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Old 19-08-2011, 09:35 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Martin Brown Martin Brown is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
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Default Repairing a split in a plastic water butt...

On 19/08/2011 12:46, 'Mike' wrote:
wrote in message
...
wrote in
:

If one finds a split in a standard modern plastic water butt, as
typically found at B&Q and every garden centre, what is the best way
to repair it? I suspect the plastic is polypropelene, but I may be
wrong. I wondered about using a hot soldering iron to melt the plastc
together, over the split, or would it be better to use that black
mastic gutter sealant stuff sold in tubes for mastic-gun application?
Which would make the strongest most durable repair?

TIA,

Al


Generally, a moulded plastic structure, intended to be watertight, cannot
be repaired economically to remain so.

If this was bought to retain water, and it has failed (for it's intended
purpose) I would take it up with the retailer.

I would always reccommend buying gardening equipment from a builders
merchant. NOT Screwfix, NOT B&Q, NOT Plumbcenter but a propper builders
merchant, where professional builders get their kit and supplies from. It
may cost a bit more, often not, but it will last far, far, beyond anything
from a D.I.Y. store.

Buy cheap buy twice or thrice, as the saying goes, and today it is
absolutely true.

Baz


Interesting analogy there, which of course I agree with, because the 5 water
butts lined up behind the garage and shed which are all linked, are ex Fruit
Juice or Syrup barrels


I have mended dodgy bins to store water that were smashed around by
builders at a neighbours and then rescued from their skip. The ones with
major chunks missing are fit only for composting leaf mould, but minor
cracks can be sealed using butyl pond liner offcuts and a suitable
adhesive applied on the inside. They will fail eventually.

Roughen the surface to get a good key and make sure everything is
perfectly dry. I suspect that the least bad cheap and easy option is
Bostik clear although there are better adhesives which will soften
polypropelene and cause the crack to heal. Leave for at least a week to
cure. You want a thin layer a couple of inches of material in every
direction around the crack and no air bubbles. Like mending an oversize
bike tyre.

The problem here is more that the right adhesives with exotic solvents
(sold in bulk) could cost more than the replacement water butt.

Regards,
Martin Brown