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How to patch crack in polymarble trough?

I have an Everhard / Nugleam laundry trough with a fine crack, leaking.

The install for this was *ugly* and I reckon that would void the warranty. The plumber did their utmost, it is an old house which had some awful renovations, and no sensible maintenance. I needed a functional laundry. This was the most urgent fix I needed in my first home, and I have some regrets about how nice a basin I purchased while galvanised and cast iron pipes were coming out of the walls (that location was fashionable in the days when people also ran gutters inside eaves to downpipes). The room still has a badly done kit floor. The wall behind the trough has white corflute nailed there so I do not go insane with all the holes that just need to wait.

The fine crack in this polymarble trough - I think I did, probably dropped something, I thought it was a scratch. The 'scratch' became longer over time. Photo of that is attached. More interesting are the underside photos. The line seems to follow that crack, and it is surrounded by 'white stuff.' The stuff does not leave much trace on a black glove. What happens is that water left in the trough will slowly seep through and it becomes 'wet white stuff.' Eventually it will be enough to start dripping. If I squint and try logic, the crack lets water leech something out of polymarble once the top finish gets damaged.

An online search for "polymarble repair" leads me to epoxy paste. From there - I can't find an obvious tutorial.

As with my bathroom bench post - I can handle a repair not being pretty, so long as it is functional.

crack in polymarble basinbasin underside - drybasin underside - wet

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EricL

Hello @LynneWasTaken

I propose using PC-11 56g White Epoxy Paste to cover the crack. I suggest mixing the putty very well in your hand and forming a long cylindrical strip with your fingers. Place the putty over the crack and press down with your thumb. Gently feather the putty with your thumb so that it spreads out covering the crack. Do your best to keep it smooth and uniform, please note that the putty will dry to an off-white colour and will not match the existing colour of your trough. Double check that the entire crack has been covered, I then recommend using Rust-Oleum 13.3ml White Tub And Tile Touch Up Kit to touch up the surface of the putty once it has fully cured.

Please remember to wear personal protection such as disposable gloves when using the putty.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

LynneWasTaken

Thanks @EricL

The fix went well. Not pretty, but absolutely functional!

I actually handed the work off to a friend. That friend identified that the crack had started to creep, so that was also fixed, with a safety margin because - sure, why not. Neither of us has used Epoxy before, so I just bought the linked product and sent him on his way. That got crazy funny messy! The PC-11 is a paste. Worked great - and I am very happy I try to have the correct clean up on hand before starting.

The pic attached is how things stand right now. It was a long process to clean up the epoxy everywhere situation, but I am very happy with the outcome. I think that I can get things a little neater, and then we'll apply the Rust-Oleum.

The bonus with this was - I had another task on the go to fix a laminate shower bench. That was being over-complicated by me deciding to fix all the problems with the laminate at once. Some parts were going poorly because it was just too much. PC-11 saved the day once I saw it in action. 😀

EricL

Hello @LynneWasTaken

Thank you for the update! I'm glad you got the damage on the polymarble sorted out.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

LynneWasTaken

@EricL - I think this is an instance of learning as I go!

My polymarble laundry trough is leaking again, so I need to try harder to fix it… and I have questions.

The trough was as clean and dry as we could get it prior to the PC-11, but plausibly not good enough. I am considering applying epoxy to the underside of the trough as well. Is there an ideal product that could help with cleaning the surfaces before I have another go?

It's possible that we did not have the ratios of 1:1 spot-on when we prepared the PC-11. I'll use more care, because that is frequently mentioned online as an issue.

I had not yet applied Rust-Oleum. I'll make sure to do that this time - a cosmetic layer would add a little protection.

Aftercare question… I suspect cold was a factor in the crack re-opening. From time to time I have chilled food deliveries. I'm in the habit of putting the ice-packs in the trough until they thaw for disposal. That is when the leak started again. It looks like PC-11 tolerates a good range of temperatures. That said - I am wondering whether inexpert application + cold is the issue. Or possibly the polymarble itself might dislike the icy cold.

Lynne

EricL

Hello @LynneWasTaken

I propose trying this other product - Selleys 50g Knead It Aqua Epoxy Putty. It should in theory be easier to mix and activate. It is difficult to tell how far the damage has travelled in the polymarble and there may be unseen movement. I can only suggest giving the epoxy another try, but if it still leaks it could indicate a deeper amount of damage and replacement may be necessary.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

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