Foam expansion joints at skimmers

[JoshJAck]

My pool was recently completed and I noticed black duct tape across the top of both skimmer inlets. When I removed it, I found strips of foam and could touch dirt from the ground below the poured deck. My builder says “That is the polyvoid placed between the coping and the concrete. Allowing the concrete to expand.” As you can see in the pics attached, the foam is loose and the dirt can easily fall into the pool. I feel like this should have been grouted in.

Am I wrong??

 

[klanel]

Mine is grouted in. I don't know if the way they did yours is functional but it looks very sloppy and if it were mine, I would not be happy. I would doubt that work that looks like that would be 'the standard' of which to try and achieve. It's not even tight between the foam and the skimmer. I guess they left the duct tape on it for cosmetic reasons. How does the rest of the finish work on your pool look?

 

[renesme]

I agree, that looks sketchy and should be grouted in.

 

[ajw22]

You do not want to gout it in and couple the deck to any part of the pool structure which includes the skimmer. That is what causes bond beam cracks or will crack the grout or skimmer,

The pool and the deck are independent structures and needs to be able to move independently.

You can put a flexible mastic in there like DEck-O-Seal or Sikaflex but it will be hard to get it in there.

Expansion Joints and Coping - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[klanel]

When they shot ours, the skimmer was encased in concrete, monolithic as part of the pool structure. They grouted in the tiles up to the skimmer and capped the skimmer with flagstone which is also mortared around the top of the skimmer. They have yet to pour the deck so I don't know what they will do there. Don't know if the way they did ours is the right way but it seems to be their standard method. Does this sound correct? Either way, the appearance on the OP pictures are not visually appealing.

 

[ajw22]

They have yet to pour the deck so I don't know what they will do there. Don't know if the way they did ours is the right way but it seems to be their standard method. Does this sound correct?

There is nothing standard in pool building. You will find construction folks are creative and often deviate from the engineering plans.

It all depends on the buildup of the coping, skimmer and deck and where the expansion joint is placed.

Every inground pool owner should understand where their expansion joint is and that the pool structure is not coupled to the deck structure. The skimmer is always part of the pool structure.

 

[klanel]

There is nothing standard in pool building.

I talked to the concrete contractor that will be pouring the deck to see what/if anything is placed between the coping and decking. He says they use something like foam that is pretty thick and wrapped around the edges of the coping and along the retaining walls. He says after the deck is poured, someone else comes in and cuts out the foam and puts some kind of caulking in that will match the kool deck.

I did not think to ask if they put anything on top of the skimmer housings but it would seem that it would be needed there as well to allow the slab to float.

 

[ajw22]

The caulking he is talking about should be flexible mastic. Deck-O-Seal or Sikaflex are often used.

 

[KJB1]

My pool was recently completed and I noticed black duct tape across the top of both skimmer inlets. When I removed it, I found strips of foam and could touch dirt from the ground below the poured deck. My builder says “That is the polyvoid placed between the coping and the concrete. Allowing the concrete to expand.” As you can see in the pics attached, the foam is loose and the dirt can easily fall into the pool. I feel like this should have been grouted in.

Am I wrong??

I had the same problem. I didn’t notice until the pool was filled. I didn’t want to bother the PB and have a lousy finish job for the tiny gap so I used some Dap Dyanaflex Ultra. Came out fine and has held up for almost 1 year so far. The deck gaps with foam were filled with Deck-o-seal as the very last step by the builder.

 

[rcerf]

I did not think to ask if they put anything on top of the skimmer housings but it would seem that it would be needed there as well to allow the slab to float.

I was worried about the same thing. I had them put the same material I had for the coping over the skimmer housing , and then poured the concrete decking up to it , with a mastic joint separating the two.

 

[KJB1]

I was worried about the same thing. I had them put the same material I had for the coping over the skimmer housing , and then poured the concrete decking up to it , with a mastic joint separating the two.

The material used for the coping? You mean the gap between the waterline tile and the coping? That material? The joint between the deck and the coping is a self leveling product and isn’t for vertical joints.

 

[rcerf]

I have flagstone coping and I had them also place the flagstone over the skimmer housing. They then poured the concrete decking up to the flagstone that is over the skimmer housing , with self leveling Sikaflex between the two materials

 

[klanel]

I have flagstone coping and I had them also place the flagstone over the skimmer housing. They then poured the concrete decking up to the flagstone that is over the skimmer housing , with self leveling Sikaflex between the two materials

Yours is different than ours. On ours, the flagstone is about 12" wide all the way around like yours, except it does not extend over the rear of the skimmer. I don't know what/if they plan to do anything with the rear top portion of the skimmer that will be under the slab. Will ask if I don't forget.

 

[Catski]

I have flagstone coping and I had them also place the flagstone over the skimmer housing. They then poured the concrete decking up to the flagstone that is over the skimmer housing , with self leveling Sikaflex between the two materials

Hi There!! I love your pool! I am in the works of choosing plaster - Quartzscapes and Grenadine Gray is one of my candidates. I have a lot of mosaic around my pool and would like to ask you some questions... but I don't know how to send a private message on this board... how do I do that?

 

[wireform]

Hi There!! I love your pool! I am in the works of choosing plaster - Quartzscapes and Grenadine Gray is one of my candidates. I have a lot of mosaic around my pool and would like to ask you some questions... but I don't know how to send a private message on this board... how do I do that?

Click on the R in the blue box which is his avatar and another box pops up where you'll see a tab called " start conversation".