paint.

If you want to do a quick dirty job, you can get away with 1 or 2 layers, I would do 3 layers because it doesn't take that much longer and doesn't cost that much more. If you're going to all that prep-work, you might as well do it right.