How to Repair a Fiberglass Tub or Shower

Fiberglass showers and bathtubs are durable, easily maintained, and attractive fixtures, but they may still be accidentally damaged. Fortunately for homeowners, there are inexpensive kits available that can be used to make repairs if this happens.

Steps

1. Purchase a suitable kit for your shower (or bath tub). You should make sure your shower or bath tub is fiberglass before going shopping, as these instructions will not give good results on cast iron or other types of fixtures.

• Make sure your shower is fiberglass by tapping it with your knuckle or a wooden spoon or similar item which will not damage the finish. A fiberglass unit will have a soft, hollow, non-metallic sound, and depending on where you tap it, may even seem flexible.

• Choose the appropriate color for the kit you will purchase. Most kits come with colorants (tinting products) to change the color of the product to match common colored fixtures, such as white, off white, or almond.

• Make sure the kit you buy comes complete with everything you need, or purchase these materials and tools seperately. The following is a list of what your kit may contain:

• Polyesther resin
• Hardener (catalyst to harden the resin)
• Fiberglass mesh or mat (for large or structural repairs)
• Colorants
• Sandpaper in assorted grits, from 80 grit (coarse) to 400 or 440 grit (very fine)
• Thickener (to stiffen the resin for vertical applications)
• Protective gloves resistant to the chemicals included in the kit
• A mixing container and stirring tool

2. Clean the area to be repaired. Cut any jagged or protruding glass fibers around the damaged area, sand it lightly with a medium grit sandpaper to remove wax, oil, soap scum, or other surface contaminants, and rinse with acetone or another solvent to assure proper adhesion of the repair product.

3. Determine if the damaged area will require fiberglass cloth reinforcing. If it does not, skip to the step describing mixing and tinting instructions. If the crack is over one fourth of an inch (1/2 cm) wide, or is actually an open hole that the resin mixture will not fill alone, cut a piece of fiberglass mesh or cloth slightly larger than the hole. For large holes or cracks, more than one layer of cloth may be needed to get good results.

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