How to Repair Cracks in Fiberglass Shower Stalls

Although fiberglass shower stalls do tend to generally be resistant to most types of impact damage, it's possible that they'll develop cracks and other irregularities over time. In these cases, the structural integrity of the shower stall itself may be compromised. Rather than hire a professional contractor to come in and make repairs to your shower stall pieces in this situation, you can oftentimes repair the cracks to the shower stall fiberglass doors on your own. This process requires minimal time and can be done with a few tools and materials that are all available at hardware stores.

Step 1 - Widen the Fissure and Cut a Groove

If the crack in the fiberglass shower stall is small to moderate in size, you'll actually need to widen the crack before you begin in order to achieve the smoothest appearance with the epoxy. This has to do with the amount of epoxy that you'll need to fill in the crack; if there's not enough epoxy, it's difficult to smooth it out so that it blends in with the rest of the fiberglass. Pull apart the fiberglass at the site of the crack by hand. You can then use the tungsten carbide groove cutter to cut a deeper grove into the crack in order to allow you to place more epoxy in it.

Step 2 - Apply Epoxy

Use the plastic applicator that comes with your epoxy set to apply the epoxy to the groove and crack in the fiberglass. Mix up the epoxy if necessary before you begin to apply it, and be sure to work quickly to be sure that the epoxy doesn't begin to set before it's completely pressed into place.

Once you've applied the epoxy to the crack in the fiberglass shower stall, you can then use your hands to carefully press the epoxy down into the crack. This will help to ensure that the epoxy completely fills in the crack and that the stall is as secure as possible.

Step 3 - Sand Down the Epoxy

If you've made any errors in the epoxy, use the wet/dry sandpaper to sand it down before it has a chance to set. This will help you to have a smoother product later on. Look in particular for any parts of the epoxy that are sticking up from out of the base of the crack.

Step 4 - Allow the Epoxy to Dry and Make Final Touches

Allow the epoxy to dry overnight or for several hours. Come back when it's dry and examine the crack. You'll want to do some final touching up with the 400 grit sand paper in order to be sure that the epoxy is blended into the surrounding fiberglass shower stall as cleanly and easily as possible. If you need more epoxy, apply an additional coat.