Acrylic shower trays: features, benefits, repairs

Shower cabins have become a familiar kind of plumbing in modern bathrooms, because they manage to save precious space to accommodate washing machines and furniture. The most popular model with an acrylic tray, and we want to consider their features, as well as tell how to repair the acrylic shower tray pan.

Shower cubicles with acrylic tray

Characteristics and features

One of the most important parts of a shower cabin is a pallet. It plays the role of the supporting structure on which you stand while taking a shower, and also serves as a sink for collecting and draining the water used in the washing process.

Based on these basic functions, you can identify the requirements that a quality shower tray must meet:

• Mechanical strength. The product must withstand the weight of a person with a large margin so that during operation the bowl will not bend, crack or break;
• Water resistance. The material must be completely waterproof and not be afraid of exposure to cold and hot water;
• Resistance to detergents and household chemicals. The surface of the bowl should be resistant not only to soap and shampoos, but also to household chemicals, which are used to wash and clean the sink;
• Corrosion resistance. No electrochemical, biological or other corrosion phenomena should occur on the surface;
• Acceptable color, texture and appearance. Modern plumbing must necessarily meet the highest standards of beauty and style.

These requirements are met by such materials as ceramics, cast iron, steel, natural and artificial stone, acrylic. However, the most successful and popular material is acrylic and its kind, modified by quartz sand - quarian.

In addition to these properties, acrylic is distinguished by its low price, low weight, durability, and good maintainability. Repair of acrylic trays shower cabins can be easily performed at home, which makes this material particularly attractive.

Note! Acrylic pallets are considered the most successful in terms of value for money, they have good technical and operational characteristics.

Benefits

Buying sanitary ware from acrylic or acrylic-quartz composition, you get a quality and durable product.

Do not be confused by the apparent lack of durability and reliability, in fact, such a plumber has a number of advantages:

1. The material is absolutely not afraid of water and moisture, both hot and cold;
2. The polymer is not afraid of any types of corrosion, including chemical and biological;
3. The sink is fairly easy to install without the use of wet work, cement or bricks;
4. The light weight of the pallet makes installation easy;
5. The surface does not have such a high thermal conductivity, as steel, and at the same time heats up quickly, unlike ceramics;
6. The product does not need complex or frequent care, it just launders and does not absorb color pigments, odors, etc., which compares favorably with natural stone;
7. Acrylic pallets are in the middle price category, they are cheaper than stone or ceramic counterparts;
8. The polymer is durable, and over time it does not lose its visual appeal;
9. In the event of scratches or cracks, you can eliminate them yourself.

Of course, a thin polymer shell can not be compared in strength with porcelain, earthenware, stone or metal, but when properly installed using a steel frame, it is almost impossible to break it.

Note! The only limitation is high temperatures: heating the material to 120? С and higher leads to softening and deformation.

Another useful feature is the absence of a large number of bacteria on the surface of the material; in addition, it is not of interest as a breeding ground for mold and other fungal organisms.

Repair of acrylic pallets

Polymer is a relatively soft material (compared to stone, ceramics or metal), so scratches, chips, cracks and other damage may appear over time on its surface. I must say that they occur as a result of improper use of products or poor quality of their installation.

The most significant defect is through cracks, the most frequent are surface scratches. Do-it-yourself repairing the acrylic tray of the shower stall using the repair kit.

The kit consists of liquid acrylic or a special resin, as well as a chemical activator-hardener. According to the instructions, it is necessary to mix the resin with a hardener and fill it with a scratch, spall or other defect. At the same time, it is necessary to properly prepare the repair zone: clean the skin off with fine leather (No. 160-200), degrease with alcohol and dry.

Then you should apply the composition and wait for it to set. It is better to apply a little more, because in the process of hardening the material gives a slight shrinkage, and if there is too much excess, it is easy to grind off the abrasive paper.

For the repair of a through crack, a special resin is used, most often an epoxy resin. On the back of the pallet, a patch of fiberglass is glued to the crack, and not one, but three. It is desirable that the fibers of the fabric in each new layer lie perpendicular to the fibers of the previous layer.

Before gluing the acrylic pan of the shower stall, the glass fiber is impregnated with epoxy resin with hardener and pasted on a previously embroidered crack. Then they wait 3 hours and apply the next patch.

After the fabric has set, the crack is filled with a repair compound from the front side, similar to the case with a scratch.

Note! When working with resin, wear rubber gloves and ventilate the area.

Conclusion

Acrylic shower trays are a high-quality and reliable type of plumbing that will provide you with comfortable water treatments for a long time (see also the article Ceramic shower tray - the features of this option and the technology of its installation).

The video in this article shows the nuances and features of the operation of these products.