Spider cracks are small, hairlike cracks that appear on the gelcoat of boats. Fixing them can involve more than just slapping on some gelcoat, however, and that is where we come in. In addition to what cody said, i like to use a small ball burr in a dremel and actually grind each crack out to enlarge it enough so the filler gets a good hold in the crack have fun. They seem to appear out of nowhere, and for no reason. Even though a fiberglass shower stall usually cant flex against the framing enough to crack easily, the sharp and focused impact of a heavy object can be enough to crack it. The size, depth, and location of the spider crack will determine what type of auto glass repair will be necessary to restore your cars windshield.
How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass free online repair. Pull apart the fiberglass at the site of the crack by hand. I definitely would like to learn how to repair both of these issues. Fiberglass pools floating my personal favorite fiberglass cracking. These cracks typically radiate or spider out from the point of impact. These cracks are often small and do not affect large areas of the swimming pool and are mostly isolated to one small area in the pool.
Unless you happen to damage the glass an area that has spider cracks and need to do a repair anyway, they really arent worth fixing. This requires identifying and removing all damaged material. This technique can be used on any fiberglass boats or kit cars. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass online repair. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. Structural flexing may not the only cause of spider cracks. For larger areas the cabosil mix will shrinkback and mudcrack, so instead use an auto putty body filler or thickened epoxy. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue. There are two types of cracks that will commonly appear on a fiberglass pool stress or spider cracks, and structural cracks. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of cracks for ultra tough adhesion and durability.
Adhesion failure in the repair laminate is the most common failure mode for fiberglass repairs. Just picked up a chemistry short board for a sweet deal. It has been sitting on the hard in the sun for the past 30 years. When looking at gelcoat, there is a wealth of options to choose from. My friend pete shows us how to make a fiberglass paste to repair stress cracks in gel coat. Within the first day of driving, the cracks reappeared going right through the new fiberglass. So, if there is spider cracks, there are typically two reasons. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Gel coat chip spider crack repair rot can be sneaky and you sound like youre making assumptions and want a quick fix. Start by wiping down the area with acetone and sanding the damaged gelcoat down to the fiberglass. Gelcoat blisters wouldnt be more than a cosmetic concern, if theyre treated and not ignored.
When the area is dry, smooth the surface with sandpaper. My westsail, still in kit form, has spider cracks all over the deck. Now, before you simply fix them, you want to make sure the reason the cracks are there isnt because something is just broken underneath the fiberglass, causing flexing. Repair if the spider crack is smaller than 12 inches long does not have a large whole in the glass does not disrupt your view. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of. If the crack is too big in the tub surround, you may need to get a professional to fix it for you. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into the fiberglass and cause more serious damage.
Try not to remove any of the fiberglass resin or cloth. Heres everything youll need to know to repair these cracks. How to fix a hairline crack in a fiberglass tub home guides. The finished repair will surly be visible unless masqueraded with a large decal. Minor cracks and spider cracking can be repaired with a fiberglass bathtub repair kit. Rotted core and fiberglass repair with new honeycomb core duration. The gelcoat was applied too thick at an area that does flex. Another paint place said the manufacturer of the rv used cheap fiberglass and that it has cracked and caused the paint to crack. Use the plastic applicator that comes with your epoxy set to apply the epoxy to the groove and crack in the fiberglass. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. How to repair a fibreglass crack for beginners youtube. The fiberglass inlay option is a permanent repair solution for most bathtub. There are several options for repairing a cracked bathtub floor.
Jan 07, 2011 my friend pete shows us how to make a fiberglass paste to repair stress cracks in gel coat. The following is what i did to repair the crack, as we couldnt get the manufacturer or contractor to do anything about it, and had gone for about 7 months last fall to this spring with the crack going untreated. Rotted core and fiberglass repair with new honeycomb core. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a spiderweb. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. Spider cracks can be avoided by countersinking holes just through the gelcoat, so the load is placed on the structural fiberglass rather than the brittle gelcoat.
Cosmetic repairs fiberglass boat repair for the diyer. When i look at the sidewalls really close and in the right sunlight, i can see a bunch of small little like spider web cracks. How to repair a hairline crack in a fiberglass tub diy fix. These cracks are generally cosmetic, and indicate flexing of the hull. Possible causes of fiberglass pool cracks home guides. The good news is that spider cracks can be far easier to handle once you know what to do. It can be difficult to diagnose spider cracks, especially when youre not aware of them. Once you have the color figured out, comes whether you want to brush the gelcoat or spray it, as we have. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Possible causes of fiberglass pool cracks home guides sf gate. How to fix a cracked fiberglass shower stall home guides.
If these cracks are not repaired properly, they will develop into bigger cracks which may even break the bathtub apart. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. I dont want to end up with a mismatched patch job or water leaks. How to repair spiderweb cracks in fiberglass with gelcoat. We discovered a fiberglass tub repair kit online but am wondering if thats the best route to follow.
Deep repairs that are beyond the superficial scratch will need some filler before gelcoat application. Theres also a great article on how to drill holes correctly to avoid chipping and cracking in fiberglass. Creating sharp corners when shaping the area to be repaired. Jun 01, 2015 looking to purchase a 2004 holiday rambler with dark blue full body paint. How to fix a stress crack in a bathtub home guides sf gate. The other type of crack on your bathtub is a stress crack that is caused. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglass which ones the best. Jun 10, 2017 hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. The number of boats that develop serious blister problems is extremely small. We had a crack form in our 5 year old fiberglass pool, a structural crack that caused water loss continually. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. Nov 15, 2018 the first step needs to be ensuring that your spider cracks are just that, and not a sign of a soggy core, or a broken support. You may want to apply colored gelcoat enamel over the repaired area, so the repair wont be so noticeable. The first step needs to be ensuring that your spider cracks are just that, and not.
Spider cracks looks pretty much like hairline cracks and happen in the surface layer or gelcoat of a fiberglass surface. Brush on the resin and apply the precut mat to suit your area to be repaired. If you see cracks take the gelcoat in that area down to the substraight. Once the paint dries, add a final layer of urethane compound, and buff the area to create a smooth, hard finish. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Fill the crack with a fair amount of fiberglass epoxy resin, using a plastic applicator.
If the crack is minor, you may be able to repair it without incurring the cost of retiling the area. The other repair for spider cracks involves a little more work. Gelcoat is a big part of our business here at fgci. If not managed, these small cosmetic annoyances can lead to bigger problems down the road. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. Sometimes, however, spider cracks offer a path for water to get into contact with the fiberglass structure under the gelcoat. Im a total novice when it comes to repairing so any and all suggestions are welcomed. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters and is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats. How to fix cracks in fiberglass gel coat using fiberglass resin. Apply bathtub repair paint to create a smooth, wellmatched surface. I repaired crack in our fiberglass pool trouble free pool. In this case, before you attack a single crack, you need to reinforce the area. For properly fixing a spider crack, you will want to open the cracks to properly fill them. Larger cracks up to 16 inches can be repaired with a bathtub inlay kit.
If the underside looks solid, and the surface is steady, then a spider crack is just a spider crack. Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats structural integrity. The term spider crack comes from its similarity with a spiders web. Only thing is theres a ding on the tail from the leash and spider cracking on the bottom of the nose rocker on the bottommy nails catch. The term spider crack comes from its similarity with a spiders. Mar 21, 2019 if youre wondering what exactly a spider crack is and how it forms, we have a brief guide on spider cracks right here for you. You can then use the tungsten carbide groove cutter to cut a deeper grove into the crack.
Now your spidercracks are fixed and the surface is ready for the matching gelcoat not included to make your repair unnoticeable and the area look like new. We have a fiberglass bathshower insert that has a few small hairline cracks on the bottom tub portion. I see these all over the motorhome but only if i look close and the sun is right. The most obvious first choice is the color of the gelcoat. If you are using a fiberglass patch to repair a larger crack, coat one side of the patch with filler, place it over the crack, and then use the applicator to cover the patch with filler. The resin does not bear strutural loads well either. It is the right proportion of resin an fiberglass that gives the greatest strength. Paint checkingspider web cracks beginning rving escapees. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. How to repair a hairline crack in a fiberglass tub diy. Extensive spider cracking common on older boats is due to aging of the gelcoat. Jan 12, 2012 we have a fiberglass bathshower insert that has a few small hairline cracks on the bottom tub portion. To ensure good adhesion it is critical that the repair patch is adhered to undamaged laminate. I tried fiberglass patches, layering a couple strips of new fiberglass over the crack and smoothing with bondo.
Stress cracks, are often called spider cracks because they will radiate out on numerous directions and look like a spiders web. A spider crack is the second most common type of windshield chip crack. That is, the cracks emanate from a center point and radiates outward. If youre really determined to do it, either learn to repair it yourself or you can plan on. Tech tips fiberglass coatings, gelcoat, gelcoat repair, spider crack, stress crack 5 tips for using brushable gelcoat in the summer july 10, 2018 fgci leave a comment. In such cases, grinding off the gelcoat for wholesale refinishing is the best approach. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and swimming pools. How to fix cracks in fiberglass gel coat using fiberglass.