Message Forums

Hi,I have a badly cracked shower tray.My van is 15 years old and I'm having a great deal of difficulty finding a replacement new or reclaimed.

I thought I might laminate the under side with fibre glass,fill with body filler any surface cracks and then blow over with spray paint.

Does that sound reasonable, or have you got any ideas.

Thanks for any help.JM

Hi JM

I repaired mine on my old Compass. I wish I'd taken photo's now, but it was quite easy once I'd removed it.

Mine had cracked on the edge where the shower door was and the crack had gone down onto the flimsy base.

I bought a starter fibreglass repair kit from Halfords and some extra matting, and a 2ft offcut of 1"x1" wood and a 2ft square of 3/8" ply from our local wood yard. (its all probably metric now).

Roughly shape the 1"x1" to the profile of the edge of the tray by planing the top edges, and trim the plywood to about an inch smaller all round than the size of the shower base.

When you are ready to start, and the 1"x1" is a good fit, mask the "good side" of the tray with tape or the resin will come through.

Cut lots of strips of matting ready, have lots pre-done its amazing how many you will use, and its hard and messy to cut once you start with the resin.

Liberally brush the resin under the edge, and put a layer of matting in working the resin into the matting. Put in the shaped 1"x1" in and build up with layers of matting and resin until the wood is completely covered and soaked with resin.

Similarly with the base, locate the square of ply centrally and liberally brush the resin around the egde (overlap by a good 3-4 inches) and build up the layers of matting, bonding the ply to the base.

I did mine over 2 nights. When I removed the tape, the repair looked like a hair on the surface of the tray, and didn't need any further finishing.

The repaired tray weighed twice as much as the original, and was a lot more rigid than it had ever been. If I did it again I would do all 4 edges. Why the manufacturers don't do it is beyond me.

Remember the finished tray is anything upto a half inch higher than it was, so if the height is critical, be careful, mine just screwed back in, and I resealed it with silicon.

The repair lasted, and was watertight until we sold the caravan on, and as far as I know it still is.

HTH (and makes sense)

Paul 

Quote: Originally posted by LegsDownKettleOn on 07/11/2007

---

This was asked almost word for word a few weeks ago. Cant find it now, but I'm sure someone will be here with a link in a minute.

I have a similar situation with my van, about the same age. I have been considering pouring some fibreglass resin into the cracks, then sprinkling some sand over it so that it doesn't become slippery. Not quite sure what to do around the drain though, but it will probably be ok with some tape over it, provided the resin is not too thick.

---

Pippa 10 posted  the thread on 02.11.2007. I posted an article from Practical Caravan.  Hope it helps.  

Quote: Originally posted by JADONAMY on 07/11/2007

---

Quote: Originally posted by LegsDownKettleOn on 07/11/2007

---

This was asked almost word for word a few weeks ago. Cant find it now, but I'm sure someone will be here with a link in a minute.

I have a similar situation with my van, about the same age. I have been considering pouring some fibreglass resin into the cracks, then sprinkling some sand over it so that it doesn't become slippery. Not quite sure what to do around the drain though, but it will probably be ok with some tape over it, provided the resin is not too thick.

---

Pippa 10 posted  the thread on 02.11.2007. I posted an article from Practical Caravan.  Hope it helps.  

 

 

---

Here

hi, most shower trays crack due to the suport underneath breaking down, this can be a simple piece of foam or infact sometimes nothin at all.

remover the tray and inspect whats underneath, if there isnt anything buy sum thin foam and lay over the whole area before replacing tray, if tehre is old foam underneath you may find it doesnt cover the whole area nad therefore thats likely to be why your tray has cracked in a certain area.

of course it could be just that the plastic has become brittle and with age has craked thru general use.

hope this helps

Thanks for your help,it's nice to know people are willing to help.

Thanks again JM