Salt Blasting

[MyAZPool]

I've heard of glass bead blasting for tile cleaning but never pool tile salt blasting.
Is there anyone that has had this done or do any of the pool surface experts here have any thoughts one way or the other on this procedure?

Salt Blasting in Chandler | Gilbert | Arizona Bead Blasting

Let us take the mess and frustration out of cleaning and removing calcium from your swimming pool tile. Get a free quote today.

www.arizonabeadblasting.com

Thanks in advance...
r...

 

[pjt]

I've heard of glass bead blasting for tile cleaning but never pool tile salt blasting.
Is there anyone that has had this done or do any of the pool surface experts here have any thoughts one way or the other on this procedure?

Salt Blasting in Chandler | Gilbert | Arizona Bead Blasting

Let us take the mess and frustration out of cleaning and removing calcium from your swimming pool tile. Get a free quote today.

www.arizonabeadblasting.com

Thanks in advance...
r...

They use Kieserite. I had it done to my California pool a couple years ago with good results:

MaxxStrip (Kieserite) Tile Cleaning

I had my tiles blasted with MaxxStrip PF2 and wanted to share my experience. Here are the "before" pictures showing extensive calcium scale and other accumulated junk from my pre-TFP days: Here is the product. (PF2 is less aggressive, PT2 is more aggressive.) Here are pictures...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[user_name]

I had this done Monday. Said they used some sort of epsom salt. It turned out great. Took them about 2 hrs total from arrival to departure. No idea what it’ll do to the chemistry but I had them drain the pool the whole time they were there so I’m putting about 60-70% new water in.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I met Mark White, the owner, many years ago. He did my pool when he did jobs in Tucson. He stopped servicing Tucson because the travel was too far and there just wasn’t enough clients. It’s a bummer because he’s a good guy and does a professional job.

So here’s my official take on kierserite - don’t do it unless you want to drain a lot of water. Kierserite is magnesium sulfate and while it does an awesome job at stripping calcium scale, it will foul your water and leave you with elevated sulfate levels. Sulfates are very bad for SWG’s and if your sulfate levels get too high your scale will become calcium sulfate scale which is much harder to remove. It also damages an SWG.

Use glass bead blasting instead. Or just be prepared to drain your pool after kierserite cleaning.

 

[MyAZPool]

I met Mark White, the owner, many years ago. He did my pool when he did jobs in Tucson. He stopped servicing Tucson because the travel was too far and there just wasn’t enough clients. It’s a bummer because he’s a good guy and does a professional job.

So here’s my official take on kierserite - don’t do it unless you want to drain a lot of water. Kierserite is magnesium sulfate and while it does an awesome job at stripping calcium scale, it will foul your water and leave you with elevated sulfate levels. Sulfates are very bad for SWG’s and if your sulfate levels get too high your scale will become calcium sulfate scale which is much harder to remove. It also damages an SWG.

Use glass bead blasting instead. Or just be prepared to drain your pool after kierserite cleaning.

Matt...
Thanks much!
When I have this done. I'm planning on killing a bunch of birds in one shot over the winter.

1. Complete drain. I haven't drained since early 2016. Current cH is around 500ppm and was up around that number before I started using softened water for evap and backwash compensation. I want to knock it down a couple hundered ppm since my muni water is 250ppm.

2. Kieserite or glass bead blasting for tile. I think I should have the entire pool blasted since the pebbletec is not as sparkling as it once was. It's 14 years old now and is in really good condition except for some dullness.

3. Complete reseal between the tile and coping using either "Deck-O-Seal" and "Sikaflex 1A". I also have some very small holes here and there in the grout between the tiles that should probably get fixed. I'm thinking about having the tile grout between the tiles removed and re-grouted. I assume that is the only way to get this right but not 100% sure.

4. Replace my current old sand filter with a new cartridge filter.

5. Refill and get the chem levels back in range.

Thanks again...
r.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Complete drain is ok when the max air temps are below 85F.

