What is the proper way to install winter cover anchors on pavers with concrete base?

Econdron

Active member
Jul 1, 2022
41
Chicago
Pool Size
22500
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Jandy Truclear / Ei
I have a paver patio around my pool using Unilock Beacon Hill smooth pavers. During construction, the pool company poured about 18" of concrete around the fiberglass shell. The hardscape company was not happy with this because of the issues of the pavers pulling up since they knew the anchors would be installed past the edge of the concrete. They convinced me to have another 24" poured so the anchors could be embedded in the concrete.

Here we are about 3 years later and most of the pavers with anchors in them are pulling up. I don't know if these are the exact ones they used, but the anchors that were installed look just like these:


Is that the right product for the application?
 
Pictures?

If they used tubes, the pavers should not be pulling up.

Most likely, the anchors used were just regular brass anchors and not the ones with the tubes.

Can you actually see the tubes?
 
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If you have the tubes, you should be able to see the top of the aluminum tube around the brass.

1709140554337.png


If the stones are not mortared down, then you should use paver tubes.

The anchor gets pulled by the spring from the back, which causes a rotation around the green pivot point, which causes the stone on the right to be pushed backwards and lifted up.

A cover cannot be safety rated without the paver tubes when set in pavers that are not mortared down.

1709140627988.png

1709140658187.png

Even if you go into the center of a paver, there is still a lifting force due to the application of a force above the surface of the stone.

The pivot point just gets moved to the edge of the stone.

View attachment 532162

If the strap tension is 40 pounds (No cover loading) and the anchor is 18” from the edge and the spring is 0.75” above the surface.

F = 40 pounds.

d = 18”

h = 0.75”

x = hypotenuse

X^2 = 18^2 + 0.75^2

X = sqrt(18^2 + 0.75^2)

X = 18.0156182242

F(lift) = 40(0.75)/18.0156182242.

F(lift) = 1.665 lb

F (horizontal) = 40(18)/18.0156182242

F (horizontal) = 39.965

Interior angles are (90° | 87.61° | 2.386°)≈(1.571 rad | 1.529 rad | 0.04164 rad)

We have a 40 pound force being applied at 2.386°.

The vertical component is (Sin 2.386°)40 = 1.665 lb.

The horizontal component = (Cos 2.386°)40 = 39.965.
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If the strap tension is 100 pounds (Cover loaded with snow, water etc.) and the anchor is 12” from the edge and the spring is 0.75” above the surface.

F = 100 pounds.

d = 12”

h = 0.75”

x = hypotenuse

X^2 = 12^2 + 0.75^2

X = sqrt(12^2 + 0.75^2)

X = 12.023414656411049

F(lift) = 100(0.75)/12.023414656411049.

F(lift) = 6.237 lb

F (horizontal) = 100(12)/12.023414656411049

F (horizontal) = 99.805 lb

Interior angles are (90° | 86.42° | 3.576°)≈(1.571 rad | 1.508 rad | 0.06242 rad)

We have a 100 pound force being applied at 3.576°.

The vertical component is (Sin 3.576°)100 = 6.237 lb.

The horizontal component = (Cos 3.576°)100 = 99.805 lb.

1709140700974.png

 
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Either style should pull right up for inspection. I'm with James they're likely just the anchors which are as deep as the pavers. If tubes were installed the concrete base wouldn't allow any movement. The holes would have to be larger than the tubes to allow them to wiggle.

Maybe they started doing it the hard way with tubes through the concrete and got lazy and finished with short anchors only drilling the paver seams.
 
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I'll take some pictures when I get home, but they had 2 extra anchors they left with me in case we needed to add an extra one, and they are definitely the tubes, as shown in the link I attached above. But that might be the case, they may have only installed the tubes at the 4 corners, or something like that, and went the cheap route with the rest of them, but I'm pretty sure you can see the tube around all of them. I think I would have remembered if they looked different from each other.

I'll see if I can lift one of the pavers up when the pool is opened.
 
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I'll see if I can lift one of the pavers up when the pool is opened.
Go for the anchors instead. They should pop straight up with ease. Sometimes if they're wedged in there with sand and whatnot you have to tighten the screw 'too much' to break them free. Once they spin they'll pull out.

Maybe they cut the tubes short once the boss left. I'd want to see the trouble ones in my hand to know for sure.
 
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