Retile water line

[lboudreaux]

Hello TFP community. We have inherited a 25 year old pool that is in good working order but does need some TLC. We’d like to retile the waterline as most of the tiles have fallen off. I have a few questions on this process.

1) what’s the best way to remove the remaining caulk and tiles that are still firmly attached? I have a razor scraper that I have started to use and it’s working well, but it’s a very slow process. Is there a better way?

2) we’d like to install mesh lined mosaic tiles, but the cement used to attach the brick coping has made an uneven surface. The original porcelain tile was glued on top of this and the tiles were angled down and you couldn’t see this texture, but it will show with the mosaic tiles. Any ideas on how to solve this?

3) assuming we can use the mesh backed mosaic tiles, what adhesive do we use to attach them? We were told that our pool is a fiberglass pool, but it doesn’t feel slippery like a fiberglass tub. Nor does it feel rough like a gunite pool. I think it’s a fiberglass pool with some kind of skim coating on it if that’s an option.

Thanks so much! We’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time from this group!

PS we know we need to slam We lost power for a while following two hurricanes and had to replace the pool pump.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Looks like a fiberglass pool to me. You need to carefully scrape off the old mastic without damaging the fiberglass. And you would need to chip out the uneven mortar from the coping and see how even you can get it.

When you build a new pool you can select any tiles you want. I think you need to adjust your tile choice to fit the existing situation.

 

[lboudreaux]

Welcome to TFP.

Looks like a fiberglass pool to me. You need to carefully scrape off the old mastic without damaging the fiberglass. And you would need to chip out the uneven mortar from the coping and see how even you can get it.

When you build a new pool you can select any times you want. I think you need to adjust your tile choice to fit the existing situation.

Thank you for the advice!! Will do!!

 

[lboudreaux]

Thank you for the advice!! Will do!!

One last question — what adhesive/grout would you use for a fiberglass pool? I’m having trouble finding one with a google search.

 

[mknauss]

what adhesive/grout would you use for a fiberglass pool?

I recommend Novagard Silicone Grout. It is expensive. It is not the easiest to work with. I have used it for repairs on our FB pool tile. I wish I had insisted in it being used when the tile was installed.

 

[lboudreaux]

I recommend Novagard Silicone Grout. It is expensive. It is not the easiest to work with. I have used it for repairs on our FB pool tile. I wish I had insisted in it being used when the tile was installed.

Thank you!!

 

[keithw]

If you are careful you could use an angle grinder to get the old caulk and grout off. Otherwise just use a razor. but use silicone to attach the new tile and then also silicone to grout it. Done correctly it'll last for a long time. Drain the pool down to the level that you want to tile up from and draw a line all the way around the pool. Then drain it down a but more and tile on and up from that line to the coping. Then grout with silicone. I documented where I did tile on my fiberglass pool here, New pool proj.Flagstoning around (and on) my fiberglass pool

 

[lboudreaux]

If you are careful you could use an angle grinder to get the old caulk and grout off. Otherwise just use a razor. but use silicone to attach the new tile and then also silicone to grout it. Done correctly it'll last for a long time. Drain the pool down to the level that you want to tile up from and draw a line all the way around the pool. Then drain it down a but more and tile on and up from that line to the coping. Then grout with silicone. I documented where I did tile on my fiberglass pool here, New pool proj.Flagstoning around (and on) my fiberglass pool

Thank you so much!!! We really appreciate the advice!!