old pool - how to tell if concrete, gunite, shotcrete, marbleite, etc???

[FM1]

Hello all,

I looked around the forums and could not find any threads that tell you how to detect what a pool is made of. I have an old pool (thinking it was installed in the 1960s since the house was built in early 1960s. How does one go about detecting or finding out if their pool is concrete, gunite, shotcrete, marbleite, etc??? Or does it matter since all of them are based on portland cement.

I have to do repairs of the pool walls. Where there was tile the old owner just re-plastered the first foot all around the pool and now the plaster has been getting pushed out by the water behind it. I repaired the water getting behind it but it has cracked the concrete walls in places. So I would need to repair the walls and then re-plaster as well.

Anyone know of how to go about this and what products to use? I am in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and have access to Detroit, Michigan for supplies if need be.

I called a couple of pool places and no one seems to repair concrete pools anymore.

Any help is great!

Thank you,
Franco

 

[Geebot]

Hello all,

I looked around the forums and could not find any threads that tell you how to detect what a pool is made of. I have an old pool (thinking it was installed in the 1960s since the house was built in early 1960s. How does one go about detecting or finding out if their pool is concrete, gunite, shotcrete, marbleite, etc??? Or does it matter since all of them are based on portland cement.

I have to do repairs of the pool walls. Where there was tile the old owner just re-plastered the first foot all around the pool and now the plaster has been getting pushed out by the water behind it. I repaired the water getting behind it but it has cracked the concrete walls in places. So I would need to repair the walls and then re-plaster as well.

Anyone know of how to go about this and what products to use? I am in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and have access to Detroit, Michigan for supplies if need be.

I called a couple of pool places and no one seems to repair concrete pools anymore.

Any help is great!

Thank you,
Franco

"Gunite" refers to the pool's construction, not the surface. If the exposed surface is plaster, then there's gunite/shotcrete underneath (they're both concrete substrates applied over metal rebar and formwork, just differ in application methods). The plaster has a useful life of up to 20-25 years, if properly maintained. If the plaster is starting to crumble then you need to resurface. This can be done on top of the old plaster, once the weak spots are chipped away, or you can sandblast the plaster to the bare concrete and then apply a new surface.

 

[FM1]

Hello!
I see your in Chicago. Do you know where I can get the pool plaster to repair myself. Detroit is just over the river.
THank you,
Franco