Pool Slide Refurbish Help Needed

[sharonnicole81]

Hello All! I found this water slide on craigslist knowing that it needs a little work. Does anybody know the easiest way to refinish it? I contacted a fiberglass repair shop who quoted me around $1,200 just by looking at this picture but I can get a new one for not much more than that. I was hoping it would be as easy as sanding it down a little and putting some epoxy paint and hardener on it but after getting a $1,200 quote I wonder if I am over my head. Any help would be really appreciated!

 

[PoolguyinCT]

When installed how do plan to tie its metallic members to the binding grid?

I’d bite the bullet for surfacing refurb price, but their is guy in this forum that used to do FG repairs to kayaks.

Is your pool dimensionally safe for a slide? Besides pool depth- the fall from the ladder always concerns me or the temptation to jump of the slide..

 

[sktn77a]

I don't know if that was me, but I used to repair FG kayaks many moons ago! Just a couple of thoughts. Firstly, I wouldn't sand the bare FG - if you break the integrity of the fibers, they stick up everywhere. I'd thoroughly clean it, put a surface coat of epoxy resin (not polyester or vinylester) over the contact area and then a smooth layer of gel-coat over that (or the whole slide, if you want it to look good). It's not hard to do but it's messy and needs to be done in a well ventilated area. If the gelcoat surface turns out rough, you can use wet-and-dry to smooth it down but don't sand through to the bare fiberglass. $1200 doesn't surprize me but you should be able to do it for around $100.

This is a useful resource site if you've never done this before:

Fiberglass Warehouse - Fiberglass Resin and Fiberglass Cloth Supplies

 

[Dirk]

When installed how do plan to tie its metallic members to the binding grid?

Don't glaze over this question, please. He meant to type "bonding grid" and it's pretty important. You must bond the metal pieces of your slide to the other components of your pool and its equipment to safeguard against the possibility of electric shock. Do look into that.

Too bad you're not closer to the ocean. You need an x-surf board shop employee, that knows how to glass, that got fired not because he's incompetent, but because he never shows up for work when the surf is up! He'd do it for a few hundred bucks, I bet. Put an ad on Craig's List, just for the heck of it...

Glassing is the kind of thing you get pretty good at the next time. The first time is a bear!

 

[sktn77a]

Glassing is the kind of thing you get pretty good at the next time. The first time is a bear!

HA!!! Ain't that the truth!!!

 

[scdaren]

I don't know if that was me, but I used to repair FG kayaks many moons ago! Just a couple of thoughts. Firstly, I wouldn't sand the bare FG - if you break the integrity of the fibers, they stick up everywhere. I'd thoroughly clean it, put a surface coat of epoxy resin (not polyester or vinylester) over the contact area and then a smooth layer of gel-coat over that (or the whole slide, if you want it to look good). It's not hard to do but it's messy and needs to be done in a well ventilated area. If the gelcoat surface turns out rough, you can use wet-and-dry to smooth it down but don't sand through to the bare fiberglass. $1200 doesn't surprize me but you should be able to do it for around $100.

This is a useful resource site if you've never done this before:

Fiberglass Warehouse - Fiberglass Resin and Fiberglass Cloth Supplies

+ 1 on this advice.

Based on my first experience working with fiberglass... there won't be a second one. Dealing with a gel coat application probably won't be so bad.

Or... just get some of this stuff: national lampoons christmas vacation - sled wax - YouTube LOL

 

[PoolguyinCT]

I don't know if that was me, but I used to repair FG kayaks many moons ago! Just a couple of thoughts. Firstly, I wouldn't sand the bare FG - if you break the integrity of the fibers, they stick up everywhere. I'd thoroughly clean it, put a surface coat of epoxy resin (not polyester or vinylester) over the contact area and then a smooth layer of gel-coat over that (or the whole slide, if you want it to look good). It's not hard to do but it's messy and needs to be done in a well ventilated area. If the gelcoat surface turns out rough, you can use wet-and-dry to smooth it down but don't sand through to the bare fiberglass. $1200 doesn't surprize me but you should be able to do it for around $100.

This is a useful resource site if you've never done this before:

Fiberglass Warehouse - Fiberglass Resin and Fiberglass Cloth Supplies

Yup uda’guy

 

[PoolguyinCT]

I use a corvette body shop guy to restore / fix fiberglass pools or liner FB steps

 

[tfbrown60]

I repainted a used one I picked up just about like ihis one. Bought a quart of white boat paint from the local marina. Bondao on the worst places, sanded then brushed it on. It leveled out looked pretty good. Plenty slick enough with the water on. After a few years it got a little chalkly and had some cracking . My instalation was always kind of wobbly and woried me. I got rid of it last year when I replaced the liner and restained the deck