Making a fibreglass shower tray? Or Epoxy Resin?

[Jays2]

Looking to do the same, we are due to get a new panel van next month, hopefully !
look forward to see how this works out for you.
What design did you have in mind?
I had thought a shower tray to have a central discharge point, with the floor sloping from all four corners should work best for me.
With our current van having a prefabricated shower tray the discharge is in 1 corner, as we are not always able to slope the van so the water discharges easily and we end up moving it to the plus hole manually.

 

[Wissel]

I have used Easy Composites a few times and the guys there are very approachable and readily offer advice.

Materials, equipment and training for advanced composites with next-day shipping and expert technical advice. - Easy Composites

Easy composites manufacture and supply materials, equipment and consumables for advanced composites including reinforcements, prepregs, resins, vacuum equipment, ovens and much more. We offer next-day shipping within the UK, fast shipping word-wide and free expert technical advice on all products.

www.easycomposites.co.uk

They have made a few videos, and I thought this one might be right up your street to offer something unique in your builds.

Resin Plank Table using GlassCast 3 - VIdeo Tutorial - Easy Composites

River table alternative. Comprehensive instructions on how to make a neon resin plank table using GlassCast 3 epoxy resin. GlassCast 3 neon resin plank table instructions can be adapted for any furniture project using wood and resin to encapsulate items as if they are floating within the resin.

www.easycomposites.co.uk

Paul, you know me to well
Cheers for that.

Looking to do the same, we are due to get a new panel van next month, hopefully !
look forward to see how this works out for you.
What design did you have in mind?
I had thought a shower tray to have a central discharge point, with the floor sloping from all four corners should work best for me.
With our current van having a prefabricated shower tray the discharge is in 1 corner, as we are not always able to slope the van so the water discharges easily and we end up moving it to the plus hole manually.

I going to start putting out videos again soon and will definitely do one on this shower tray.

Design wise, the bathroom in this van has a 45 degree wall and I want the tray to match it.

Interesting you mention drainage, as it's a major bugbear for me in our van. My solution is to put two drains in the base in opposite corners. The trouble with this a prefabricated trays is the cutout parts are often in the wrong place - above a joist, for instance. By making the tray custom, I can fit the drains where suitable.

So what van do you have coming? Got a layout?

 

[Northernraider]

I think wanderinghome on youtube originally made a fibreglass base in his shower ...then removed it and done it with tiles instead.

Im going with a custom made stainless steel tray in my vario ... should be relatively indestructible then . Central drain , if it doesn't drain when parked it will when I'm moving , hardwood duckboard on top.

 

[Wissel]

I think wanderinghome on youtube originally made a fibreglass base in his shower ...then removed it and done it with tiles instead.

Im going with a custom made stainless steel tray in my vario ... should be relatively indestructible then . Central drain , if it doesn't drain when parked it will when I'm moving , hardwood duckboard on top.

I do like the stainless ones (a friend who's another Funster has one), but it won't work in the build I'm working on.

Interesting you mention the duckboard though as that's what we have in our current van. The trouble is, our tray is a plastic one with dimples on it. The fibreglass one I'll make for the current customer build will be smooth, have two drain points and have a duckboard. Best of all worlds I think (although stainless would be the same).

Going to refit our own van (again) later this year and will fit the same. Bugs the hell out of me constantly squeegeeing the floor after a shower

Oh, the current build has a compost toilet as well. I'd always hated them, but had to learn a lot about them to design and build one properly. I can see why you're going for one now

 

[funflair]

Thanks for all your help on this guy's, all your replies gave me a bit of direction on a subject I knew little about.

I've done a fair bit more research now and, as suggested by a few of you, think I like this process:



This would allow me to get the shape I want.

Finish wise, I like the idea of using a few coats of gelcoat and sanding, then finishing with a flowcoat that can be sprayed. This should give me a nice finish I think.

