Cracked Shower Wall

[Crumgater]

Greetings fellow Heartland Owners!

I need some help. My wife and I just noticed that we have a crack in our shower wall and need some advice on how to fix it. Should we:

1. Simply apply a fiberglass patch (which won't look particularly good)
2. Order a Replacement panel (question would be from whom)
3. Or, just retrofit the entire shower stall and replace with some sort of solid panels (Does anyone have any experience with that?) and the shower head and controls

Four pictures of the crack are attached.

I am a fairly accomplished home renovator, so I am not squeamish about any of the work.

Any advice or guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[danemayer]

Hi Crumgater,

Many of the showers come from Shower Enclosures America. You might contact them for advice. 800.536.7324.

Another thought: it looks like the crack is near the removable panel. Maybe you can epoxy it from the backside.

 

[Garypowell]

Something else to look at is why it is able to flex so much. The pictures with the paper insert seem to show you are pushing on something to make that happen. That is more than likely the origin of the crack.

It looks small enough to fix but first try to stop the flexing or no matter what you do it will come back.

 

[Crumgater]

The shower wall is pretty flimsy. It flexes almost everywhere. That is one of the reasons I was thinking of replacing with some sort of solid surface surround. I will give the Manufacturer (Shower Enclosures America) a call to see what they recommend.

Thanks!

 

[TravelTiger]

I have removed those 4 screws around the faucet handles on our ElkRidge, and you could easily get to the backside of the crack from there. Here's a pic with the panel removed (I disconnected the faucet handles, as well):


If you find a solution that works to remove the current shower surround and replace with something nicer, let me know -- it may be difficult since the plumbing comes up in that corner, as shown.

 

[azbigfoot]

I had a crack in my floor pan ... fortunately under warranty. Heartland went to the manufacturer (Frontline) which then used this company (National franchise http://www.miraclemethod.com/) to do the repair. From what I learned watching the repair they drill holes at the ends of the cracks. Then they carve out the crack a bit (v-groove). Then the fill with some type of repair putty/resin. Then they apply a new gel coat. Can't even tell where the crack was. I ask they guy what it would cost if I had to pay for the repair. He said about $125.

 

[Crumgater]

Just an FYI… Shower Enclosures America only manufacturers the glass and aluminum enclosure. Not the shower wall itself. Just passing that on from the rep at SEA that got back to me today.

 

[Bobemuzzy]

Greetings fellow Heartland Owners!

I need some help. My wife and I just noticed that we have a crack in our shower wall and need some advice on how to fix it. Should we:

1. Simply apply a fiberglass patch (which won't look particularly good)
2. Order a Replacement panel (question would be from whom)
3. Or, just retrofit the entire shower stall and replace with some sort of solid panels (Does anyone have any experience with that?) and the shower head and controls

Four pictures of the crack are attached.

I am a fairly accomplished home renovator, so I am not squeamish about any of the work.

Any advice or guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

I was in the kitchen and bathroom business for 35years and we resurfaced many residential bathrooms using Corian's tub/shower kits which does a great job. Looking at how frail the present shower is I would replace the shower with a new RV shower. It would be less costly and a lot less weight. We also repair minor cracks with good success. I would take the unit out and put a fiber glass patch in the back where the crack is and use a marine fill and gel coat in front. You can get a fiber glass boat repair kit at any marine supply store and it will have every thing you need plus matching color gel coat mix.