how to fix my hairline cracks in the bathroom floor

[marcismum]

Hi hoping to get some advice. I have some hair line cracks in my non slip bathroom floor which is a thin one mould piece plastic. (back bit is one section with toilet and shower in it and front bit is with basin in it and the two halves are separated by a sort of plastic bridge to stop the water going from one side to the other but all one moulded piece of plastic).

I have photos of the floor but not sure if I can post them here or not.

I have looked at the fibreglass route but been advised that may have issues with the resin bonding.

So now I have looked at the cracked shower tray/base repair paint. This is a water based plastic paint which one is supposed to be able to paint on over the (very minor) cracks (in the centre) of the floor and then do it again and then paint the whole floor so that it will look like a new floor. It is for sale on Amazon co uk.

I have had these cracks since i purchased the vehicle (1989 Fiat Ducato. LMC made LMC LIberty 3600 I think is the number of the model). The van is still good but wanting to sort out the shower tray. This is supposed to be flexible paint but no good if one walks on it with shoes or footwear (according to the suppliers advice to me) as it will mark. So only okay with bare feet he said.

Then spoke with a company called speedcoateuro.com who sell their product only to people who are registered fixing campers etc...the cost of paying someone to do this who has this product is very expensive and the nearest supplier to many is couple of hundred miles away. They told me that their product is permanent and will do the job fantastically (of course) but I cant afford it nor get to a supplier who can do the job. However these people told me that the paint I described above will do a good temporary job they said but for how long it will be good they dont know.

In the comments on Amazon co uk from customers who have purchased the paint, many are motorhomers who say they are pleased with the product....

So now I am confused as to what to do. The paint is not cheap...it is nearly 30 pounds for the kit (paint tray and brush and some acetate or similar for cleaning the floor prior to painting plus of course the paint) or 25 pounds just for the paint. Each tin of paint is 300ml tin so looks like i will need 2 or 3 tins or more if I wish to make the layers of paint thicker and thicker.

I should add that the hairline cracks have been there since I purchased the vehilcle and have not gotten any worse since even though I have used the shower a lot.

Yes could put some plastic padding underneath to provide a support to the tray.....there is no sign of any leakage underneath and it is black undersealed underneath.

Can anyone advise what to do please?

Also I am wanting to make the van look smarter only really as i am intending to sell it.

Please any advice on how to fix it or anyone use the paint product above or used any other product or what can I do please?

many many thanks

any further info needed then please ask me and I shall reply immediately.

This is apparently a common problem in motorhomes.

Also I am new to this forum but really glad to be here!

 

[Mike B.]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I had a similar problem with my shower tray although ours is not a one-piece unit. The shower tray itself cracked and started leaking so had to be attended to urgently. I got onto the agent and they quoted me over £1100 + vat to supply & fit new replacement shower tray and it would take 3 weeks to get the part & book it in for fitting.

After almost having another coronary, I rang round a few other repairers to see if anyone could supply & fit a compatable one and was advised by one dealer they were Speedcoat authorised fitters and may be able to repair mine. I must admit I was sceptical as the cracks were substantial (My 14 stone didn't help) and it also moved when stood on. However, I took it down to them for inspection as it was only a few miles away and their fitter examined it closely and confirmed it could be repaired but wasn't a 'cheap' job as there was a large amount of work involved.

Apparently it had to be drilled all over the shower tray in rows like a collander, then self levelling expanding foam is injected in, allowed to set overnight, then it is sprayed over with 2 layers of Speedcoat stuff, and this has to be done in a controlled environment as is very toxic (They build a tunnel from your outside door to your shower tray to mask off an airtight area to work in) and left to set in a certain temperature with air conditioning.

The result? Brilliant-the finished shower looked better than new, the tray now has a 'mottled' finish which is a lot safer to stand on when wet, and is firm underfoot with no bending, squashing etc. The only downside was the smell-bit like thinners but leaving the windows open cleared this in a couple of days.

All this was done for £450 inc vat and took 3 days to repair.

 

I would suggest this route to you for number of reasons:

 

1) Cracks only get worse and the last thing you want is water ingress under bathroom floor

2) If you intend to sell the van this is a professional job which will enhance the appearance of the bathroom

3) If you paint it yourself it would be temporary and look a bit amateurish-thus putting doubts maybe to potential buyer

4) The job is guarenteed so you can sell it with the guarentee for peace of mind

5) The end cost of your paint, applicators, masking etc etc would be not much less than the Speedcoat cost

 

I would add I have nothing whatsoever to do with Speedcoat or the dealer Peter Roberts Caravans who did the repair, I am just a very satisfied customer who now has a perfect shower again at about a third of the dealer cost to replace it. Don't know where you're based but if anywhere near West Yorks you are welcome to have a look at mine and see for yourself

Hope this helps

Mike

 

[marcismum]

Mike thank you so much for your very thorough reply.

