Wade Stein
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| 02 Nov 2008 09:08 PM |
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I have a shower base that has a sever crack in it, What is the best way to fix?
The crack is about 2-1/2' long
Not straight
No access from under side
Would I be able to cut a groove along the crack and insert a piece without putting a support plate underneith?
I have done very little repair work so any help and as much detail as poosible would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Wade |
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Andy
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| 03 Nov 2008 02:26 AM |
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Wade,
If you don't have access to the bottom side you are going to be limited. If it were mine, I would cut a slot down 7/16". I would not go all the way through. Then I would fit a new piece in the base. If the crack is not straight, you will have to make multiple straight cuts to encompass the entire crack.
The repair may not last forever, but should. |
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FabNet Administrator
andy@thefabricatornetwork.com
Countertop Company - www.OliveMill.com |
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Tom M
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| 03 Nov 2008 07:26 AM |
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First, find out how thick the material is. You will need to determine if a beveled route will be enough. That will give you the best support if you can't get underneath for a support block.
I'm no expert, but this sounds like its a toughie. |
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| "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." - Shakespeare |
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The SS Tech Guy
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| 03 Nov 2008 11:17 AM |
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A comment on shower pans...
Most often they crack because they were not installed with adequate support. If you fix the solid surface but do not get the pan supported, a body standing on it for a shower will likely crack it again. You MUST get the pan supported! (Trust an old plumber) |
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| Bill W.
bwolle@msn.com |
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Norm Walters
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| 03 Nov 2008 11:47 AM |
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Bill, wouldn't it be possible to cut a beveled hole, then fill the void with spray foam, remove the excess that comes out of the hole to a point flush with bottom of the repair piece, and glue the beveled repair piece in? |
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Norm
www.normwaltersconstruction.com |
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The SS Tech Guy
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| 03 Nov 2008 02:02 PM |
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Norm,
Yes, just use a grade of foam that does not shrink or compress.
I would use the plug cutters at several locations to get as much coverage with the foam as possible. |
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| Bill W.
bwolle@msn.com |
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Karl Crooks
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| 03 Nov 2008 02:48 PM |
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Wade these are NOT ez, as Bill stated you have to fix the cause not just the crack. Do you know what caused the crack? Do you have any color matching materials ? We have repaired MANY of these, I can walk you thru the steps if you like, just call my cell (760) 525 9481. |
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| RESTORE ~ RENEW ~ REJOICE !
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Johnny C
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| 03 Nov 2008 03:20 PM |
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Posted By Andy on 03 Nov 2008 02:26 AM
Wade,
If you don't have access to the bottom side you are going to be limited. If it were mine, I would cut a slot down 7/16". I would not go all the way through. Then I would fit a new piece in the base. If the crack is not straight, you will have to make multiple straight cuts to encompass the entire crack.
The repair may not last forever, but should. If you leave part of the depth of the crack unrepaired it will leave a stress riser. Any new stress could cause it to crack easier from that location. I have seen it happen on countertops when the original fabricator tries to do a repair and only makes it cosmetic and leaves the stress riser in the deck. Good advice from SS Tech guy. Does anyone know what type of injectable foam does not compress? Johnny C |
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politefab
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| 03 Nov 2008 05:50 PM |
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here is what i would do but this is just me. i would take a thermoforming oven down there with me. and i would cut a 3/8"x3/8" piece of solid surface about 4' long to take with me as well as a scrap piece of solid surface a few feet long. i would take a 15 degree double fluted router bit set up in a plunge router with a collar on it i usually use a 3/4" collar with that bit.
when you get to the house plug in your oven and go into the bathroom and make a line with your pen following your crack if your using a 3/4" collar than your line should be drawn 3/8" out from the center of the crack that would be the center of your router bit than take a bunch of pieces of 1/4" mdf cut to 1/2"x 1" and hot melt them down to the shower pan fallowing the line you drew about 1/4" apart so you are hot melting quite a bit of blocks there glue them down on the crack side of the line. that entire process should take you about 15 to 20 min.
have your hot melt gun and some more mdf blocks ready because you only have blocks glued to one side of the line pull your 3/8"x3/8" piece out of the thermoforming oven and push it up to the mdf blocks. hot melt some more blocks to the opposite side of the pieces you dont need as many on this side just enough to hold it up agenst the other mdf blocks. let it cool than remove all of the mdf blocks and hot melt that strip to the shower pan make sure it is secure and put your scrap piece of solid surface down behind the thermoformed pc so your router can sit on it.
take your router and plunge it in and router out the crack with the 15 degree bit i cut down to about a 1/16" of going through the material.than make a second pass to just go through the material. i usualy pre cut a pc of solid surface in the same color of the repair piece at the sop to fit in the 15 degree slot that i will be cutting at the house. i than cut that piece just a little shorter than the grove i just cut. you know so it does not get into the rounded part. i heat it up in the oven and than sick it in the grove i use the scrap solid surface and a weight to hold it in place till it cools once it has cooled i use my plug set up to put a plug at each end of the grove while my 15 degree pc is still in place i take the three pieces out and clean them than glue them all back in. as far as not having enough support under it depending on how bad it is you may be able to just fill it with corian glue
this should be about 4 to 6 hours at the house |
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Andy
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| 03 Nov 2008 06:15 PM |
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In my opinion the unsupported pan will not be fixable without removing the pan. Sure you could spray some foam in there, but what is that really going to accomplish?
Fixing the crack is about the best you can hope for.
I know this sounds like a lot of work, but is it possible to remove the panels, remove the pan and fix it properly? This would cost more, but the repair will likely crack again.
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FabNet Administrator
andy@thefabricatornetwork.com
Countertop Company - www.OliveMill.com |
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Karl Crooks
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| 03 Nov 2008 07:19 PM |
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Posted By Andy on 03 Nov 2008 06:15 PM
In my opinion the unsupported pan will not be fixable without removing the pan. Sure you could spray some foam in there, but what is that really going to accomplish?
Fixing the crack is about the best you can hope for.
I know this sounds like a lot of work, but is it possible to remove the panels, remove the pan and fix it properly? This would cost more, but the repair will likely crack again.
Andy we have repaired these many times, using the spray foam and reinforcing the repairs. So far it has worked out well. There are many ways to do this, I'm not one for typing this all out, but if anyone would like to call I'll help where I can. |
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Karl Crooks
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| 05 Nov 2008 11:01 AM |
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Wade it was great talking to you, I hope my input was helpfull, feel free to call me agian if you have more questions. Thanks ! |
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Tom M
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| 05 Nov 2008 11:38 AM |
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Karl, speaking of repair - can you email me the email addy of the local BTF guy I met? I want to forward him some pics of a claium I am going to file.
Pretty simple, but I have never seen it before. |
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| "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." - Shakespeare |
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Karl Crooks
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| 05 Nov 2008 12:10 PM |
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Tom, he's on the road ALOT, send it to me I'll make sure to go over it with him.
karlc@backtoperfection.com
Thanks !!! |
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| RESTORE ~ RENEW ~ REJOICE !
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