Life on the open road can be amazing. It will be a little less amazing when you realize you have a leak in your RV shower pan. As fiberglass shower pans age, they tend to crack and develop holes. A leaky shower pan can lead to water damage in your camper, along with harmful mold. While you might not be able to get to an RV repair shop or dealer to have your RV's shower pan fixed professionally, you might be able to remedy the issue yourself. As long as you have access to a hardware store or a home improvement store to gather a few supplies, you can mend the shower pan and save a lot of money in the process.
Items you will need
Gloves
Mask
Long-sleeve shirt
Utility knife
Paper towel
Acetone
Soft cloth
Fine-grit sand paper
Fiberglass epoxy resin
Fiberglass epoxy hardener
Tub and shower fiberglass paste repair kit (optional)
Hairdryer (optional)
Put on your protective clothing, gloves and mask.
Examine the shower pan for leaks. Locate the section that is leaking.
Use the utility knife to carve out a "V"-shaped notch in the crack in the shower pan: You want the crack to be able to hold the filler, so you will need to shape it. Take the utility knife and place it to the right or left of the crack. Hold it at 45 degree angle and push the knife in toward the middle of the crack. You will shave a little of the shower pan off and shape the side of the crack into a slant. Do this for the other side. The top of the crack should be 1/16" to 3/16" wide when you are done.
Wipe the crack with a paper towel.
Sand the area lightly with fine-grit sandpaper and wipe again with the paper towel.
Clean with acetone and a soft cloth.
Mix the epoxy resin or the fiberglass paste together according to the instructions on the packaging.
Apply an even, thin coat to the crack. You will need to work fast, as most solutions start to harden in two minutes.
Apply epoxy hardener if you are using the epoxy resin.
Let the area dry about an hour. You can use a hairdryer to speed the hardening process.
Lightly sand the area to blend with the surrounding surface. If you're using the fiberglass paste repair kit, apply the supplied rubbing compound with a soft cloth.
Tips
- Check the packaging of the solution to see if you need to keep the area dry for a specific amount of time.
References
Tips
- Check the packaging of the solution to see if you need to keep the area dry for a specific amount of time.
Writer Bio
Caroline Baldwin, a corporate communications director located in South Carolina, began writing in 1998. Her work has been published in publications across the United States and Canada including Rolling Stone, Boating Life, Waterski and Wakeboarding magazines. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies from The College of Charleston.
