But one fast and cost-effective fix is to fill the crack or hole using a fiberglass/acrylic repair kit.

These materials includeepoxy-like materialssimilar to the compounds used as filler in automobile body repairs.

A single kit may provide enough material to make several repairs.

Master bathroom with ceramic shower and tub

Feverpitched / Getty Images

There are many repair and resurfacing products available, so make your choice carefully.

Always follow the kit manufacturer’s recommendations for safety measures.

Higher grit numbers denote a finer, smoother surface.

check that to cut down through the color layer of the acrylic or fiberglass into the structure below.

Usually, this means cutting down between 1/16- and 1/4-inch.

Angle the sides of the damaged area so that the filler paste can be applied smoothly.

This slight roughening will help the paste adhere to the damaged area.

Do not use sandpaper rougher than 220-grit or it will later be difficult to smooth it out again.

Clean Area

Clean the repair area with nail polish remover or acetone.

Warning

From this point onward, verify to ventilate the area well and use a ventilator mask.

Wear protective gloves for these steps.

If necessary, use the lightening or darkening toners to adjust the color to match your tub or shower.

This is often necessary with white tubs or showers.

Add the catalyst agent to the paste in the ratio recommended by the manufacturer.

Mix the ingredients together thoroughly to form the activated filler paste.

double-check to fully fill the damaged area.

Overfill the patch area slightly; it will be sanded flush later.

Blend Repair Area

Use wet/dry sandpaper to blend in the repair area with the surrounding surface.

The best results are achieved if you sand in several stages using progressively finer grits of wet/dry sandpaper.

Begin with 220-grit, then proceed by sanding with 320-, 400-, and finally 600-grit sandpaper.

As you sand, drip water onto the sanding area with a wet rag to lubricate the surfaces.

If you have a car polisher, this will work better because it is ergonomically designed for polishing.

Keep the speed low, though, to avoid melting the plastic.

you might even cut out a kitchen scouring pad and attach it to the buffer.

Be careful not to let the edges of the buffer head touch the tub/shower surface.

Call a professional for expert color-matching of filler to tub/shower surface.