DIY build in Biloxi
- Thread starter Straight6tt
- Start date
Getting ready to pour my bond beam at the top of the pool wall. My question is about the steps. I filled underneath the steps with pea gravel as per the instructions and I did so all the way to the top. Im thinking I should have left a 4" cavity under the steps to be filled in with the concrete bond beam. As I have it right now the bond beam will just go around the steps and not under them. Should I excavate some stone from under the steps for concrete, seems like it would be stronger that way and less movement to crack the cantilever coping.
If you can, I would recommend doing the excavation and getting some concrete under the lip of the steps. I did a really good job backfilling my steps with stone and the lip still wanted to flex a lot before I put my coping on. I ended up drilling holes into the lip of the step and the injecting mortar into it to give it more rigidity to support the coping. To avoid all of that hassle, try and get some concrete under there when the bond beam is poured.
+1. My patio guys built their own footers down to undisturbed earth to help support the lip. I spent the prior month packing dirt and stone up in there every couple of days but it was a fruitless task. I didn't ask, (or know) but they took one look at it and fixed it.
Almost ready to pour concrete. Waterfall testing in background. Waiting for the thin brick to arrive that will cover the waterfall.
still need to grout, add post capstone, add soil and plants.Not the best picture but likely the last update until spring when I can do some landscaping. Concrete guy (me) got a little carried away with sloping away from pool but it will do. 
Nectarologist
Well-known member
- Apr 3, 2015
- 642
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Wow! looks great. Seeing these DIY has me wanting to try it if I ever move to a house without a pool. Great job, you should be very proud. Thanks for sharing your journey.
We'll plant some sort of plant(s) in there or a small palm. Will likely also be used dig and set a 6x6 post for the paviliion that we eventually build.