Shower recess blistering and crazing

Submitted: Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 16:36
ThreadID: 117598 Views:2424 Replies:4 FollowUps:8
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We have a new caravan, after 3 months our fibreglass shower recess had 2 areas where it crazed and blowout holes appeared. The Company repaired it through the dealer we purchased from and we were on our way. However now another blowout hole has appeared, won't divulge the Company name at this stage, as they are still trying to resolve for us. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this with their fibreglass shower in any brand of caravan??
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Reply By: TomH - Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 17:02

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 17:02
Sounds like it is glued into place and they have used an Acid cure glue when they should have used Neutral cure.

Did a cool store once with fibreglass panels and the contractor supplied the glue and the whole place bubbled. Found out that was the cause. The acid cure glue caused the bubbling in the panels and on replacement they were ok with neutral cure glue.
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Follow Up By: Doobee - Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 17:12

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 17:12
Thanks Tom, in our case we can't see any bubbles it all seems smooth and them all of a sudden when we wipe it down with soft cloth after using it (no chemical is used to cleAn it) a pinhead hole appears, we have asked them what they think is causing it but they haven't replied to us yet.
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Follow Up By: TomH - Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 17:25

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 17:25
Yes thats what happened my bad for describing it poorly.
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Follow Up By: Notso - Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 19:30

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 19:30
Is it on the floor or the walls? If it's the floor we had a van where they had put screws up through the plywood floor that were too long and cracked the floor of the shower.
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Follow Up By: TomH - Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 20:16

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 20:16
Your header says blisters so has it got bumps as in blisters or pinholes.

Incorrect glue can cause both
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Follow Up By: Doobee - Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 22:18

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 22:18
It started on the floor close to where the wall starts they fixed that now it's on the wall so I don't think it could be screws, maybe TomH is right it could be the glue reacting, hopefully they will give us an explanation in the next day or two.
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Follow Up By: Doobee - Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 22:22

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 22:22
It's actually pinholes, when I say blister it's not a lump it's more like crazing to start with then a pin hole appears.
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Follow Up By: Notso - Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 22:52

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 at 22:52
My screw problem looked a bit like a star shaped stone chip in the windscreen with a centre point and cracks radiating out from the centre.
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Reply By: Slow one - Friday, Apr 24, 2015 at 06:37

Friday, Apr 24, 2015 at 06:37
Doobee,
sounds to me like the bond between the gelcoat and laminate substrate is not their or the glass was laid up dry over the gelcoat. From my view point there is flexing between the glass and the gelcoat

The only fix for this if it is happening over large areas, is for the cubicle to be pulled out and replaced and that will be a pretty big job.
AnswerID: 552866

Reply By: Member - kev.h - Friday, Apr 24, 2015 at 11:03

Friday, Apr 24, 2015 at 11:03
It may be worthwhile getting a second opinion from someone in the fibreglass industry, you can probably find someone local, when negotiating repairs you can never have too much information if they are only coating over the top and covering up a bigger problem what happens when the warranty runs out ??
Like said above if its a glue problem the only real fix is replace the shower
Kev
AnswerID: 552879

Reply By: Member - Brian P (SA) - Friday, Apr 24, 2015 at 18:51

Friday, Apr 24, 2015 at 18:51
When a fiberglass boat or in your case shower recess is laid up ( in the mould) the gel coat is sprayed on the mould first. Then the first layer of mat and resin is applied and the air bubbles rolled out. This process is repeated until the required thickness is reached.
Your problem is that the air bubbles were not rolled out properly when the first layer of mat and resin was applied.
If there is only a few air bubble holes they can be fixed like the first ones were done.
The problem is there will keep appearing until they are all exposed.
Get am independent fiberglasser to give you a second opinion. Cheers Brian.
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Follow Up By: Doobee - Friday, Apr 24, 2015 at 19:53

Friday, Apr 24, 2015 at 19:53
Thanks brianP we've had a fibreglasser opinion and he said the same as you, and that basically the mould hasn't been done properly, so we hope that after this fix we have no more problems, only time will tell.
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