Shower Stall Leak

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Jgrden

Jgrden

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Joined
Mar 27, 2009
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6,287
Location
hOUSTON, Texas
Noticed a three way split in the shower stall floor this morning. I plan to jam white silicone down it and cover with self adhesive non skip flowers or some sort of other decorative flora. What would you do, minus replacing the pan. ?
 
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John, my friend, if it is fiberglass, I would get some fiberglass sheets, get some resin, color the resin with some of your casting dyes, then lay the fiberglass sheets over the pan. Make sure you work from the outer edges in towards the drain, and wrap the sheets of fiberglass around the drain hole to ensure a good seal.
 
Padre said:
John, my friend, if it is fiberglass, I would get some fiberglass sheets, get some resin, color the resin with some of your casting dyes, then lay the fiberglass sheets over the pan. Make sure you work from the outer edges in towards the drain, and wrap the sheets of fiberglass around the drain hole to ensure a good seal.
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Yikes. Is this something I will find in a hardware - plumbing department ??
 
In the Plumbing section of lowes they sell a fiberglass repair kit that will mend the shower but any fix is temporary unless you can get something under the floor of the shower that will keep it from flexing. I have used spray foam in the blue can with fair results. On those thinner bottoms I usually bed them with Mortar some people use Drywall mud.
 
snyiper said:
In the Plumbing section of lowes they sell a fiberglass repair kit that will mend the shower but any fix is temporary unless you can get something under the floor of the shower that will keep it from flexing. I have used spray foam in the blue can with fair results. On those thinner bottoms I usually bed them with Mortar some people use Drywall mud.
Click to expand...
Okay, you have us going. What is the spray in the blue can? Where can I find it?
 
Jgrden said:
Padre said:
John, my friend, if it is fiberglass, I would get some fiberglass sheets, get some resin, color the resin with some of your casting dyes, then lay the fiberglass sheets over the pan. Make sure you work from the outer edges in towards the drain, and wrap the sheets of fiberglass around the drain hole to ensure a good seal.
Click to expand...
Yikes. Is this something I will find in a hardware - plumbing department ??
Click to expand...

Actually, the best bet would be an auto supply store!
 
Jgrden said:
snyiper said:
In the Plumbing section of lowes they sell a fiberglass repair kit that will mend the shower but any fix is temporary unless you can get something under the floor of the shower that will keep it from flexing. I have used spray foam in the blue can with fair results. On those thinner bottoms I usually bed them with Mortar some people use Drywall mud.
Click to expand...
Okay, you have us going. What is the spray in the blue can? Where can I find it?
Click to expand...

I think he is referring to spray insulation in a can. They sell it at most big box stores like Lowes. I have seen it in a red can. This is what the blue can may be.

That is a good idea too. You can use the cracks as access points to get the insulation in the flooring area to give you support. Just remember, that insulation EXPANDS, so don't put too much in there or you will have a real problem.

The fiberglass sheets/resin sounds like a lot of work, but it is pretty easy. Just mix up the resin, soak the sheet in it and spread it out. If you don't dye it, it should be almost crystal clear when it dries.
 
Padre said:
Jgrden said:
Padre said:
John, my friend, if it is fiberglass, I would get some fiberglass sheets, get some resin, color the resin with some of your casting dyes, then lay the fiberglass sheets over the pan. Make sure you work from the outer edges in towards the drain, and wrap the sheets of fiberglass around the drain hole to ensure a good seal.
Click to expand...
Yikes. Is this something I will find in a hardware - plumbing department ??
Click to expand...

Actually, the best bet would be an auto supply store!
Click to expand...
After is installed, do I need to increase my auto insurance to cover the motorized floor pan????



Just kidding. I fully understand what you are telling me. Thank you very much. This will be in consideration. I need to satisfy myself that I can do a neat enough job to make it look like it came from the factory. The house is for sale and home inspectors will certainly zoom in on this repair.
 
Padre said:
Jgrden said:
Padre said:
John, my friend, if it is fiberglass, I would get some fiberglass sheets, get some resin, color the resin with some of your casting dyes, then lay the fiberglass sheets over the pan. Make sure you work from the outer edges in towards the drain, and wrap the sheets of fiberglass around the drain hole to ensure a good seal.
Click to expand...
Yikes. Is this something I will find in a hardware - plumbing department ??
Click to expand...

Actually, the best bet would be an auto supply store![/quote

Now I am forming a plan. I think we are going to try and spray the insulation inside. We have a fresh can in the garage. Then watch it to see if it expands back out. If so, we sand it and then cover with one of those decals.
If this does not work, we are going for the fibre glass sheets. Heck, we may do that anyway if we aren't satisfied with the results of the spray foam.

Good work Padre and friends. You have pulled me out of the depths of home ownership depression.
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Do not use the spray can that is red with the yellow top it may just bulge the pan up!!! The Blue can is for vinyl windows and does not expand as aggressively as the other.
 
yes..pretty much like everyone says, there has to be support under the pan and if you use foam..use low expansion foam. I would not bother fixing the pan. I would purchase a replacement pan or possibly just replace the entire shower, and this doesn't mean tear out the shower, it means install a new shower over the existing one. RE bathfitters.com
 
Jeff is right. If your house is for sale and your repair isnt flawless you could pay for tha material, fix it your self and then have to pay a contractor to fix it or give a credit to the buyer in order to complete the sale of your house.
 
You know, the trouble you're already going to ...... getting UNDER the pan with foam, taking out the drain flange to wrap the fiberglass around, etc....... You MIGHT be able to find a replacement showerpan.... they don't cost too much..... not when you consider that the sale of the house may depend on it. With an equal amount of inginuity you could maybe remove the old pan, slip in the new one, re-caulk, replace flange, voilas.

Maybe go talk to the Pro desk at your local home depot, run the situation by them..... I'd bet dollars to donuts they've been asked this question before more than once and could outline a nice simple procedure for you.
 
Also something to be aware of with that foam..... If you use it liberally enough to do the trick, then later have to do something else..... getting that dried foam out can be .... well..... nerve wracking to say the LEAST.

Just something to consider.
 
He is selling his house it has to be done right or it will affect the sale. Either in the the price offered or if there are too many things not quite right, possibly the sale of the house. I was a realtor and they do not always have the cheapest repair people. If you go that route get at least three bids. I worked at a Real Estate company that had associated repair companies that they had part if not all ownership in. That included plumbing, roofing, lawn care, Electrical, and Carpentry. While in Lowes Or which ever store you shop in ask the help they may be able to give you a firm method of repairing the cracks one time only.
MIke
 
mredburn said:
He is selling his house it has to be done right or it will affect the sale. Either in the the price offered or if there are too many things not quite right, possibly the sale of the house. I was a realtor and they do not always have the cheapest repair people. If you go that route get at least three bids. I worked at a Real Estate company that had associated repair companies that they had part if not all ownership in. That included plumbing, roofing, lawn care, Electrical, and Carpentry. While in Lowes Or which ever store you shop in ask the help they may be able to give you a firm method of repairing the cracks one time only.
MIke
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Right on. I was a lender for a thousand years. We purchased a good repair kit that should do the job correctly. Did not scrimp and the stall should hold up the the water test. Good to see you got out of that profession and into something honorable.
 
workinforwood said:
yes..pretty much like everyone says, there has to be support under the pan and if you use foam..use low expansion foam. I would not bother fixing the pan. I would purchase a replacement pan or possibly just replace the entire shower, and this doesn't mean tear out the shower, it means install a new shower over the existing one. RE bathfitters.com
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Interesting. I am going to look into this. You guys are great.
 
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