How To Fix A Cracked Shower Floor Without Needing A Professional
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One of the top reasons why shower pans fail and cracks occur is poor installation. The subfloor was possibly put down unevenly, causing the material to flex every time you put weight on it. The source of the damage could also come from your house settling over time and putting pressure on the shower's base. It's important to fix this problem quickly because it isn't just an aesthetic issue. No matter if you've invested in the best materials for a shower tray, water can leak into the subfloor when it cracks. This can allow rot to compromise your home's structural integrity. Even if the rot is only marginal, harmful mold can grow. You can save money on a full shower replacement by repairing the crack yourself using some cheap, easy-to-use hardware store products.
This process involves drilling into the fissure and filling it with epoxy, which will dry, allowing you to sand and paint it. All you need is a roll of painter's tape, a power drill, a Gorilla Two-Part Epoxy Syringe, a tin of Silverhook Big Boy Lightweight Body Filler, a Rust-Oleum Tub and Tile Refinishing Two-Part Kit, and a sanding sponge. Since you'll be working with toxic chemicals, you'll also need to wear a KN95 mask. If your bathroom doesn't vent to the outside or have windows you can open, make sure you have a fan handy to increase ventilation in the space. You should be able to knock out this project in an afternoon. Follow the instructions correctly, and once the job is complete and the patching materials have cured, you'll hardly notice that the crack in your bathtub was there in the first place.
The process of repairing cracks in your shower floor
The tutorial below walks you through how to complete this project. Start by drilling several holes in the shower floor's fissure, and then fill the crack with Gorilla epoxy, which will create a watertight seal. The next step is to spread your body filler across the surface. Start by stirring the filler and spreading it onto a piece of cardboard or loose tile, and then squeeze some hardener onto it and blend everything together. The filler will harden fast, so quickly spread it over the damaged spot. After about 20 minutes, it will be time to sand the dry filler and paint over it with your tub and tile spray. The next step is to line the walls around the shower or tub floor with newspaper reinforced by painter's tape. This will allow you to paint the entire base a matching color without getting the paint on your walls.
@d.i.y.d.a.d A cracked shower tray and not enough spare cash to replace my bathroom at the mo. Time for a bit of a DIY job! #fyp #DIY #diyproject #drilling #resin #fiberglass #filler #sanding #spraypaint #jobdone #bosh
Not all cracks require as extensive of a repair, especially when they have just started to form. If you spot a hairline crack, start by sanding it so that your adhesive can attach to the rough texture. Then you can apply your adhesive, allow it some time to dry, and sand it flat. This should prevent the crack from expanding any further and protect your subfloor from leaking. Once you've knocked out this project, you can start looking into resourceful DIYs to camouflage cracked tiles.