Temporary Repair for a Rusted-Through Bathtub

A rusted bathtub is unsightly. Even worse, water can leak through the bottom and damage flooring or other parts of the home. Replacing the tub can be costly. It's possible to make a temporary patch with a fiberglass repair kit available at a home improvement store. With the kit and less than an hour of application time, the patch can delay the need for a new tub for up to a year.

Things You'll Need

• Fiberglass repair kit 100-grit sandpaper Putty knife Plastic container Old paintbrush Scissors

Instructions

1. Scrape the rusted area, using a putty knife to remove large areas of rust.

2. Sand the area to be patched lightly with 100-grit sandpaper. Make the area as smooth as possible.

3. Mix the resin and the hardening agent from the fiberglass repair kit, following the instructions that came with the kit, in a plastic container.

4. Cut strips of the fabric from the kit into pieces slightly bigger than the area being repaired, using scissors.

5. Lay the first piece of fabric over the area and use an old paintbrush to brush on the resin mixture. Cover the entire area of the fabric with the mixture.

6. Lay a second piece of fabric over the first one with the grain of the fabric going the opposite way from the first. Brush the resin mixture on top the second piece of fabric.

7. Apply four or five layers of fabric with the resin mixture brushed on between layers. Let dry for at least 24 hours.