2” connected deck to bond beam okay?

[jalapenopopper]

The shotcrete and coping company left the bond beam exposed. Can I pour a 2” thick deck on top of the bond beam for this edge part and rebar dowel them together? The rest of the deck will be4” thick and 3’ wide.
Or should I have them cut down the bond beam (hard to stomach thinning the critical wall) 2” then the deck can be poured that way?
Final questions is should I tie the deck to the Pool wall? Seems in Austin some builders do and some don’t. Connected them would keep it in place flush. But chance of stress and cracks from the deck to pool. The deck will be 3’ wide before an isolation joint.

Ps, there is a simple post but this is focused on the deck question. Other post had a cantilever error that distracted from main question.

 

[rcerf]

Had this same thing happen on my build. I didn’t want the decking to go from 2 inches to 4 inches , I figured that would be the perfect place to crack. I had them chisel the exposed Gunite at a 45 degree angle , put the spacer foam down , and then pour the deck. It’s been 2 years and so far so good, but given time who knows. They also tied my decking rebar into the bond beam. This was all done before I found this site , I now know that’s not the recommended way to do it. I guess we’ll find out in the future

 

[jalapenopopper]

Rcerf, thank you for replying and sharing. The same company did the gunite and coping so it’s frustrating to have to chisel the beam. Such little planning and oversight, they have been a pain.
Thanks also for sharing about connecting the deck to wall. I’m hoping you’ll be fine and you have a good resource here should something happen later on.
Take care.

 

[Bperry]

The shotcrete and coping company left the bond beam exposed. Can I pour a 2” thick deck on top of the bond beam for this edge part and rebar dowel them together? The rest of the deck will be4” thick and 3’ wide.
Or should I have them cut down the bond beam (hard to stomach thinning the critical wall) 2” then the deck can be poured that way?
Final questions is should I tie the deck to the Pool wall? Seems in Austin some builders do and some don’t. Connected them would keep it in place flush. But chance of stress and cracks from the deck to pool. The deck will be 3’ wide before an isolation joint.

Ps, there is a simple post but this is focused on the deck question. Other post had a cantilever error that distracted from main question.

You mean the 2-3” section of exposed shotcrete sticking out from the coping tiles in the picture? There’s likely going to be an expansion gap with flexible sealer between the coping and the deck so I’m not sure I’d worry about it.

 

[jalapenopopper]

Yes, that gap. There will be a 1/2” expansion gap but not a 3” gap.

 

[jalapenopopper]

Yes, that gap. There will be a 1/2” expansion gap but not a 3” gap.

The coping stone is 3” high to the top. I could put plastic polyethylene sheeting down on the horizontal surface, the it would be 3” thick concrete there, which is not good construction. Then maybe it could slope to 4” thick concrete deck with a foam filler to provide an expansion gap where the slopes deck meets the 90 degree angle of the bond beam.
I hate having to do this, seems like jury rigging what would have easily been avoided.
Alternatively chip or saw out 1” of the bond beam wall. But I also hate the idea of pouring a 12” bond beam then reducing it, and all the energy transferred when it’s chipped or sawn.

 

[Bperry]

The coping stone is 3” high to the top. I could put plastic polyethylene sheeting down on the horizontal surface, the it would be 3” thick concrete there, which is not good construction. Then maybe it could slope to 4” thick concrete deck with a foam filler to provide an expansion gap where the slopes deck meets the 90 degree angle of the bond beam.
I hate having to do this, seems like jury rigging what would have easily been avoided.
Alternatively chip or saw out 1” of the bond beam wall. But I also hate the idea of pouring a 12” bond beam then reducing it, and all the energy transferred when it’s chipped or sawn.

I still think your overthinking it. Going from 4” concrete to 3” for a width of 2” against an expansion joint is not perfect but far away from a problem. Adding some sheet/foam so the deck doesn’t bond to the pool wall isn’t a bad idea though.

 

[jalapenopopper]

I still think your overthinking it. Going from 4” concrete to 3” for a width of 2” against an expansion joint is not perfect but far away from a problem. Adding some sheet/foam so the deck doesn’t bond to the pool wall isn’t a bad idea though.

Thanks for the reply Bperry.

I got a reply from a PB: "Typical is to tie the deck and pool shell together with rebar and then lay the deck over the top of the bond beam so the weight is pushing down instead of pulling away. "

I can tie the deck to the bond beam with rebar and have the deck be narrow, like 2' wide around the whole pool. Then a 1/2" isolation joint between that skirt deck to the larger patio.

I have read about the advice to not connect the two together, but I am unsure how to approach it. Leaving them unconnected would require some odd bending of the rebar to get into that 2"x3" lip and not provide enough concrete coverage.

 

[Bperry]

Thanks for the reply Bperry.

I got a reply from a PB: "Typical is to tie the deck and pool shell together with rebar and then lay the deck over the top of the bond beam so the weight is pushing down instead of pulling away. "

I can tie the deck to the bond beam with rebar and have the deck be narrow, like 2' wide around the whole pool. Then a 1/2" isolation joint between that skirt deck to the larger patio.

I have read about the advice to not connect the two together, but I am unsure how to approach it. Leaving them unconnected would require some odd bending of the rebar to get into that 2"x3" lip and not provide enough concrete coverage.

Concrete sinks, cracks and settles. I can show you pictures of my cracked sinking deck and I’m very happy it’s not connected to the pool because of that.

 

[jalapenopopper]

Concrete sinks, cracks and settles. I can show you pictures of my cracked sinking deck and I’m very happy it’s not connected to the pool because of that.

Thank you Bppery. The contractor is saying this is standard, to have the deck lip over the bond beam but not be tied in.
I think I am going to do it this way as I drew in the diagram. Any feedback on this approach is welcome.

 

[Bperry]

I’m not a professional concrete contractor so take this for what it’s worth.

I’d put a layer of compacted rock/stone under the deck and not fill dirt. Any water that gets in through a failing expansion joint or a leaking skimmer in the future can wash away fill dirt or “attract” tree roots to grow under the deck. Of course you can’t get rid of all dirt under there but a good course of compacted stone would be better IMO. That said, your deck isn’t tied into the coping so if it did sink a little, it’s not as bad as when the coping is a cantilevered deck (like mine is).