Lap Pool Renovation with Aquabright

Jump to latest Follow Reply
AmyA.jpg

Okay so here it is.........I think the balls should be more spaced out though...........It gives you something to hold on to for balance and could look neat also! You could even use square blocks as well if you wanted to and put BLING tile on them!!!!

Now if you do not like this that is okay. We will keep on working and looking until you so find something you like.

I have an idea on how to get them to stay if you decide you like it.

Kim:kim:
 
Ok, I'm getting a better understanding of how you need to use the support. It's just like me before and briefly after hip replacement. I needed some balance support rather than a full hand grab hold to haul myself up. When I did need more than just balance support, I used a cane in the water just for the steps. I kept it outside. Now, my mobility is 95% better. Like you said, I still lightly put my fingers on the spa wall when I'm going up the steps and reach the top steps. I'm not sure why, just reassurance I guess. Like you, I'm a lot more aware of possible falls and avoid them like crazy.

So you want something that looks more decorative and not like a rail, right? Your orbs would fit the bill, if Kim can help with attaching them to the deck. My idea of a stair-stepped mini wall fits the non-rail look, but not the design period of your home and pool area. I really can see your orbs working very well.
 
Gotta love Pinterest! Here's some ideas - if you throw enough out there, something might stick, right?!!

I kind of got excited over these, since you could combine colored glass or your tiles if any are left over.



Then I went back to the orb idea. Texture might be nice, or again add color or tiles.



But.... when I saw this shot of your pool and area with the steps, I'm now wondering if something solid by the steps is a mistake. With the tight space and all the great windows, do you want to break the clean lines of the pool?



So that brings me back to something with thin, cleaner lines to disappear and not take any attention away from your soon-to-be gorgeous pool.

In a silver finish to disappear. The one on the right is too busy for me. Your metal working guy might have the best ideas.



These would definitely be minimalist and disappear.


That's it for this backseat or armchair designer!
I can't wait to see what you eventually create!
 
Lots of great ideas! You gals are a whole lot more creative than me.

Now, on to the more boring safety aspect..... if using any type of metal for this handrail/support, don't forget it needs to be bonded to the existing bonding grid.
 
Suz, look at it this way.........if that door is the main door what we put there might slow someone down and keep them from "falling" into the pool.

AmyJo, in that picture that Suz showed do all of those doors work? as in open and shut? Even that one RIGHT by the pool on the right? That is a LOT of doors. You KNOW what I am going to ask for next! A picture tour of your home. I am falling even more in love with it the more I look at it!

Gene, that is a very good point. Can you please tell her/us how it could be done?

:hug:

Kim:kim:
 
kimkats said:
... Gene, that is a very good point. Can you please tell her/us how it could be done?

:hug:

Kim:kim:
Click to expand...

I'm not sure exactly 'how' to tie it into the bonding grid, but I believe any fixed metal piece (railing, fence, window frame, etc.) within 5 feet of the water needs to be bonded. From the pics I looked at, I can't tell where the easiest access might be. It would require a bare #8 copper wire attached to the railing to be attached to the bonding grid. The NEC would give specific requirements.

Maybe one of our members better versed in the NEC can comment.
 
proavia said:
I'm not sure exactly 'how' to tie it into the bonding grid, but I believe any fixed metal piece (railing, fence, window frame, etc.) within 5 feet of the water needs to be bonded. From the pics I looked at, I can't tell where the easiest access might be. It would require a bare #8 copper wire attached to the railing to be attached to the bonding grid. The NEC would give specific requirements.

Maybe one of our members better versed in the NEC can comment.
Click to expand...

Yikes! There is no place to run a wire. How do we determine the bonding grid? Or that anything IS bonded?
 
kimkats said:
View attachment 63955

Okay so here it is.........I think the balls should be more spaced out though...........It gives you something to hold on to for balance and could look neat also! You could even use square blocks as well if you wanted to and put BLING tile on them!!!!

Now if you do not like this that is okay. We will keep on working and looking until you so find something you like.

I have an idea on how to get them to stay if you decide you like it.

Kim:kim:
Click to expand...

