How long can you put off replastering?

[kiv558]

We have a new-to-us IG plaster pool. It's at least 32 years old. I have no idea if it's ever been resurfaced, and I'm pretty sure it's never been painted.

We opened it in June, started TFP in July, and have been swimming daily ever since. The pump is old but chugging along, the filter was replaced this year (used, but it looks new). Some tiles are missing, but the previous owner patched over where they are missing and things seem to be holding tight. The coping is intact, but I've had one PB tell me that some are loose (he walked around banging a pole on each one).

Aside from the plaster discoloration, everything seems to be ok. We want to resurface next spring, but financially wondering if we can delay another year.

What do I need to worry about/look for? Are we playing with fire? Is this thing going to fall apart if we don't replaster?

Thanks for all insights!

 

[atttech-2]

If it is just discoloration or rough you can go for years. Even if it's started to delaminate and you can see the gunite in places as long as you are not losing water or can see rusting rebar you should be fine to wait.

 

[gwegan]

I suspect a lighting bolt from the heavens will strike and sink your children's floaty toys at any moment.

I'm not there poking around and tapping the plaster, the coping and the tiles.

Are you losing water? Do you see signs of rebar like rust? Is the concrete pool wall turning soggy or crumbly?

Are there cracks in the gunite wall or the surface plaster?

If the pool is not suffering from continuing deterioration or accelerated deterioration because it needs new plaster you should be ok for another year.

 

[Geebot]

We have a new-to-us IG plaster pool. It's at least 32 years old. I have no idea if it's ever been resurfaced, and I'm pretty sure it's never been painted.

We opened it in June, started TFP in July, and have been swimming daily ever since. The pump is old but chugging along, the filter was replaced this year (used, but it looks new). Some tiles are missing, but the previous owner patched over where they are missing and things seem to be holding tight. The coping is intact, but I've had one PB tell me that some are loose (he walked around banging a pole on each one).

Aside from the plaster discoloration, everything seems to be ok. We want to resurface next spring, but financially wondering if we can delay another year.

What do I need to worry about/look for? Are we playing with fire? Is this thing going to fall apart if we don't replaster?

Thanks for all insights!

We were on year 15 of a replaster when we purchased our home and we knew it would need another within 5-10 years. Due to a massive screw-up by a pool service we had major delamination which accelerated our timetable. On the plus side, we had a full sandblast which showed that the gunite was in perfect shape after 40+ years. The new plaster should give us 20 years (not that we'll be in the house nearly that long). But back to your question, as long as the surface is reasonably intact and there's no water loss then ride it out.

 

[kiv558]

Thanks peeps! I don't think we are losing water aside from normal evaporation from sun and no rain. We noticed that we had a lot of "sand" in the bottom after our algae bloom and lots of brushing during our slam, but since then we've been using a robot, which seems much gentler. (Duh, that's not sand, thats our plaster... ?)

It's good to know that we've got some time!