I'm going to speak with the company in the video tomorrow to get more advice. If the call goes well I'll order all the bits I need.
I'm a little surprised by the cost - in a good way as it's less than I thought it would be. Makes a nice change

I also like that the same company supply epoxy resins, that I have another project in mind for, and carbon fibre products. Hoping they turn into a good partner for all these materials, but happy to look at other suppliers if anyone has any suggestions or reasons why this company might be a bad choice? Their reviews look good.

You should be OK with East Coast David, they were fibreglass fabricators before they were selling gear so they know what they are talking about, I used to buy a fair bit of stuff from them.

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[Northernraider]

I do like the stainless ones (a friend who's another Funster has one), but it won't work in the build I'm working on.

Interesting you mention the duckboard though as that's what we have in our current van. The trouble is, our tray is a plastic one with dimples on it. The fibreglass one I'll make for the current customer build will be smooth, have two drain points and have a duckboard. Best of all worlds I think (although stainless would be the same).

Going to refit our own van (again) later this year and will fit the same. Bugs the hell out of me constantly squeegeeing the floor after a shower

Oh, the current build has a compost toilet as well. I'd always hated them, but had to learn a lot about them to design and build one properly. I can see why you're going for one now

Yeah cassette loos are useless in countries with no disposal points and winter time that's quite a lot. Ive not used my cassette in 4 months

 

[Two on Tour]

Yeah cassette loos are useless in countries with no disposal points and winter time that's quite a lot. Ive not used my cassette in 4 months

Jesus, you must be busting to go by now.

 

[TheBig1]

Me, I would use chequer plate, bent to shape and seams sealed with polyurethane, then painted to suit. No faffing about with fibreglass and gel coats or moulds

 

[Wissel]

Two on Tour Damn you Paul

I've spent the last few hours watching videos from the link you posted and now ordered a 3d printer. I had no idea that 3d printed parts could be epoxy coated to get a far better finish. Plus loved the carbon fibre mould making.

It can sit next to the CNC laser cutter

 

[Wissel]

Thanks all for the help with this.

It's been really interesting learning how and what can be made using different techniques with fibreglass, carbon and epoxy. So I ended up ordering quite a range of products to experiment with.

I'll post images of the finished products for anyone interested.

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[activecampers]

I was going down the fibreglass/epoxy route, but decided to try in PVC.
First attempt, and whilst not perfect I didn't think I could do better so went with it
Just bent/shaped with hot air gun and some wooden battens. Is fully supported on 15mm ply. Walls are PVC overlapping the upstands

Video of bathroom complete below
I would say, just bear in mind PVC expands 1mm/m/20' more than ply so think it through!

 

[Gents]

Only just seen this thread, I am about to rejig my Transit high top, and want to form a shower, with toilet included, but because of space issues, I intend to form a wetroom floor, which incorporates a box at one end, this will allow me to have batteries under on slide out tray, which will access from rear door. Toilet, which I will use a ports potty, to see if all goes to plan.
I will get a floor layer, who creates wetroom floors for NHS, to lay Altra none slip flooring on WBP far eastern ply,raised up the sides, with welded joints. No faffing about with fibre glass or stainless. I think it will work a treat and be far quicker & cheaper, and more or less any shape you want

 

[EdsIveco]

I made a full size shower tray / wheel arch cover out of mdf, took it to a local stainless fabricator and got them to copy it in brushed stainless steel.
Van convertor was able to integrate it into the build very successfully.
View attachment 584095 Looks fab and works a treat!

 

[EdsIveco]

How much would this cost?

 

[pandjb]

It wasn't cheap - around £250 - but had spent so much on the new van, I just did it!
Very pleased with the result and ,2 years on, still looks like new.

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[Two on Tour]

It wasn't cheap - around £250 - but had spent so much on the new van, I just did it!
Very pleased with the result and ,2 years on, still looks like new.

To be honest, looking at the complexity and work that must have gone into making your S/S shower tray, I reckon £250 was a bargain.