 

Yes I have done my research and was first advised fibreglass and resin but I know now that this wont work as it may not bond well to the plastic and even if it did it will look terrible and will start to come away from teh plastic quite quickly.

.

So I carried on researching.

 

Therefore through that research I know about Speedcoat and have spoken with them

It is an excellent job I know but they quoted me 400 odd pounds plus VAT plus more than that as they said they would need another application kit for the rest of the floor due to its size so that would be another 45 pounds I think they said for another application kit. IE the size that I have which is 900 x 650mm and 800 x 650mm (one half has the toilet and shower in it and the other half has the basin in it and it has a step or raised partition in the middle which is to keep the water from going into the other half but it is all one moulded plastic piece cream colour).

 

Also I am currently in France but yes desperate to get back to the UK. There is only one speedcoat person here in France as there is in Germany....and the French one is hundreds of kms away from me.

 

My van is old a 1989 LMC Liberty that I need to sell. I have to make the van look okay so I can sell it altho the upholstery needs doing etc so it is not more than 5K value in all. It has the usual of solar panels and manual revolving pipe for the TV satellite plus room for six berth plus oven and hob 7 llitre fiamma gas heater plus full size bathroom and toilet plus the walls are really thick (winterised) with double windows for the winter and great for winter touring etc....Really good for someone who is looking for a cheap but entirely serviceable motorhome with a great Sofim diesel engine...it is a diesel turbo 2.5 with power steering. So I would think that it would fetch 5K all day long hopefully. I did a test ad in Gumtree some months ago based in Cornwall and priced it at 5.5k and had lots of really eager replies. But sadly I could not follow through with the sale for certain reasons that I wont go into.

 

So on with the research and I found something else.

 

I have looked into another alternative that other motorhomers have used and who have left comments on the site where it is sold to say that it has worked wonderfully. One person here on this forum left me a message that he has used this alternative paint and it is very good. It is on sale on Amazon co uk and can be found by typing into Amazon co uk the search for cracked shower tray paint and it will come up. Here is the link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fascinating-Finishes-Ltd/b/ref=bl_dp_s_web_3953122031?ie=UTF8&node=3953122031&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Fascinating+Finishes+Ltd

But if the link does not work for you or anyone else then just type in cracked shower tray paint into Google or into Amazon co uk and it will come up.

 

The speedcoat people told me that yes their job is guaranteed and that yes I am certain that it looks wonderful and like a new bathroom floor. The speedcoat people told me that this other paint would only be a temporary fix. But due to the person that can do it being so far away and the cost I have had to look to see if there is an alternative and this paint looks like it may be the answer.

Other motorhomers who have used it said that it works great and should be good for at least a few years......The company that sells it have said that it is good for at least a few years. They also advise to not walk on it with shoes on as it is a soft flexible paint (has 200 percent flexibility) and will mark with shoes but bare feet is okay. The cost of each tin of paint is 25 pounds without the kit and for a kit which includes the brush and cleaner and paint tray and gloves is 29.80. Each tin is enough for about a sq metre I think but not certain.

So they think that i need 2 tins of paint so one kit and one tin of extra paint which comes to 55 pounds but they did say it would be a good idea to get anther tin just in case I need more. They said that however two tins should be enough for my area to do two coats of paint as well as paint twice over the tiny hair line cracks that I have. This is all the damage there is.....tiny hairline cracks. I have also been advised to put expanding foam underneath to give the tray a strong support to stop any more cracks from appearing. These cracks have been there since I bought the vehicle 9 years ago and never got any worse in spite of a lot of use. There is no leakage.

 

The nearest speedcoat person to me is hundreds of miles away.

 

I am having to think about doing it the cheapest way I can so that I can make it look okay to sell.

 

Now there is something else that I want to discuss with you Mike re the motorhome but wonder if it would be okay to send you a private message? IIf I click on the button that says mail or pm next to your name?....anyway would it be okay to do that and if yes what do i click on - mail or pm? Anyhow am going to try to send you an email and or a private message and hope this is okay and you dont mind. If you do mind then please message me back telling me so...I will of course understand.

thank you so much for your reply to my query - it was very kind and thoughtful of you to devote such time to giving me the answer. Please do let me know if I can pm or mail you.

thanks so much!!!! and thank you for your kind welcome to the forum. This seems like a great forum and I am so glad that I joined it.