Respraying a Fibreglass Shower Base?

[JustAChick]

We've just retiled our shower and bought a new semi-frameless showerscreen. Looks great apart from the base - hubby repainted with some White Knight Concrete Paint which is now peeling, only 2 days later.

He bought this paint thinking our base was concrete, only to discover it is not - we're assuming it is fibreglass?

Now all the new tiles and screen are in, ripping up and replacing the base is not an option. And the base is in perfectly good order, just an ugly apricot colour.

How do we respray/resurface? Where do we buy the stuff?

Bunnings were useless and the paint shop looked at us with a blank stare so perhaps it's not the done thing anymore.

Help please!

[memphis]

being fibreglass you will want to sand it back using something like 320grit wet n dry sand paper until its nice and scuffed, then you want to use automotive paint, first use a etch primer (goto super cheap, buy it by the rattle can). Mask off everything else real good!

Normally they are painted using 2pak paints, not the sort of thing you normally get around the hardware store. Perhaps a laquer paint would work (maybe supercheap will sell this in a rattle can too, dont use acrylic)

Why do you think its fibreglass, just because it peeled?, if the prep was wrong it would do the same thing. You cant paint a existing high-gloss finish and expect it to hold, the surface needs to be scuffed up for the new paint to cling to.

[durwood]

First determine if it really is fibreglass, it may be something else.
If it is not metal ( try a magnet if you are not sure) it may be a plastic or fibreglass one. Rub it dry and smell the dust, it should have a distinctive smell.

If you don't know what fibreglass smells like track down a known fibleglass product and compare.

Memphis is on the right track, the tough paints they use in the smash repair industry are the most suitable or a polyurethane 2 pack ( may be able to get this from a marine outlet)

Best primer to use ( once you have cleaned well and sanded the base) is epoxy. this can be brushed. This sticks really well and the colour can then go on top. Its two parts mix it you have 6 hours to use. Etch primer in a can is not a good enough product. You want to do this once properly and have it last years.

These paints cost a lot but you only need a small amount, I suggest you track down a panel beater and see if he might supply you with small amounts.

Even though the paint is normally sprayed it brushes very well.

You have to mix the colour with hardener, ask for slow hardener so you have extra time to apply it. Don't paint unless its above 15 deg and below 30 deg.

This paint is toxic but being brushed on elininates a lot of the normal problems but still wear a mask and use a fan and open windows to get good ventilation.

[JustAChick]

Great, thanks guys.

Will get the hubby to have a proper look and confirm it is fibreglass.

[bitingmidge]

By the time you muck around, it'll be almost as cheap to get a bath repair mob in, and you'll get a guarantee.

It could be acrylic as well, and therefore you'll need a different etch primer again.

Painting fibreglass isn't a problem, use a marine paint, go to a yacht chandlery and ask, there are some that are quite suitable for brushing as well, but really in a shower you would be best to see my first sentence!

Or you could just strip it off, and pretend apricot is the new white.

P