Replacing the wood between concrete around pool

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Bigdog43

Bigdog43

0
Jul 6, 2016
192
Memphis, TN
I’m having trouble finding wood strips that are the right size. Looks like it needs to about 3/4s inch by 2 inches. Big box store didn’t have any this size. Surely I won’t have to cut them to that size? Any suggestions on where might be a good place to find these?
 
The closest size you could find at a big box would be either 1x2 or 1x3 which would have actual dimensions 3/4x6/4 (.75x1.5) and 3/4x10/4 (.75x2.5). To get the actual size you need would mean cutting a half inch off of 1x3's.
Alternatively you might be able to find something closer at a local lumber yard. It may take something special like s1s or s2s (surfaced one side/two sides) to find something close to what you are looking for. However these are typically hardwood and would probably be quite expensive.
 
Without a pic of what you're doing, I can't say for sure this will work. But here's a possible alternative. You stuff the majority of the joint with foam, leaving about 1/4" to 1/2" space on top. Then you fill that space with Sikaflex. That'll create a nice, tight, flexible filler. You can sprinkle sand over the joint right after you apply the Sikaflex, to simulate a grout finish.

This stuff:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-20-ft-...MI5d22peWw3AIVRFx-Ch1hOwsJEAQYASABEgL4TfD_BwE

And this brand:

https://usa.sika.com/

You'll have to do a bit of research about the best product of theirs to use. Or give them a call. I tried a cheaper, alternate brand and regret it. I've used Sika before, it's self leveling and works great. The alternate brand didn't level as well and didn't last as long.

- - - Updated - - -

If you're asking about the expansion joint between your coping and your concrete deck, then if it were my pool, I wouldn't fill that with wood. I'd use the more flexible, more watertight Sika solution.
 
+1 on the sikaflex. Im a concrete finisher with 30 yrs in the game, quite a bit of that with pools . you will never really get wood to go back in 100 percent and get it to stay there, they were poured in place with the deck. sikaflex is a self leveling caulk. you simply fill the joint until its about 1/4 inch from the top with clean play sand. then place it with a caulk gun and most importantly DO NOT TOUCH IT lol. it will level and smooth itself out within a minute or so. you will have an attractive joint that will last and more importantly wont catch toes on sharp corners. I dont know your skill level, but if your in question at all about spillage, tape both sides of your joint with masking tape, if it gets on there, it will be a huge PIA to get off without leaving a nasty stain . you can find sika products at Home depot. it comes in gray only. however if you have colored concrete, you could go to your local commercial masonry or paint supplier and look for their self leveling caulk options. there are brands out there that offer a host of colors. hope this helps and that it wasnt too lengthy, as its my first reply lol.
 
kooldecker, I wanted to use sand to fill most of my expansion joint, as it would be a simple application, and fill deeper and shallow and narrow and wide. But I was worried that the sand would not be flexible enough for an expansion joint. That it would either inhibit expansion, or fall away, down, from the dry Sikaflex during contraction. Any experience with either possibility? It's why I used the foam instead.

BTW... I sprinkled the sand, then didn't like the way the off-brand was leveling, so I tried to pat it in place with my fingers. Big mistake! You're right, don't touch self-leveling caulk!!
 
PoolguyinCT said:
Sounds like old cedar expansion joints??
Click to expand...

yes and pics would help,,,, as the wood may be left in just chipped out low enough to place the caulking if it is really rotten take it down enough to use use foam backer rod if your joints are 3/4 use 1" if you have gaps BTW self leveling caulk will run out of open ends and through tiny holes and settle leaving a not so pretty job. so make sure it can not run out ends or down through little voids. you can use a caulk that is not self leveling to use as filler then use self leveling to finish the job.

1 thing if wood is pulled out or really deep you can as others said use sand to fill i would still leave it down enough to use foam backer rod tho just my .02 good luck
 
Yep. I had to build little dams, whatever worked, to stop the leveling caulk from escaping. Pretty easy to do.

And until I hear otherwise, I don't think sand is the ideal material in an expansion joint. They use it under concrete to form a base that doesn't expand or contract or shrink or move. I think foam is the better base for an expansion joint.

Now if it's not actually an expansion joint, but instead a control joint – (also called contraction joint, that "attracts" the inevitable crack or two), and does not go all the way through the slab, then sand would be OK there, I would think. You could even put mortar in those.
 
