Should there be no water on top of the Baja shelf for winter? Last winter all the plaster broke off my Baja shelf and I had to replaster the whole pool. The company who closes my pool did it today and there is a thin layer of water still over the shelf. So trying to understand if it should actually not be under water at all for winter.
Water on Baja shelf for winter
- Thread starter Topfox
- Start date
Yeah I’m just super nervous after having to replaster a 4.5 yr old pool after the top of the shelf plaster broke to pieces last winter. The way the tile is and so forth I can’t have more than maybe a quarter of an inch of water on top of it before the water starts touching the tile.
I now have pebbletec vs the standard white plaster I had for the 4.5 years. I don’t know if that makes a difference in it as well.
Sorry but I am not familiar with having to set up a pool for winter weather shut down.
All plaster finishes are not to be exposed to air for extended periods of time.
All plaster finishes are not to be exposed to air for extended periods of time.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,728
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
This is always an issue for east coast plaster pools that close for the winter. Draining a pool down only makes sense in heavy winter climates where vinyl pools are the more common type. For plaster, it has to stay submerged or else you can get staining or freeze thaw cycling that can damage the plaster.
Let’s see what @PoolGate or @ajw22 think? They have plaster pools in the eastern US.
Let’s see what @PoolGate or @ajw22 think? They have plaster pools in the eastern US.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,634
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You either need to leave an inch of water above the step or drain the water below any steps of ledges.
A thin layer of water on a ledge will freeze on top of the plaster and can spall it.
You do not want water freezing right on top of plaster. You would rather expose it to the air to protect it.
A thin layer of water on a ledge will freeze on top of the plaster and can spall it.
You do not want water freezing right on top of plaster. You would rather expose it to the air to protect it.
Ok. I drained it down probably a half inch lower than the shelf top. So the shelf is dry now. Sounds like that is what it should be.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,728
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Just be aware that winter precipitation is going to fill it back up. So be prepared to pump water out as needed. As well, because the water line is now sitting on the plaster surface, any scaling that can happen will potentially cause a “bathtub ring” to form. It may go away when refilling for the spring and balancing out the water chemistry or it might permanently stain. There’s no way to know for sure.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,634
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
As Joyful said you will need to pump water out of the pool during the winter to keep the water level below the top shelf.
Thanks. With the solid cover it does a pretty good job keeping water out, but will definitely keep an eye on it for sure.