Patching water line - tiles falling

[Water_man]

The pool is 28 years old, and this is my 4th season owning this house with the pool. When I bought it I saw a patch job on the tiles and a PB who inspected the pool for me said that the coping stones need to be replaced. He reached this conclusion by tapping on the stones. The supposedly pro did a Deck-O-Seal job for me but I’m not impressed with the job. I needed to patch a few places after a year or two.
Every season, no matter if I drain a good foot or two for winterizing, I have tiles falling off. I’ve used Leslie’s Patch It but as the pics show it doesn’t stick too long.
I don’t want to do a retile job now. What’s my best alternative?

 

[Natalie Canuk]

From your pictures, it looks like you may have a bond beam failure. Concrete pools are constructed with the concrete thicker at the top, rather like those thin plastic cups that have a rim at the top. The rim gives the strength that holds the cup in shape. As I understand it (and I am not an expert!), a horizontal crack is how a bond beam failure will visually present - beyond the tiles falling off, that is. Your crack looks like it's below the coping, too.

You may want to call in a reputable pool inspector or builder to look at it. If it is a failed bond beam, there will be more to the repair than just replacing the tiles.

 

[Water_man]

Welcome to TFP and thank you for the advice. Waiting to hear opinions of a couple of pool pros here as well.

 

[Frank R]

Glue the tiles on with clear silicone as a temporary fix. It will flex with the crack.


when you are ready to do a more permanent fix-
You will need to remove all the coping stones and the tile.Then remove all the loose areas that have cracked. Drill and pin the areas you repaired. fair them out back to level. Install new Coping and tile with flex thin set.

 

[waste]

Good answer Frank!

I just saw a PM to me on this post and was trying to figure out the best way to handle it for the nonce.

I just have to reiterate how much I appreciate having so many industry guys now on TFP! I know the pool owners a reaping huge benefits from us all being here

 

[Water_man]

Glue the tiles on with clear silicone as a temporary fix. It will flex with the crack.

This makes sense a lot more than non flexing patch job which I have been doing. The pool is 28 years old. I have many tiles broken or missing.
Is this tile pattern available these days?

 

[Frank R]

I haven't seen that tile in a long time. Someone may have it sitting in their shop . You could get denim 3 x 3 tiles and band saw them if you had allot of free time on your hands.