Skimmer-Tile leak filler thoughts

[Jerryrigged]

Hey TFP Team,
Traced a sizable leak down to my skimmer and found it was from the tile/skimmer junction area. I was easily able to remove the tiles and found a few spots all washed out and some very soft mortar. I ground/dug out all the loose stuff, washed it out and now I've got some fairly large gaps around & behind the skimmer face where water was flowing.

The bottom center of the skimmer front is the main leak/issue. there's at least a half inch of gap behind the plastic flange behind the holes where it's all washed out. Also the top corners have big gaps as well. Ruler went in about 3" in the top left!

I can do the tile work with the mortar & grout as I've done tile work before and they were broken anyway. The question I have is what do I use to fill the gaps/voids to seal it up so it won't leak? I can basically pipe in the thinset mortar everywhere, let that set up, then do the tiles on top but I wasn't sure if there was some other product better than that for sealing/filling the gaps that would be better.
--Pictures below--

Thanks for your help!


Before

Tiles removed, ground down & cleaned up


Bottom center gap - primary leak/issue


Wider bottom view:


Huge hole 3+ inches deep in the top left:

 

[ajw22]

Mortar or cement is not waterproof. You can use them to fill the gaps and give you a solid surface to anchor the tile.

The tile and grout encapsulating that area was what prevented leaks.

A skimmer designed for liner pools was used instead of a skimmer for gunite pools. So the way your skimmer is boxed and the design of the skimmer mouth is not what is usually used on a gunite pool. Not much you can do about it now except to understand you have a mutt.

 

[Bperry]

Hey TFP Team,
Traced a sizable leak down to my skimmer and found it was from the tile/skimmer junction area. I was easily able to remove the tiles and found a few spots all washed out and some very soft mortar. I ground/dug out all the loose stuff, washed it out and now I've got some fairly large gaps around & behind the skimmer face where water was flowing.

The bottom center of the skimmer front is the main leak/issue. there's at least a half inch of gap behind the plastic flange behind the holes where it's all washed out. Also the top corners have big gaps as well. Ruler went in about 3" in the top left!

I can do the tile work with the mortar & grout as I've done tile work before and they were broken anyway. The question I have is what do I use to fill the gaps/voids to seal it up so it won't leak? I can basically pipe in the thinset mortar everywhere, let that set up, then do the tiles on top but I wasn't sure if there was some other product better than that for sealing/filling the gaps that would be better.
--Pictures below--

Thanks for your help!


BeforeView attachment 561406

Tiles removed, ground down & cleaned up
View attachment 561407

Bottom center gap - primary leak/issue
View attachment 561412

Wider bottom view:
View attachment 561413

Huge hole 3+ inches deep in the top left:
View attachment 561414View attachment 561415

Hydraulic cement for the big stuff. The smaller openings might be hard to get hydraulic cement inside

 

[Jerryrigged]

Thank you both for the info. I didn't know that was a liner style skimmer so that's interesting.

So I guess I'm a bit confused what's doing the sealing then if the tile/grout is supposed to do that job. How does it seal to the plastic skimmer? Is there some kind of sealant or something I'll need to do where the tile ends and the skimmer starts?

Thanks again,

 

[ajw22]

Is there some kind of sealant or something I'll need to do where the tile ends and the skimmer starts?

Grout that edge or

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https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Epoxy-Pool-Putty-Set/dp/B0002Z0NBY

 

[ajw22]

A liner pool skimmer has an integrated plastic throat and screw holes with a frame to attach it to the pool wall...

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A gunite skimmer has the throat formed by the gunite which feeds into the skimmer opening....

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[Jerryrigged]

Today I learned...

Thank you both for your help. The knowledge here is really great. It's so hard to find the actually good products from the terrible ones. Everybody's got a quick fix thing now and I saw Plast-aid, but honestly it sounded like a 'flex-seal' type product and originally passed it over cause of the name. I see now it's quite different. Actually solvent based so I can see how that could actually work. I may also do some of the hairline cracks in the skimmer as well with it.

I think I'll fill in the big holes/gaps with the hydraulic cement as best as I can to fill the bulk, then mortar the tiles down, grout, and seal the skimmer with the Plast-aid if there's any gaps where grout would be too thin or chip away easily.

Thanks!

 

[Bperry]

Today I learned...

Thank you both for your help. The knowledge here is really great. It's so hard to find the actually good products from the terrible ones. Everybody's got a quick fix thing now and I saw Plast-aid, but honestly it sounded like a 'flex-seal' type product and originally passed it over cause of the name. I see now it's quite different. Actually solvent based so I can see how that could actually work. I may also do some of the hairline cracks in the skimmer as well with it.

I think I'll fill in the big holes/gaps with the hydraulic cement as best as I can to fill the bulk, then mortar the tiles down, grout, and seal the skimmer with the Plast-aid if there's any gaps where grout would be too thin or chip away easily.

Thanks!

Look into epoxy grout for the tiles. They also make a cement based membrane that could go under the tile mortar to help with waterproofing. Hydroban is the name.

 

[Jerryrigged]

Ah, thanks for the reminder. I think this is a great spot for epoxy grout.