[VAC] Tub repair ... long....

["Nick Novia" <nnovia@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

For all of you that have requested a little more info on my tub repair, I will
explain what I did.  You may have other techniques, or materials, but this operation
came out very nice.

First of all, my tub surround is the flesh/beige/yellow color, that I am sure
is standard in many rigs.  This is a good thing.

My tub has some cracks, really it was just some crazing, and stress cracks from
age.  I doubt they ever leaked..BUT..a past owner thought it was, probably because
of the moisture under the tub (THAT..is another story)and repaired it.  He/she
(I add "she" in homage to all of the self-sufficient women here on this list),dug
out the stress crack about a 1/4 inch, and filled it with resin.  I saw this
when I removed the "red" silicone caulking that had been applied over the repair.


Anyway, I sanded the repair down one inch either side of the "crack."  My repair
would be about 3 inches wide total, and about 14 inches long.

I sanded down more deeply, closer to the centerline of the repair.  I applied
a coating of two part epoxy resin (West System)into the repair.  Then, I laid
a 3/4 wide piece of fiberglass in the center.  This hardened overnight.  The
next day I lightly sanded to get a good bond, and I repeated the same steps
with a piece of glass 1 1/2 inch wide, and slightly longer than the first. 
I came back the next week and roughed it up for the last layer that is 3 inches
wide.  I applied all the resin with an acid brush, but an old toothbrush worked
too, in a pinch.  I tapped the glass cloth so all the air would be removed.


The next day I sanded it flat.

The problem I had was matching up the factory non-skid design, with this big
patch.  I sanded down the whole bottom of the tub to remove the raised non-skid.
 This was much easier than it sounds.

Now I was ready to paint, and add the non-skid.  I didn't think I would be able
to match the color, mostly because I really couldn't even describe it! <g> 
I went with what I thought wouldn't be too bad of a match.  I bought a quart
can of Pettit EZpoxy polyurethane one part paint(you'll find it in any marine
store) the color was called "sandstone!"  It matched perfectly. (22 bucks)

I hand brushed a thick coat on the tub bottom, mostly because when I tried to
mask it of around the edges, the tape matched the tub too close too, and I couldn't
see. 

When finished, I could see it would need a second coat.  I filled a salt shaker
with canned "silica" (sand), it was a small can and it cost 10 bucks.  I think
sand is good enough..yes..from the beach, or sandbox!  I sprinkled it from above
all around the new paint job as evenly as I could, and left it for a day.

It hardened overnight, and the next day I brushed on a final coat of poly. 
I must say, I am quite proud of the results, but this is what being your own
repairman is all about.

I wasn't so chipper two weeks ago when I found leak after leak! <g>

Nick
'68 Safari
'00 GMC Sierra 5.3