Kim! Great minds think alike! I had actually drawn this yesterday but felt it was busy so I didn't post. Your drawing, however, is much neater and in better proportion. Are you suggesting these as concrete orbs or a series of stainless rings? I drew mine as rings. I'm thinking you mean the orbs? How would you get them to stay put?
b7f6b105761eb902938bd844ab3a7cb1-1.jpg
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Suz - all of you - you're amazing! Thank you for all the time and effort you are putting into helping me. I'm truly touched.

Suz - you understand exactly what I mean - a place to simply balance, more than to "grab." I do agree with your final assessment that it needs to be simple and clean. I do not want to break up the clean lines, but I need something. Thank you for all of your hard work!

Kim - yes - every door you see opens. The doors that are a foot away from our Master Bedroom. So I guess we have a swim up room? We've not yet jumped in from the bedroom yet, as the plaster is so rough we've been worried about getting hurt. I'm also a little scared of hitting the bottom too hard. I jumped off a boat in Tulum earlier this year and hit the ocean floor HARD. Do any of you worry about these things? I can't recall the last time I jumped into less than 8-9 ft of water.

Our house at the moment is full of boxes and stuff piled everywhere. We had not yet finished unpacking completely when my father died last year - and now have even more boxes and things from my parent's house. Our goal is to have it all sorted out by the time the pool is completed - so we can have a party! Don't you want to come???

However, I do have some photos of the house as it was when we bought it. I will find those and post. Just know that nothing you see is still here (furniture, etc) and it's not even CLOSE to being as neat as in the photos. It's definitely a work in progress!!
 
The best time to do the bonding for your rails is now when the tile is out. The pool guys could access the structural rebar in the pool shell behind the tile area and connect there. That would be the best way to do a bond to the pool shell and the water
 
AmyJo, yes those are meant to be orbs. BUT I do like the idea of them being "rings" instead so they do not block the sight line. Look at some of those of Suz. They are open on the inside AND they are made of concrete so NO bonding needed!

To attach the orbs in place I see someone drilling "holes" in the concrete for the orbs to sit in. Of course you would use something to "glue" them in like liquid nails or such. The holes would be drilled with a drill bit like this:

Shop door knob hole saw at Lowes.com: Search Results

of course someone would have to chip out the middle of the hole.

Which idea throw at you, if any, calls to you? Let us know and we will take that to the next level.

Kim:kim
 
Kim's rings (instead of orbs) would look cool if you can get them bonded. Or if using the orbs, you may only need 1 or 2. Test out going up or down the steps and see at which steps you can use the deck or side of the pool for balance (on the lower steps), and when you would need something higher than the deck (on the upper steps) - and see how high you need support. Then you'll know how many and how high you need the orbs, circles, scary bird, whatever!
 
I like the idea of the rings as well but again, the bonding issue. But all you can do is inquire about it ya know? Wont know if you dont ask.

Concrete orbs I would imagine could be mortared or attached like fire bowls are?

Last resort, the idea of the small "stairs" on that side and you could even make them wide enough for small planters on the outer edge, maybe like succulents? But narrow, long stairs to echo the pool design. You could even do it on the other side even though they wouldn't be used on the right side but it would help balance the space and again, you could put plants on there. Succulants come in colors that will go with the aqua teal in the glass tile too. Will try to work on a visual..,.
 
Hi AmyJo - how frustrating to have to replace your plaster. The "one step forward, three steps back" dance gets really old. And surprises that come up during renos and construction projects never seem to come with the words "and its going to cost so much less than we originally thought!" Your pool will be beautiful when it is done. I like a lot of the handrail ideas. The graduated circles could look awesome if you can find a way to bond them. Maybe there is a non-metallic material they could be made from.
 
Hi AmyJo - hopefully you will get more detailed answers, but I think a good place to start is to look at your pool equipment and see if there is a bare copper wire connecting each piece. It is my understanding that all the equipment and the rebar in your pool needs to be connected by a single bare copper wire. I doubt there is a way to check the rebar connection, but if you see the wire at your equipment and that wire then goes under your deck, that would seem to be a good sign.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply