Tile renovation, Plaster too over embedded tiles? Pictures

[msguppy]

Ok all, enough of the lurking.... We have an approx 10 year old IG pool. A few weeks ago I stubbed my toe on the spa and several tiles fell off!! It just added insult to injury.. On closer inspection I found another area that looks it might have been patched by the previous owner...
[attachment=2:1xfvwv7a]IMG_2183.jpg[/attachment:1xfvwv7a][attachment=0:1xfvwv7a]IMG_2184.jpg[/attachment:1xfvwv7a]
So I called my normal PB to see about a repair, and they reccomended that the coping around the top of the spa be removed and reset due to cracking. The gentlemen believes this is due to normal settling and is causing the tile to pop off. It doesn't freeze here enough for a freeze/thaw to cause it. [attachment=1:1xfvwv7a]IMG_2185.jpg[/attachment:1xfvwv7a]
So now I am wondering about the tile popping off right behind the jets... Could they be leaking? Would that also cause the coping to crack? No matter what, it all has to be fixed, so I am thinking of having all the pool tile replaced at the time they repair this coping. My concern with that is the tile embedded in the plaster? These are 3 inch tiles around the spa seat and steps into the pool. What do we do with those? can they be removed and replaced with different tile the same size? The original tile has been discontinued, so probably not much chance of getting any more..... (yes it's mauve), if they just repair it. I have been diligent about picking up the small pieces as they fall off, but thats not to say I couldn't have missed one or two!!! I have several more PB's coming to give me bids. One lady on the phone stated I would need to replaster the whole pool to replace or cover up those embedded tiles!! The other company just wants to leave them alone!! Ummm..... they're mauve. Anyone with any experience with this problem? Should I try to patch and risk not having enough tile? or retile just the spa and waterline? What causes cracks in spa coping? Sorry for so many questions, but they are all related!

 

[budster]

The pictures are of the coping and tile on the spa's exterior wall, yes? Settling could, indeed, be the culprit, especially after 10 years. I don't know how compacted or wet or dry the underlayment of the decking and the spa is, so I can't comment about that.

I misunderstood whether or not you had extra tiles stored somewhere. If so, your choice to use them. If not, I can tell you that puzzle-piecing broken tiles is not a good idea. The tiles in your plaster can be chipped out and replaced, and a repair to the plasted done, but...if it's a colored finish (Diamond Brite, etc.), that is another issue.

Keep us posted with your bids.

 

[msguppy]

The pictures are of the coping and tile on the spa's exterior wall, yes?
Yes, the tile that is falling off is on the spa's exterior wall.

"I misunderstood whether or not you had extra tiles stored somewhere. "
No, I have been picking up pieces as they fall off and taking them off if they are loose so they don't get lost, but I dont have any extra.
"The tiles in your plaster can be chipped out and replaced, and a repair to the plasted done, but...if it's a colored finish (Diamond Brite, etc.), that is another issue."
It is not an exposed aggregate. I do not know for a fact, but I believe it to be colored plaster. The color is a dark blue. It seems silly to replace all the other tile and leave the embedded ones.....
[attachment=0:2xe2m3u1]IMG_2189.jpg[/attachment:2xe2m3u1]

Thanks for your reply, I will keep you posted!

 

[msguppy]

Update on bids: Latest PB started out wanting to replaster the entire pool in order to replace the waterline tile and eliminate the toe tile. The pool is 10 years old and the lady says our plaster is at the end of its life span. This she based on the age alone, not the condition of the plaster. This lady pointed to the mottling of the colored plaster and stated that the plaster must be pitting in order for it to be that mottled color. I invited her to touch it in several areas, (it is not pitted, in fact feels like smooth sandpaper, 400 grit!) and she seemed puzzled and said she would send her tile man out to talk to me!! She threw a 10K figure out to replaster.... our "pitted" plaster. I understand from this forum that colored plaster is mottled by nature. Right? It certainly isn't pitted, and I got the idea that I was getting sold a bill of goods, so to speak, especially when she started backpedaling and said the tile man would be by next!!!
Any thoughts?

 

[JasonLion]

Colored plaster almost always has a mottled appearance even when it is brand new.