Bottom of fiberglass tub surround is cracking?

[PaulinWI]

I have a heavy tenant that has a fiberglass tub that is cracking at the bottom. I fixed a few years ago with some sort of waterproof putty. This time the cracking is worse and I can physically push down on floor about 1/4". I'm sure there is water leaking through. The bathroom is on the main floor and the unit is built on a concrete slab (no basement). What are my options?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rickyman]

Replace, and this time set the base in mortar.

 

[Matt30]

It can be professionally repaired by a fibreglass repair person, but they usually need access to underneath. If the base has to be pulled out, just replace it and next time do it properly by setting it in a cement bed. Shower bases are made so cheap it’s depressing

 

[journeyman]

Try to loose some weight lol or get an American tub. The reason it is cracking is because there is no support under tub no rocket science

 

[PaulinWI]

All right, I guess I need to clarify I bit so I don't get more of these comments. First I'm not looking for a reason why this is cracking. I'm fully aware that it was not installed properly and that is why it is cracking. I am not the person who installed the tub the first time. I get the comment about loosing weight was a joke, however it's my tenant that is overweight and I don't know of great ways to convince others to lose weight.
Finally I realize that putting in a new tub will fix the problem...but my question is if there is any other solutions that will be less expensive and will not cause harm to the unit.

Thank you

 

[FishScreener]

You could cut out the existing bottom, and put in a tile base.

 

[voletl]

Replace
The
Tub.

 

[Matt30]

There isn’t a magic putty or epoxy or silicone that fixes everything. There’s reasons there’s professionals in every aspect of construction.

Have a professional fibreglass repair person look at it. If they can’t fix it, you’re replacing the base.

 

[FishScreener]

Maybe a self leveling cement mortar, but it will make future repairs a real grizzly bear. There probably are products that could be pumped into the void under the base. But the few I know of would cost more to use than the replacement cost of the entire enclosure.

With proper prep, a good two man crew can do a remove and replace in a day, if you go back in with a dimensionally similar unit.

 

[journeyman]

Replace the tub remember you get what you pay for if it's done cheap it is gonna act cheap

 

[Jamesplumbing06]

Wow. We plumbers are a bit degrading. That area can’t be backed with Mortor. It’s above the drain cut out. We cut a 12”x 8” retagular hole in subfloor to allow for drain and future access. Bottom line it’s old fiberglass. Go back to the build. Pretend your a fly. Listen to contractor when he says cheapest fix possible. Somebody in the background screams fiberglass. Now fast forward to today. Was it the cheapest? Your having to replace it. Add that cost into original. Rip it all out. Get a metal tub with porcelain overcast. Then tile to the ceiling. Your talking $2000 bucks more in the end. And you have a tub that can hold anything. And never need to worry. What’s more important when your a landlord ? Upfront money or late night phone calls? Cheapest route always comes with high end headaches. Sry you asked for best way. Best way doesn’t ever involve your “plumber” mixing concrete or mortar.

 

[jeffnc]

All right, I guess I need to clarify I bit so I don't get more of these comments. First I'm not looking for a reason why this is cracking. I'm fully aware that it was not installed properly and that is why it is cracking.

There was nothing in your post that suggested you knew that. Knowing the problem usually steers the solution in the right direction.

I am not the person who installed the tub the first time.

So? Doesn't change any advice.

I get the comment about loosing weight was a joke, however it's my tenant that is overweight and I don't know of great ways to convince others to lose weight.

If you know it was a joke, then why are you wasting time answering it as if it were serious?

Finally I realize that putting in a new tub will fix the problem...but my question is if there is any other solutions that will be less expensive and will not cause harm to the unit.

Everyone wants a cheap solution. So they try, and try, and try, until they've spent more money and had more grief than if they did it correctly to begin with. I'm working on a similar problem right now where the homeowner has a spongy floor and leaky fixtures. We are now over $5,000 in replacing all the rotted framing, flooring, and then replacing the tub. That is on top of the two "cheaper" solutions he tried first, which was just throwaway money.

Why are you trying to patch a tub that does not have support underneath it? What good will that do? Even if you can repair it, which is very questionable, you still have an unsupported tub that is going to crack elsewhere.

 

[jeffnc]

Then tile to the ceiling.

And remember, you can have similar problems with tiling. The tile does not waterproof. First, install the correct tile substrate correctly. Personally, I use Schluter products, which in this case would be Kerdi. It is possible to waterproof behind the tile with other methods, but I make a living tearing out rotted bathrooms that were not waterproofed behind tile.

 

[Mr_David]

I had a similar problem. Just because someone is a landlord doesn't mean they have ton of money to rebuild the shower.
When I bought my house 25yrs ago my shower floor cracked about a year into it.
My plan was to rip it out the next year.
tub/shower fiberglass repairman fixed it. Did not have to look pretty.
cracked in less a month. They had a 1 yr warranty. fixed it again. cracked again.
3rd time the boss man came out. cut a 6" hole in bottom. filled the void with sand .
You don't really need that opening around the drain on the slab.
then used quickset cement. to fill any voids. Rockit is one brand. mix it thin enough to pour
patched the hole. drilled a couple more holes around the bottom of shower and poured more thin set cement to fill voids.
the result wasn't pretty. That was okay just needed to be functional for one more year.

Now I have a tiled base shower with tile all the way to the ceiling.
use sand to fill drain box.
the first guy used gravel and he had to pour A LOT of to cement to try and fill the void.