If you have an old house, you may have some problems with your shower floor. Leaks can occur for years and you may not even know. Or perhaps you do notice some physical damage to your shower floor and want to fix it to prevent any further leaks.
There are two common types of shower floors today. Tile flooring is very common for showers and can be easy to fix. The second type of shower floor is one made of acrylic or fiberglass. It can also easily be repaired in most cases.
There is a third type of shower that is made from lead sheeting. This type of floor is hard to repair or replace and should be left to the professionals. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Tile Shower Floor Repair
1. The most common problem with a tile shower floor is that tiles can come loose or grout lines are not sealed properly. Sometimes, grout can also be completely missing.
Inspect your entire shower floor and see if there is any missing grout. If the grout is loose in several areas, then you will need to re-grout. Use your grout removal tool to remove all loose grout. Vacuum all loose debris. Mix your grout with water in your bucket. Use the mixing tool and your drill to do this. Apply mixed grout to the tile joints. Use the sponge to remove excess material.
2. After about 3 weeks, apply a spray grout sealer. The shower can't be used until the entire process is complete, which takes about 1 month. Make sure you have a backup plan for taking a shower.
3. Loose tile can be repaired by using a putty knife and a grout removal tool. Remove any grout around the loose tiles. Use your putty knife to gently lift up the tile. If water has penetrated underneath, the tile should come up quite easily. Scrape the area below the removed tile. Vacuum all debris. Mix your mortar just as you did your grout. Apply some mortar to the area below each loose tile. Use the notched trowel to spread it out. Press each tile in place and insert your 1/4-inch spacers. Use the rubber mallet if you need to tap the tile in place. Use your level to make sure each tile is set properly. Grout and seal the tile just as you did in step 1.
Acrylic or Fibergalss Shower Floor Repair
4. Cracks are the most common problem in acrylic or fiberglass shower floors. Sand down the affected area with a 100-grit sandpaper to get rid of loose flakes. Wipe down the area or use your vacuum. Remove the hardener and filler from your acrylic/fiberglass repair kit.
5. Apply 6 parts filler to 1 part hardener and let dry for about 10 to 15 minutes. Use the spreader that comes with the kit to apply to your floor base. Then sand the area using finer grit sandpaper for each coat. Use 100-grit to begin the process and finish with 1,000-grit. Use four to five different grit choices of sandpaper.
6. Apply heat using a blow-dryer or heat gun to dry your repair. Then use a small amount of the included base paint and apply it to your base. If it matches in color, use the included spray bottle and apply a few coats of the paint. If it doesn't match, apply tint to a small container and mix in the paint until you reach the desired color. The kit comes with a pressurized spray bottle that is used to spray on the paint. Add your paint to the pressurized spray bottle, and spray on a few coats of paint by depressing the bottle's handle. Allow it to dry in between coats. Buff out when dry.
Tags: acrylic fiberglass, Shower Floor, shower floor, spray bottle, your grout, apply your, area below
