Concrete floor, block wall, rectangle pool?

[new2pools16]

Is it feasible to do a concrete floor (ie 6 inches), concrete footing for wall, cinder block wall w/ mortar joints, and seal the concrete/blocks for a pool in a cold harsh winter climate? 6-8 foot deep end would be great, looking at 20'x40' rectangle but will probably end up smaller.

Not sure if footer can be separate from floor or should be one pour.

Want to do ready mix delivery for the floor, blocks myself, and worry about the plumbing and electrical after. Or is this a terrible idea?

 

[allinspector]

One pour - deeper for footing then taper up to floor depth.

Fill blocks with rebar and concrete.

Honestly Gunite (or shotcrete) might be cheaper and produce a nicer monolithic shell that is stronger and will last longer. (even if it costs 40-50% more, it's worth it)

Unless you are building a liner pool I would not bother doing a block pool.

 

[new2pools16]

One pour - deeper for footing then taper up to floor depth.

Fill blocks with rebar and concrete.

Honestly Gunite (or shotcrete) might be cheaper and produce a nicer monolithic shell that is stronger and will last longer. (even if it costs 40-50% more, it's worth it)

Unless you are building a liner pool I would not bother doing a block pool.

I am contacting a local shotcrete contractor. The issue is the cost of labor, and materials. Combined it doubles/triples the budget of the project, Canada materials are double compared to US and labor is insanely high compared to the US for trades jobs (finding good contractors, it's definitely worth it). The concept of the block wall was being able to do it myself and not only being cheaper but saving a lot on labor to do it myself. Frost line here can be up to 8 feet deep as well...

If I went with a pool company to do a gunite/shotcrete shell it would not be affordable, I'd have to sub contract it out to save money, and I am trying to do work myself as well to further save money. I can probably rent shotcrete equipment. Have to avoid pool companies completely and subcontract out work to try and save money, but it still inflates the cost of the project considerably.

So I'd either use steel walls or the block walls, steel walls priced out are more expensive than the block even with materials all in but block labor is way more and I'd just do it myself.

 

[allinspector]

I thought you were talking about building a plaster pool. I re-read your post and you don't mention plaster vs liner.

I'm a big fan of block wall pools if you go with a liner. Stronger and cheaper than pool kits. (it's what I'm building currently)

 

[Richard320]

Have you looked through block wall pool threads using the search box? There are quite a few. Here's one.
An unusual pool build

 

[dw9000]

I built a 33x22x5 block pool last year, turned out excellent
I had a guy with an excavator dig the hole. I framed up some 2x10s and poured the footers, took about 6 yards from concrete truck.
I then layed the block, filled the cores with rebar and block core portland. Mixed up about 50 bags of pool krete (vermiculite & portland) and trough'd the floor. The floor was a lot of work, but the pros wanted big bucks ($5k) and I did if for about $2k
Installed treated 2x6 on top layer of block, and installed aluminum coping (with track). Had a concrete guy do the deck. Had a pool company measure and install liner. I built the fence. Picture is prior to fence being finished.

Nothing flashy, but boy on these 85 degree days it sure is refreshing.

I would be hesitant to pour a concrete floor, it likely will crack and will always be hard and rough on the liner (if your doing vinyl) and hard on the feet.

I am extremely happy with my pool.

screen capture

 

[new2pools16]

Awesome pool dw9000.

Im okay with a liner. Plaster. New rubber seal coats. Doesnt matter to me.

I just wanted to make sure I wasnt crazy for doing this in a harsh winter climate and other ppl still did this.

So if i do a liner can i pour the footing seperate, floor after?

No drains, i'll just add more jets. Alot of guys do drainless now as theres no repairing them where i live, cost alone for that type of labor wouldnt happen.

We dont have poolkrete unless i made it or shipped it. Everyone just uses concrete. All concrete cracks, but isnt poolkrete just cement and if so itll crack too. I figure aggregate, drainage, and a thick floor with mesh itll be fine. My house slab and garage slab are 30-40 years and fine.

 

[new2pools16]

Can't find a practical block wholesaler in my area, still looking but since it's hundreds of cinder blocks I'm not sure where I can find them and get them delivered. Blocks and rebar are 2x-3x the cost at a supply store like Home Depot here than in the US....We do have ready mix services, I was already planning on making a form and doing a 12 inch deep by 16 inch wide footer with ready mix brought on site. Can probably include rebar and just form a wall after as well and ready mix pour the walls into a form. Still have to find an economical source for rebar.

Any thoughts on just using ready mix, doing for the footer, doing the walls? Gunite is out of the question, no one really does that here and it will turn into a 6 figure pool sub'ing it out. One continuous pour for footings, floor, and walls is too much as well I'd need a crew of finishers and good weather and that can get pricy. I can do ready mix and sections at a time, just go with a vinyl liner afterwards.

 

[pericoCinderPool]

I built a 33x22x5 block pool last year, turned out excellent
I had a guy with an excavator dig the hole. I framed up some 2x10s and poured the footers, took about 6 yards from concrete truck.
I then layed the block, filled the cores with rebar and block core portland. Mixed up about 50 bags of pool krete (vermiculite & portland) and trough'd the floor. The floor was a lot of work, but the pros wanted big bucks ($5k) and I did if for about $2k
Installed treated 2x6 on top layer of block, and installed aluminum coping (with track). Had a concrete guy do the deck. Had a pool company measure and install liner. I built the fence. Picture is prior to fence being finished.

Nothing flashy, but boy on these 85 degree days it sure is refreshing.

I would be hesitant to pour a concrete floor, it likely will crack and will always be hard and rough on the liner (if your doing vinyl) and hard on the feet.

I am extremely happy with my pool.

screen capture

Hi dw9000, I know your post is old, but hopefully you remember how thick is the bottom of your pool. Mine will be about 10ft x 16ft X 4ft deep. and I heard that a mix of 1 portland and 4 sand at 4 inch should be enough....I thinking I would err to do 6 inches, but then I don't want to waste money for nothing....
Thanks.

 

[dw9000]

I think I did 2 to 1 mix (2 bags verm to 1 bag portland. I bought a used mortar mixer for about $1600 then sold it after i did my pool for the same amount. It made the job so much easier.
I built a shoot, from the mixer to the pool floor.

Below the vermiculite, I put about 6 inches of stone. The vermiculite is pretty much 3"-4" (probably closer to 4" in most areas) and it was a PITA. The pros wanted like $15k (I don't think they wanted the job and I could only find one local company doing it) for the flooring, with the mixer, verm & portland I did it for about $4k, then sold the mixer .

Buying, Mixing and Applying Vermiculite to the Pool Floor

If you have any other questions or concerns about installing your vermiculite pool floor / pool bottom on an inground vinyl pool kit - give us a call!

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