Pool Renovation - Recommendations and Repair Questions

[DIYconvert]

Hi All,
I’m planning a major pool renovation including new plaster, tile, coping, and deck resurfacing. The plan also requires several repairs to the concrete deck, bond beam, and pool shell. I had the pool renovated previously (before I discovered this forum) and I don’t want to make the same mistakes. I’ve read the stickies about expansion joints and coping, bond beam repair, and waterline tile installation as well as several posts related to replastering and cracked concrete decks/pool shells. I’d appreciate any feedback on my options and answers to my questions (especially from our construction experts including @jimmythegreek and @bdavis466).

I believe most of my repair issues were likely caused by expansion of the concrete pool deck which created pressure against the coping and bond beam as well as the stone steps leading away from the deck. I’ve included several pictures that show evidence of the following:

• Horizontal cracks in the concrete pool deck--including some which go all the way through the coping
• Sections of coping that are higher than the deck--where I believe the deck settled after water leaked into the underlying soil from cracks the bond beam and tile.
• Cracks in the bond beam--I can’t show you the cracked bond beam because it was previously repaired (poorly) when I had the pool replastered about 10 years ago. Instead, I took a picture of the new, mismatched, solid blue tile that was put over the repaired section. I recently regrouted that entire section after a leak detection company told me water was leaking through a horizontal crack all along that new tile line (apparently the repair to the underlying bond beam didn’t hold).
• Cracks in the pool deck surrounding the skimmers and cracks in the inside skimmer walls--The skimmer walls are bulging inward where the cracks are and is causing the weir flaps to get stuck. (I put some JB Marine Weld in the cracks then sanded the walls down to fix the cracks and prevent the weir flaps from sticking against the walls.)
• Sections of the textured deck surface coming off the concrete layer below--The deck was resurfaced at the same time as the pool was replastered.
• Cracks in the horizontal joint between the coping and tile--where some of the rebar by the skimmers has been exposed and is rusting

I have several questions about the recommended scope of work. Keep in mind I want to keep my costs as low as possible because we are planning to sell the house soon. I want the renovation to be good enough to sell while also leaving the new owner a nice-looking pool that doesn’t have major issues that would crop up sooner rather than later. My questions are:

1. Do I need a complete chip out of the old plaster? I think I do but one contractor I already got a bid from didn’t specify that in their bid. I already had the pool replastered once where it wasn’t completely chipped out. The current outer layer of plaster is compromised due to the addition of excessive calcium chloride set accelerator (which caused white spotting and steaking within the first few weeks and severe craze cracks within the first year).
2. What is the best way to repair the cracks in the bond beam and make sure it doesn't happen again? The last time I had the long horizontal crack in the bond beam repaired the contractor just filled the crack with some cement and tiled over it. I read the best way to repair vertical cracks in a cement wall that requires structural strength (which I assume a pool wall does) is to inject an epoxy filler into the cracks. How much detail should I require in the bid to make sure the job is done right this time?
3. Can the cracks in the deck be repaired? One contractor’s bid included demoing the existing deck and installing a new one (expensive). A second contractor said they would just apply a new orange peel spray decking over the exiting deck but admitted the horizontal cracks would probably come back (they didn’t specify making any repairs to the underlying concrete deck). I read hydraulic cement is not the best option to repair cracks in concrete because it doesn’t flex or adhere as well as using an epoxy filler. Should an epoxy filler be injected into the horizontal cracks or is it necessary to chisel an inverted "V" shape into the cracks of the slab before applying the repair material?
4. Do I need to replace the skimmers? I’m not sure what caused the walls to bulge and crack but I think my repairs did the job.
5. Best value/options for deck surface and coping? Two contractor bids I got specify an orange peel texture spray decking and leuders stone coping (limestone). How do you prevent the spray decking from delaminating again from the smooth concrete surface? I use a SWG. I don’t think limestone is recommended for a salt water pool. Is it OK if it is sealed first? I saw @JoyfulNoise advice against travertine because it’s too susceptible to cracking and chipping. He also advised against the local Texas flagstone due to some unspecified issues. Would prefabricated coping or poured-in-place concrete coping using forms be better and cheaper? (Note: I have a freeform, kidney shaped pool.)

Thanks!

 

[kimkats]

already had the pool replastered once where it wasn’t completely chipped out.

This means you have to have both layers of plaster removed. They need to use a flat chisel instead of a pointed one to get all the plaster off. Other wise there will just be channels in the old plaster.

Do I need to replace the skimmers?

I would. See below

I think my repairs did the job.

While they are doing the job they look like there were repaired. Any inspection will see and note that.

apply a new orange peel spray decking over the exiting deck but admitted the horizontal cracks would probably come back

sigh...................yeah it will just crack again..............to fix it properly the least amount of work you can do is have the old layer off (lots of work) then working to level out the areas that need it.

 

[Bperry]

Do I need a complete chip out of the old plaster?

I’m doing a lot of this stuff right now on mine so I can share a few things I’ve learned. To fix any crack in the shell, they will need to chip out all the plaster around that area, but of the 6 or so bids I got on replastering none of them planned a full chipout. Which is why I did that part myself… it really depends on how old the original plaster is and how well it’s bonded to the shell.

What is the best way to repair the cracks in the bond beam and make sure it doesn't happen again?

You need to determine why they happened in the first place. Horizontal bond beam cracks seem to come from bad expansion joint on the coping. To really fix it, they should jackhammer out the broken parts, drill and pin new rebar into the shell and form a new bond beam. Just injecting epoxy or patching isn’t going to be very long lasting. The epoxy doesn’t penetrate very far.

Can the cracks in the deck be repaired?

New decking is obviously the best option but the most expensive. Same advice as above though on finding out why it’s sinking and correcting that before repairing it will help ensure it doesn’t just re-crack. If the deck is still moving or sinking any crack that was filled in will just re-crack.

Water leaks from the pool can cause sinking so that may have been the issue. You can try a slab-jacking service where they will raise the current deck back to level by pumping concrete under it. I raised and leveled mine with a hydraulic jack and some tools I built and then backfilled them with stone and concrete.

But cutting a new expansion joint in the deck will
and really hard. If you’re installing new coping anyway, that’s the time to ensure the joint is done right.

Any concrete resurfacer isn’t a permanent solution. Cement based coatings seem to have the best outcome. Any kind of paint needs to be redone every few years. Kool-Deck seems to have decent success and get good reviews, but at the most $$$$.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Picture of a complete chip-out using flat chisels.
Many types of staple repairs non of which are complete repairs.