Repairing Shower Surround Cracks

[danrclem]

The other day my wife noticed some cracks in the shower enclosure. I don't know what caused it but I changed tires not too long ago so maybe the frame flexing caused the problem.

I'll eventually change it if it doesn't cost too much but for right now I want to repair it. I'm going to drill a hole at the end of each crack to keep it from spreading more. I thought about sealing it with epoxy behind the cracks but if I do change it later on it'll be glued to the wall. I may just try to put some silicone on it for right now but I know it won't be pretty.

Anybody have any other ideas?

[danrclem]

Thanks for the heads up riven1950.

[riven1950]

danrclem look closely at the paneling before using it. I don't think it is waterproof, more likely water resistant. Big difference, especially in a small area where it is likely to get wet with every shower and stay wet a while. I would stick with a tub surround type material. I have seen some that a flat sheets that you can cut to fit your situation. Fiberglass would be better but is heavier and would be hard to find the right size as you can't really cut it to size.

[danrclem]

I guess I'll start out with something simple first like caulking or awning tape until camping season is over with and then try to give it a more permanent fix. The waterproof paneling might be the fix unless I come up with something else between now and then.

Thanks. 😉

[DrewE]

Awning repair tape is available in the RV section at Wal-mart, among other places, and works very well (and inconspicuously) for its intended purpose of fixing rips or holes in awnings.

[DutchmenSport]

danrclem wrote:
... I doubt if I can buy the sides without buying the pan as a kit. ...

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and pick up a couple sheets of that soft rubbery wall paneling that's made to resist water. Cut each to size, and attach to the wall with a bunch of Liquid Nails (same as a house). Then use bath tub calking down the seam in the corner.

When I remodeled the bathroom in my house, this is what I used all around the shower - bathtub and extended it beyond around the toilet. Actually, 1/2 of that bathroom has this on the walls. Its been there for over 2 years now, bet's showered on sometimes twice every day, and shows absolutely no signs of wear.

It a LOT, LOT, LOT cheaper than trying to buy a surround specific for your RV. A LOT! And will probably be better too!

EDIT:
I dug through my old photos and found these. I remodeled the bathroom in September 2015. Here's what I'm talking about. I don't know what this material is called, (on the walls), but it sure is a lot cheaper than buying something from an RV supply shop.

(And yes, I did this remodel myself. It all started with the floor rotted out, from ... you guessed it ... a leaky shower pan. Took the shower out completely, removed a closet, opened it up, and gutted the entire room out. Left the tub and toilet in place, everything else moved and replaced. It had glass mirrors surrounding the tub, which had no shower originally).

[DutchmenSport]

Ours cracked in our previous camper. I just used silicon caulking (clear) and just touched it up ever now and then. Worked ok. Sold the trailer with those cracks still there.

You may try Eternabond tape over the crack too. If this tape works on RV roofs and roof joints, then it will hold on a shower walls too.

It may look bad, but aluminum sided stove pipe (heat ductwork) tape is like adhering steel to anything it touches too.

Cracks in shower surrounds is usually caused by the difference in expansion and contraction rates of the 2 materials, the surround itself and whatever is behind it. Usually a screw is screwed right into both. When expansion or contraction occurs, and one expands or contracts more than the other, the the plastic or vinyl surround, being the weaker material will get too much pressure against the screw, no where to expand or contract, and cause a rip.

Now that it's already got a rip, it will not happen again.

I suggest if (and when) you replace the shower surround, you pre-drill holes in the surround first, making them slightly larger than the screw. This allows for some movement (expansion and contraction) of the material without causing stress and eventually a new tear. A drop of silicon sealer under the screw will seal the water out and is flexible to allow expansion and contraction.

[danrclem]

Thanks for the replies. It is on the vertical part of the surround and thankfully not on the pan and it appears to be plastic. I'll have to check the awning tape out because I haven't ever saw any. For the time being It'll probably be silicone.

The enclosure shouldn't cost very much but since it's for an RV it'll probably be expensive. I doubt if I can buy the sides without buying the pan as a kit. I'll have to see if I can find some for sale.

[jerseyjim]

What you did (drill holes at both ends of the crack to stop it from spreading...and a light coating of silicone to cover the holes) was the only thing you could do.

Any other fix...I don't know. Unless you want to spend $$$...which, of course, is up to you.

g'luck !

[DrewE]

I might try using some awning repair tape (on the front), assuming it's a plastic/fiberglass sort of enclosure, particularly if the cracks are on the vertical parts and not in the pan part. I don't know how well it would work, but it seems it would be worth the attempt.

If it's the pan part, check that the support structure underneath is good. Some RVs seem to come from the factory with rather questionable shower pan support designs.