New pool - How to install water line tile - DIY

Jump to latest Follow Reply
D

desertX

0
Mar 26, 2015
31
Queen Creek, AZ
OK Folks, as you may know in another thread I have, I'm building my own pool. Well, at this stage I really want to DIY, so I'm going to be installing the waterline tile myself. I've owned a tile company and have all the tools to do "normal" tile. So this should not be too bad. My questions are these.

I have raw shotcrete at this stage. What needs to be done to prep it for tile? I've read that I need a sealant on first, then I can thin set and install my tiles. What type/brand of thin set and grout?

I can do this, just need to know the materials required and process/steps. Hoping someone on here knows this and has also DIY before!!Thanks all!

Lloyd
 
I would suggest a skim coat of thin-set on the shotcrete as it is usually pretty rough.

Other than that, it's a normal installation. Use thinset that has some acrylic added to it for a little bit of flex ( I used Home Depot's mid-grade).
 
First establish your correct level, water level is cheap and accurate, nail boards on pool walls at level line. Use wall mix to float bed mud on wall and level vertically, in needed level pool beam at this time. Use a damp tile sponge roughen the bed mud when nearly dry. When bed mud is ready use appropriate size notch trowel to apply thin set. Grout the next day. You can modify thin set and wall mix with acrylic if you want. Depending on tile size and pool shape find a starting point that will avoid multiple cut in corners. If level line is not done accurately it will be very noticeable when pumps are off. Good luck.
 
Agree with above.

I DIY'd my tile. You can see what I did for 1x1 glass here ... http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/74631-Semi-DIY-Build-in-SE-Louisiana/page3

If I were to do it again, I would definitely use latricrete 254 again ... good product and vendor states it's for pools.

I used the regular grout available at any big box store, but I had the moisture barrier (hydroban), so that I didn't have to worry about it. If you don't have a barrier, you may want to consider an additive to make grout water resistant. that being said, I doubt that any installer you'd hire would bother doing anything other than normal grout.
 
Looks good imperator. I've seen it go both ways, install tile then coping (if doing travertine) and coping first then tile - is there really a rule or is it just whatever the installer decides? I'm thinking of doing the coping first, then I have a good level line to work off of for the tiles...
 
Like you said, whatever the installer prefers regarding order of installation. I decided to do coping first because I was installing 1x1 tile that was on a sheet of plastic. The sheet was very flexible and I did not want to be fighting that while trying to get a perfectly level top line. Easier for me to do coping first. If I had 6x6 tile ... I would have been comfortable doing either first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply