How to Repair a Fiberglass Pool Slide

A fiberglass pool slide is quite cheap and easy to repair. Its high durability, low cost and relatively low maintenance demands are what makes the fiberglass slide so popular. Nonetheless, with normal wear and tear, a fiberglass pool slide can develop cracks or holes in it over time. To repair these, you need fiberglass filler and a special kind of fiberglass paint. The materials are generally quite cheap and can be found in many home improvement stores. You can also find them in boat supply stores due to the face that fiberglass is commonly used in marine applications.

Tools and Materials

  • Fiberglass filler
  • Catalyst
  • Acetone
  • Rags
  • Sandpaper – 80, 100, 400 and 1200 grit
  • Gel coat (matching the color of the slide)
  • Paint brush
  • Fiberglass wax
  • Putty knife
  • Bucket
  • Gloves
  • Respirator

Step 1 – Sand the Surface

Wear a pair of protective gloves and a respirator when working with fiberglass. Using an 80 grit sandpaper, sand down the area to be repaired. Try to make the walls of the cracks and holes taper towards the inside while smoothing the area.

Step 2 – Clean the Area

Use a clean rag soaked in acetone to clean the areas that you have sanded down. If you don’t do this, contaminants will remain which will affect the adhesive properties of the fiberglass filler.

Step 3 – Apply the Fiberglass Filler

Following the instructions supplied by the manufacturer, mix a small quantity of the fiberglass filler. This will be ready to start applying to the repair area as soon as it is a consistent color. Apply it to the pool slide using a putty knife. Make sure that the surface of the filler is as smooth as possible, making it level with the surrounding fiberglass surface. Leave the fiberglass filler for approximately two hours to set.

Step 3 – Sand the Repaired Area

Using the higher grade 100 grit sandpaper, sand down the repaired area once it is completely dry. Wrap the sandpaper around a sanding block to make this easier. Finally, clean the area with the acetone soaked rag again.

Step 4 – Apply Gel Coat

The gel coat should match the color of the pool slide. Mix this coating, adding about one percent catalyst to the mix. Stir the mixture together and apply it to the areas that you have repaired. Leave it for an adequate amount of time to set and dry as directed to by the label on the product.

Step 5 – Sand the Repaired Area

When the surface is dry again, use the 1200 grit sandpaper. The sandpaper should be wet. This is to remove any brush marks or lines in the gel coating. Rinse the surface down after doing this and leave it to dry.

Step 6 – Apply the Wax

Apply a thin coat of the fiberglass wax to the repaired area. Allow this to dry and then buff it using a dry, clean cloth. The slide should be ready to use again.