Do you own a fiberglass or acrylic bathtub in your bathroom? This type of bathtub is a fan favourite amongst homeowners, largely due to the fact that they are much cheaper than their cast-iron counterparts. However, one drawback of fiberglass tubs is that over time, they can become cracked or dented. This is because acrylic and fiberglass ‘flex’ over time. So what can you do when your tub becomes cracked? Instead of buying a whole new tub, you can use a bathtub repair kit to patch your problems.
Fiberglass or acrylic bathtub repair kits are a cost effective way to fill cracks or holes in any damaged bathtub. Not only are they suitable for tubs, but they can also be used in showers, sinks and toilets.
What’s in a bathtub repair kit?
Bathtub repair kits are a select group of items made to patch holes and fill cracks in your bathtub. These items commonly include:
- Base coat paste and catalyst: for filling cracks and holes.
- Lightening and darkening toners: to adjust the colour of the paste to match with the colour of your bathtub.
- Buffing bar and/or sandpaper: to smoothen out the applied paste.
- Transparent top coat: to be applied over the repair job, providing extra protection and smoothing.
While the items in repair kits are often all you need, it’s generally recommended to have on hand a few items and tools to ensure a good repair job. These items include:
– Utility knife
– Nail polish remover
– Clean cloths
– Heat gun or hair dryer
– Protective gloves
– Eye protection
– Ventilator mask
It’s important to note that there are bathtub repair kits available that are directly matched to your bathtub. This guarantees the paste matches the colour of the tub. The great thing about a fiberglass or acrylic bathtub repair kit is that it often has enough material for multiple crack or bathtub enamel repairs.
How to use an acrylic or fiberglass bathtub repair kit
Before we dive into how to use your kit to repair your tub, it’s important to note that most bathtub repair kits use an epoxy-type filler which gives off hazardous fumes. Make sure that when you are using your kit, your bathroom is well-ventilated and to follow the manufacturer instructions.
Step 1
Use your utility knife to carve a V shape around the damaged area. Ensure your carve cuts through the colour layer of the fiberglass or acrylic. For bathtubs with particularly tough or hard surfaces, you can use a grinding disk attached to a drill to make your cuts.
Step 2
Prepare the surface for the repair paste by wiping it down with a clean cloth or paper towel. Once the surface is clean, roughen the surface with sandpaper. Doing so will help the paste stick to the surface.
Step 3
Put on your mask and gloves and apply nail polish to thoroughly clean the surface.
Step 4
Put a small amount of paste filler from the repair kit into a mixing bowl or cup. If necessary, use the lightening or darkening toners to adjust the colour of the paste to match your bathtub.
Step 5
Add the provided catalyst to the paste. Make sure to follow manufacturer instructions and only add enough catalyst as is necessary. Once added, stir the mix thoroughly until it forms a smooth paste.
Step 6
Apply the paste mixture to the repair area with the mixing tools provided in the repair kit. These usually come in the form of special sticks. When applying, make sure to cover and fill the entire damaged area. In this case, less is not more so don’t be afraid to overfill the cracks (since they’ll be sanded down anyways).
Step 7
At this point, the paste needs to harden so step away and put your feet up as it does. The hardening process takes roughly 1 hour but be sure to check the repair kit instructions for specifics. A heat gun or hair dryer can be used to speed up this process.
Step 8
Once dry, use your sandpaper to smoothen out and blend the repair area with the rest of the bathtub surface. For best results, sand the area down in stages with progressively finer grits of sandpaper. For example, start with 220-grit, then 320-, 360- grit sandpaper. When doing this, lubricate the area with a damp cloth to make sanding easier.
Step 9
Once the area has been sanded down, use the buffing bar included in your kit to polish and blend the area with the surrounding surface. You can manually do this with your own hands and some elbow grease, or you can attach the buffing bar to a drill to take some of the effort out.
Step 10
Apply the transparent top layer to the area and you’re all done!
Bathtub cracks and dents fixed with ease!
If you’ve followed both our guide and the instructions listed on your repair kits, you’ll have an impeccable and flawless bathtub that’s crack and dent free.
If you liked this step-by-step bathtub repair kit guide, check out our other articles! And if you’re looking for a brand new bathtub, look no further than our range at MYHOMEWARE, where we have amazing bathtubs at amazing prices.