If you’re going to blast the PebbleTec then you probably need to use glass as it’s harder.

If you grind out the grout, I would suggest looking to epoxy grout as a replacement. Epoxy grout is very durable, water tight and chemically inert. The only issue is it’s a royal PITA to work with and you want someone with skills doing it. It’s not at all like cement grout.

Get the biggest cartridge filter you can afford and consider adding a PVC ball valve and hard pipe to where the drain plug is. If you can route the filters bottom drain to an existing drainage line, it makes cleaning the filter a lot less messy. Just open the ball valve and the air release valve and, viola! , empty filter. Maybe you can even automate it because I know that you know that you really want to ….

 

[MyAZPool]

@JoyfulNoise
Matt,

Complete drain is ok when the max air temps are below 85F.

Understand... Yes, I have learned that here. One of several reasons that I am considering this work to be done over the winter.

If you’re going to blast the PebbleTec then you probably need to use glass as it’s harder.

If you grind out the grout, I would suggest looking to epoxy grout as a replacement. Epoxy grout is very durable, water tight and chemically inert. The only issue is it’s a royal PITA to work with and you want someone with skills doing it. It’s not at all like cement grout.

Okay, so the recommendation is to use glass bead blasting for both tile and PebbleTech. Got it..

Get the biggest cartridge filter you can afford and consider adding a PVC ball valve and hard pipe to where the drain plug is. If you can route the filters bottom drain to an existing drainage line, it makes cleaning the filter a lot less messy. Just open the ball valve and the air release valve and, viola! , empty filter. Maybe you can even automate it because I know that you know that you really want to ….

Already purchased and received the CCP-520. I really like the ball valve idea to drain to my vacuum-to-waste line instead of just opening that drain cap and having a flood on the equipment pad. Thanks!!

Naw... I think I'll keep that part of it manual valves only (with the handles removed). Even I have my limitations on what should be automated. The wrong push of a button or that crazy IntelliCenter gets a gremlin and Mr. Pool is much shallower and I got water everywhere I don't want it..

Any recommendations on someone around our parts that will remove the tile grout and replace with epoxy grout and remove the tile/coping caulk and replace with "Deck-O-Seal" or "Sikaflex 1A"?
Thanks again!!!
r.

EDIT: Also, do you have any recommendations on make or manufacturer of that epoxy grout that you are referring to?
Thanks...

 

[Orion7319]

So here’s my official take on kierserite - don’t do it unless you want to drain a lot of water. Kierserite is magnesium sulfate and while it does an awesome job at stripping calcium scale, it will foul your water and leave you with elevated sulfate levels.

Seems like ice blasting would be a good alternative for scale on tile. It will lower your PH, but I would think that’s better then sulfates. Perhaps it’s not hard enough to use in this application?

Dry-ice blasting - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[rstrouse]

There is the pressure washer attachment method combined with Maxx Strip which was the same media that they uses when I recently had bead blasting done.

 

[MyAZPool]

There is the pressure washer attachment method combined with Maxx Strip which was the same media that they uses when I recently had bead blasting done.

Ah, pretty interesting. Thanks @rstrouse

 

[rstrouse]

Yeah I almost bought a kit but it requires a 4.0 gpm pressure washer and mine is only 3.2 gpm.

 

[MyAZPool]

Yeah I almost bought a kit but it requires a 4.0 gpm pressure washer and mine is only 3.2 gpm.

Well, that's good to know.
I'll keep that in mind as I do some more research on this and consider if I should DIY it or just hire a pro.
Thanks much..
r.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Hire a pro. It’s easier.

 

[MyAZPool]

Hire a pro. It’s easier.

Definitely easier.
Matt, not sure you saw my questions above but wondering if you have any thoughts/info on the following...

1. Any recommendations on someone around our parts that will remove the tile grout and replace with epoxy grout and also remove the tile/coping caulk and replace with "Deck-O-Seal" or "Sikaflex 1A"?
2. Any recommendations on make or manufacturer of that epoxy grout that you are referring to?
Thanks again!!