A friend asked me if I could do a repair on the slide at a nearby park. It’s been vandalized and will cost thousands of dollars to replace. He’s wondering if I could do some sort of repair. The slide is plastic and hollow inside. I’m thinking maybe put some sort of a backing? Fiberglass epoxy? Bondo? Any ideas? Mike
Can you cut a big hole in the bottom… Repair the broken section from the bottom and then patch your section you cut out from the out side?
It’s hard to tel from the pic where on the slide it is but my guess is anything you put over it will cause the slide to not slide
You could glass a couple of brackets on the underside and then just fill the little chips from the top with some 5 min epoxy.
Then maybe just 5 min epoxy the cut out section back in place. I’m guessing it’s not load bearing.
Maybe this is a good idea… Maybe not. Just a guess without seeing the whole thing.
Hi wideawake. It’s right in the middle of the slide where their little butts slide past. Not load bearing in terms of the overall structure, just when they slide down. The whole is probably a foot long and 6 inches wide. I was thinking of reinforcing the torn flaps from the inside so the repair can’t flex, then some sort of epoxy/fiberglass patch or bondo. Yah, it will slow em down a bit in that section. Thanks for the input. Mike
Mike, nice of you to help the children of the neighborhood.
How about some pour foam or Great Stuff between the inside and outside to create a more rigid base for the rest of the repair?
Some plastics are pretty ‘slick’ and don’t stick to resins. Do you have a piece to test?
Most slides around here are made from the same material as kayaks. You could researching how those are repaired. In my experience poly resin, epoxy, and most glues won’t stick to that plastic. My suggestion would be to bridge across across the break on the inside with a piece of wood ( similar to a drywall patch repair )to act as a support then fuse the pieces together. I would stay away from any type of fiberglass patch since the break is on top and it may wear and cause glass splinters.
Surfifty is correct. The plastic is most likely Polypropylene. Very high degree of difficulty to repair. Some form of interior support will be required, for any degree of success. After being supported, a fusion repair, using heat, may be the answer. Any roughness can be smoothed out, using handplanes, or spokeshaves. Check with Ridout Plastics website, and see if there is a proven repair process for sheet Polypropylene.
There is a product called PLASTEX 3000, that will repair Polypropylene, and Polyethylene. That is the most likely answer. After repair, I’d be inclined to inject some foam from the side to provide some interior support. There are kits available.
I don’t think I’d fix it. If the repair ever fails, for any reason, so little kid could get really injured. And then since you fixed it, you are liable.
Gentlemen, thank you for your responses. It’s the same stuff as kayak material for sure. I should of thought of that, but that’s why I come here. Because I don’t always “think of that.” Yesterday I spoke with my friend who is on the park board. We are also in the same Kiwanis club that raises money for and help with local projects. His wife mentioned the liability issue, too, Mark. If he wants to proceed I will research the materials Bill mentions and proceed. Again, thank you very much. Mike
Couldn’t resist. I saw the ‘not surfing related" misnomer and I thought ; Naaa. I’m not gonna look. But couldn’t resist. Reminds me of when I was asked to Gel-Coat the slides at the Grand Wailea. I’ve got ideas but the “pros” would ridicule. Sounds like Miller’s been sued before. When liability is the first word out of a guy’s mouth I’m thinkin’; "Yeah I suppose he would know. Being a Contractor and all. Anyway, you got me Mike. Had to take a look. Lowel
No Lowel, Never been sued. Thanks for asking.
Not “good fences” Miller. Good contracts and a Preliminary Notice. That’s what makes good neighbors. Lowel