pool bond sheer issues

[diat150]

Hello, I am looking at buying a house with a pool and based on searching on the internet it appears the pool is having some bond shear issues. after doing some research it appears that the original installer did not properly create a expansion joint between the pool wall and the concrete decking. This has caused the coping tile to become dislodged in the middle sections of the figure 8 shaped pool. It also doesnt appear that they ever installed any type of sealent between the deck and the coping tile. This is in south Louisiana so there is always going to be changes in water table and movement of soil. From what I can tell the pool is approximately 10-12 years old. What is the procedure to fix something like this. Obviously the coping tile need to be replaced but is it possible to just cut back or grind the concrete decking to give enough space for expansion then replace the tile and put in a proper material to seal the expansion joint? I am probably making it sound much easier than it is.

Here are some pics.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

The deck structure and the pool structure need to be uncoupled. Only once you dig into it will you find out what really needs to be done.

Expansion Joints and Coping - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

If the deck is laying on the bond beam then you will need to remove the deck. You need to see if any rebar was tied between the bond beam and the concrete deck, hopefully not.

You also need to see if the bond beam is cracked and needs repair before the tile is put on.

 

[diat150]

Thanks for the response. How big should the expansion joint be? also, when you say if the deck is laying on the bond beam what do you mean? are you saying there should be a space between the deck and the bond beam? your diagram shows a very small space, how big should this be? also what type of material should fill this space? when I looked into the crack it almost seemed like there was no bond beam notch like what is shown in your diagram, but I could be wrong. I would have to go back by and bring some tools to try and better look at this now that I understand a little more. last question, roundabout cost on something like this? The out edge of the pool seems to be around 100' total. concrete deck around the pool is approx 7' width around the pool on average. what would you expect cost to repair this? I know you cant give an exact amount but are we talking 10k? 20k? 50k? Just

 

[ajw22]

How big should the expansion joint be?

1/4"-1" in width. Depth down to the ground.

also, when you say if the deck is laying on the bond beam what do you mean?

It means I don;t know how the bond beam was shaped and how the concrete deck butts it.

are you saying there should be a space between the deck and the bond beam?

Yes. That is the expansion joint.

your diagram shows a very small space, how big should this be?

See above.

also what type of material should fill this space?

How to Caulk Your Pool's Expansion Joint

Ensure the longevity and structural integrity of your pool by mastering the essential skill of expansion joint maintenance with this how-to.

blog.intheswim.com

when I looked into the crack it almost seemed like there was no bond beam notch like what is shown in your diagram, but I could be wrong. I would have to go back by and bring some tools to try and better look at this now that I understand a little more.

Like I said, you will not know what is needed until you get into it.

last question, roundabout cost on something like this? The out edge of the pool seems to be around 100' total. concrete deck around the pool is approx 7' total. what would you expect cost to repair this? I know you cant give an exact amount but are we talking 10k? 20k? 50k? Just trying to understand how serious of an issue this could be.

Depends on what you find. What is the scope of the work? Creating an expansion joint? Replacing all the tile? Removing and replacing the coping?

 

[sktn77a]

What you show is pretty common. Most folks just use foam rope and/or Sikaflex to seal the gap.