How should I seal a shower base that is leaking?

Question

I have a shower stall with a cement-like slab base. The shower base is ancient and has developed some cracks. The top surface has some sort of sealant which has worn away, with the result that water can leak down into the slab.

I don't see water damage in the ceiling of the room below, but am worried nonetheless. I tried to re-seal the slab with some garage floor "epoxy" paint, but after 6 months that surface has bubbled and cracked. I'm not sure why it bubbled, as I did a pretty thorough job of roughing the surface for it to seal to. As the bubble was in the same place as the original crack, perhaps there is some relation?

Is there a better material to use to seal such a surface?

Answer 1

This happened to me in a previous apartment due to an improper shower pan/missing-concrete installation when the complex was built. What the restoration guy did was cut out the floor of the tub, pour concrete over the subfloor, then used layers of fiberglass mats and resin to complete the restoration.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Not sure. I did use a sub one time who resurfaced a bathtub for a client. I think he gave the tub a new coat of ceramic - on top of the existing. If you could find someone like that I think it might be worth asking the question. Sorry, not much help, just an idea.

Roy