Maggie weighs 100 lbs.
Her crate pan is made of flimsy plastic (could not find metal replacement pan, or better plastic replacement pan for a 54" crate.)
The wire grid under the pan has 8" spacing.

This is a recipe for big cracks in the crate pan. Given Maggie's housebreaking issues, the pan must be fixed.

I tried fixing the cracks with PVC glue. This sort of worked, but didn't hold up to stress.

I ordered a replacement pan. Came broken in the mail. Since I blame it on materials rather than the vendor, I decided to just use the replacement pan as a base for additional materials.

I'm going to try fiberglass and epoxy next. My friend swears it will hold the weight. (He has a 1000 gallon aquarium in his basement made from plywood and epoxy, he knows what he's doing with that stuff.) It's an expensive way to go though.

I'll have another pan to fix up and keep on hand when the first is repaired. It will be nice to have a clean pan to swap in when the first needs a good scrubbing.

Suggested methods of repair other than epoxy?

Suggested sources/prices of 54" metal pans if the epoxy repair doesn't work?

I think most crate pans are made of polyethylene. It's darn near impossible to fix with glue.

Some web items I found ...

this one promotes a "Mr. Sticky" epoxy.
http://www.MrSticky.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq6EIUtoK_U

You may also want to contact the KennelAire company. Their pans are pretty heavy guage plastic.
http://www.kennel-aire.com/

If you wanta metal pan, check with a local heating and A/C company. The tools they use to make ductwork can be used to make a crate pan.

I've also tried heat-welding polyethylene with mixed results. In the end, it's probably cheaper and less annoying to purchase a new pan.

I had that problem with one of my dogs. Her crate pan cracked and then she picked at it until there was a hole.

I bought a new crate pan and cut out the side of the box it came in and put the cardboard between the pan and the wire crate bottom. So far so good. At the time Roxie's pan cracked last year, she was about 80 lbs. She's 96 lbs now and it's in good shape.

Sorry I don't know anything about fixing the pan itself.

We do have a rubber mat in the bottom of the pan, but sometimes Maggie pulls it up and digs at the plastic anyway. I like the rubber mat because it gives her traction in the crate. I don't like to see breeds with delicate hips sliding on the plastic pan.

corrected URL for Mr. Sticky's epoxy

http://www.mrstickys.com/
http://www.a-a-i.net/resellers.htm

 Quote: charlie snyder

I think most crate pans are made of polyethylene. It's darn near impossible to fix with glue.

Some web items I found ...

this one promotes a "Mr. Sticky" epoxy.

The only Mr. Sticky products I see are epoxy glues. The epoxy I'm looking at is meant for construction/repair of surfaces.

http://www.masepoxies.com/

This is the kind of stuff you'd put over a hole in your car or boat body. I'd be fiberglass taping the cracks, and epoxying the entire surface. My aquarium friend thinks the fiberglass is overkill, but I don't want to do this twice.

 Quote: charlie snyder

You may also want to contact the KennelAire company. Their pans are pretty heavy guage plastic.
http://www.kennel-aire.com/

I checked out two of their listed vendors, and neither carries replacement pans for a 54" crate. I'll keep looking, and call the company directly if necessary.

The one thing I do is put a folded tarp between the crate pan and the wires of the crate. It helps to keep damage to the pan from happening and also makes the crate "quieter" when the dog moves around as well.

I use carpet squares under my plastic kennel pan to keep it quiet.
To repair your pan you could try regular silicone window/door/trim caulk with a thin plywood board or rigid plastic sheet glued to the bottom of the pan.
I have gotten metal pans and other items made at a heating and cooling shop. Call around first to find someone who will do it and then take all the measurements with you.
And as far as the broken pan being a manufacturing problem vs a vendor problem...the vendor chose to buy that flimsy pan from the manufacturer and then sell it to you, and then ship it in a manner that would allow it to break, you should not be the one to deal with a broken pan.

http://leerburg.com/housebrk.htm

 Quote: debbie bruce

And as far as the broken pan being a manufacturing problem vs a vendor problem...the vendor chose to buy that flimsy pan from the manufacturer and then sell it to you, and then ship it in a manner that would allow it to break, you should not be the one to deal with a broken pan.

You have no idea how hard it is to find 54" crate accessories. The last thing I want to do is have the vendor stop carrying them altogether. I should write a complaint letter to the manufacturer though.

Most manufactureres only offer 54" in one or two of their lines, and not every vendor carries every line the manufacuturer makes, so it's really hit or miss looking for 54" crates at all, never mind accessories.

People see a big dog like Maggie and ask now much it costs to feed her, but food is nothing if you can manage the inflated equiptment and vet costs.