Hy dirk,
absolutely no problems using sand to fill the joints. Its actually standard practice, and if i remember correctly its the manufacturers directions. It also makes sure there are no voids that the caulk can leak down into. If you didnt fill it with somthing that filled it tight, you will notice it keeps "disappearing "on you. Because its sinking down until it hits bottom. There is no benifit to filling a joint solid, the manufacturer actually recomends against it, and it will cost you a firtune. Keep it at about a 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch deep and you will be more than fine. Hope i could help.
I
 

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I have several different situations. Some places, like where the irrigation system doesn't hit the concrete, the wood is fine. Other places the wood is completely rotted away. Sounds like the consensus is to remove the rotten wood, fill with sand leaving about a quarter of an inch for the Sikaflex. Thanks for the tip on not touching it.

Has anyone tried Slab gasket?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007L7SD1S/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=AH8AS03FYKA3W&psc=1
 
Bigdog43 said:
I have several different situations. Some places, like where the irrigation system doesn't hit the concrete, the wood is fine. Other places the wood is completely rotted away. Sounds like the consensus is to remove the rotten wood, fill with sand leaving about a quarter of an inch for the Sikaflex. Thanks for the tip on not touching it.
Click to expand...

I really think sand is the wrong material. Please read Allen's link, which explains why better than I did.

http://blog.poolcenter.com/article.aspx?articleid=6289

Or go take another look at the Amazon page you linked. In addition to the Slab Gasket product, it's filled with alternatives, each of a pliable material. By definition of purpose, an expansion joint needs to expand and contract. Sand does neither.

If any of the wood you're replacing is in an expansion joint, or if you don't know for sure if they are expansion joints or not, don't use sand. If they are not expansion joints, then I suppose sand is fine, though backer rod is very easy to use. Not to mention a whole lot lighter to get from store to car to yard to joint!

The following is conjecture, but something I'm going to be trying. If you're dealing with expansion joints, they move around. And can move a lot. They'll be larger at night (the surrounding material got colder, and contracted), and they'll be smallest at the end of the hottest part of the day. They'll be larger in the winter than in the summer. The amount of the difference could be as much as 1/4". Maybe more. If you apply the caulk while everything is hottest, then you run the risk of the caulk pulling away, or splitting down the middle, when everything gets cold. Conversely, if you apply it in the dead of winter, then it'll bulge a bit come summer (which is better than splitting). That's what some of mine looks like: pulled away and/or split. So I'm going to try to caulk when I estimate my deck is at or below its median temperature: probably late morning, in the late fall, maybe on a cloudy day (no sun). I'll know in a year or two if this idea has any merit, if my caulk holds up better than my first attempt did, which I applied mid day in summer. It only lasted a few years (and maybe in part because I didn't use Sika, but a cheaper brand instead, which I won't use again).
 
That certainly sounds like an easy way to go! It wouldn't work at my pool, because my joints are not a consistent width.

The only caution I can come up with about SG, (never having used it), is what's to keep someone from stepping on it and pushing down farther into the joint?

Other than that, it looks great.
 
Dirk said:
Yep. I had to build little dams, whatever worked, to stop the leveling caulk from escaping. Pretty easy to do.

And until I hear otherwise, I don't think sand is the ideal material in an expansion joint. They use it under concrete to form a base that doesn't expand or contract or shrink or move. I think foam is the better base for an expansion joint.

Now if it's not actually an expansion joint, but instead a control joint – (also called contraction joint, that "attracts" the inevitable crack or two), and does not go all the way through the slab, then sand would be OK there, I would think. You could even put mortar in those.
Click to expand...

Dirk, if you’ve got a concrete guy who is using sand as a structural base under a slab, well..... no offense to them, but I’d find a new concrete guy
 
JimMarshall said:
Dirk, if you’ve got a concrete guy who is using sand as a structural base under a slab, well..... no offense to them, but I’d find a new concrete guy
Click to expand...

Thanks, Jim. My bad. I found sand under concrete walkways at my house when I was pushing two 2" pipes under them. Sure made that job easier. Is sand not used under slabs? How bad is it, that it was done at my house? Nothing to be done about it now, regardless.

But for the OP's project, would you agree that sand should not be used to fill up an expansion joint? But OK to use in a control joint?
 
Dirk said:
Thanks, Jim. My bad. I found sand under concrete walkways at my house when I was pushing two 2" pipes under them. Sure made that job easier. Is sand not used under slabs? How bad is it, that it was done at my house? Nothing to be done about it now, regardless.

But for the OP's project, would you agree that sand should not be used to fill up an expansion joint? But OK to use in a control joint?
Click to expand...


It it shouldn’t be, because it’s not compactable. Nothing you’re going to do about it now, all that will come of it is that your walks will be more prone to moving (and therefore cracking)

I agree that sand has no business being in a concrete expansion joint. Foam backer rod and the caulk is what I use.
 
Yah, they're already cracked. Not always in the control joints. Oh well. Hopefully they prepped my post-tension slab correctly!

Thanks for the info...
 

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