Bath chip repair?

[Cursitor Doom]

Hi all, I've somehow managed to chip the rim of my bath in about the most obvious spot (sod's law). It just catches the eye every time I go in the bathroom. I'm wondering what the best way of restoring it would be. I believe it's one of those acrylic baths but can't say for certain. Anyway, it's composed of two layers; the substrate looks very much like glass fibre chopped strand mat and then there's the (now chipped) top layer which is about 3-4mm thick I would guess. I've uploaded a general view and a close up here:

Any ideas?

cheers,

CD.

[Syd Rumpo]

If she's not back from work yet, I'd suggest the Foreign Legion.

Cheers

[Cursitor Doom]

Good suggestion, but she'd still know it was me. Maybe I should just torch the whole house and claim off the insurance?

[Cursitor Doom]

Sigh. Forgot to mention earlier, but no, I can't find the bit that chipped off. :(

[Julian Barnes]

Seems a bit extreme for a bath chip. What about white silicon sealant? Carefully apply masking tape precisely around the edge of the hole, fill with silicon and smoooooth over with a wet spatula/butter knife. Promptly remove masking. Sorted.

[Tim Watts]

Essentially, you're dead.

But seriously - how did you do that? I was imagining a tiny 5mm chip.

[ss]

I would attempt to fill it expecting some visual improvement but I doubt you will get an invisible mend, colour match will be a big problem. If that fails I would consider some kind of ornate strip to put along that edge, or even make a panel for that end of the bath.

[Peter Parry]

Do it the same way it was made. Get some white topcoat polyester resin.

Find a piece of thin plastic (or heavy gauge polythene) which fits over the hole and conforms to the shape of the bath. on the side you are going to have facing the bath rub a thin film of silicone polish (Pledge or car polish type). Get some non stretching tape such a masking tape and cut several lengths long enough to go over the patch with several inches to spare.

Mix a small amount of topcoat and hardener (be careful - with small quantities it is easy to add too much hardener which makes it all set too quickly) Fill the hole very (very) slightly proud and lay the plastic film over it holding it in place with the tape. The film must conform to the shape.

Leave a few hrs to harden. If you take care with the covering film no further finishing should be needed but if it is you can sand the fill with wet and dry paper of increasing fineness.

You might find it easier to half fill the hole (with no facing film) first, leave it until set (30 mins or so) and then fill the remainder as above.

[Tim Lamb]

There are repair kits intended for CI or steel baths but I don't see why they would not work on glass fibre.

Ronseal at B+Q eg.

[alan_m]

Fill with white grouting or use car body filler and then a thin coat or two of white car spray paint just on that bath edge.

White grouting?

[Tricky Dicky]

If you have building and contents insurance check whether you have acciden tal cover included. If you have then it is the type of damage that can be c laimed for, domestic management may even be grateful for you coming up with a scheme to get a new bath. There are specialist firms that can do invisib le repairs, my daughter had a dinged worktop in her new build the builders got in a company to fix the ding rather than replace the worktop. I cannot now spot the damage.

Richard