This post is quite embarrassing 
as we have had a few mistakes because we are NOT professional pool builders. Still, against my husbands wishes I have chosen to share them because this is a learning forum (for us anyway). Plus, it falls in line with the Hill Billy theme! So, learn, don't judge, but do feel free to laugh with us!
Disclaimer: Please note that the term 'we' is used frequently. If it required manual labor, it didn't include me. If it involved a mistake, I accept responsibility so as not to throw my husband under the bus.
We were really looking forward to this week because we would finally get a sense of the pool after we pour the rest of the steps. We learned a lot of lessons about concrete. Mostly through trial and error...well, mostly error. A few weeks ago we poured the footer and base step. We learned that the forms really have to be solid. Ours were not and the bottom step bowed pretty badly. This week, we felt we did better on the forms. Turns out, not so much. After filling the forms about 3/4 of the way, the forms started to bow. Since we couldn't trust the forms, we declined to vibrate them and ended up with some voids that we will fill later.
In this pic you can see how much the top step is bowed before cutting it back. Previously, all this steps were this way. Please note a person is facing away from the camera to protect his identity. This may or may not be my husband.
In order to fix this debacle, my husband ran down to our local medieval-torture rental store and picked up this saw from the Freddie Krueger section. I asked him to take a before pic of the steps. As an afterthought, I also requested a before pic of his arms. I was very stressed out over this piece of machinery and thus had to go get my hair done so I wouldn't stand at the edge of the pool screaming at him to be careful. Yea, tough morning for me. I just noticed my son's plastic shield and sword at the corner of the picture. Even he knew this machine looked medieval!
After trimming. Relax everyone, no one went to the hospital today!
He spent about six hours trimming the steps...in the pouring rain. The neighbor came to see the progress and so lovingly sprayed the concrete muck off him with a freezing hose. He is a real go getter! We really appreciate the lengths he has gone to give us this family oasis!
as we have had a few mistakes because we are NOT professional pool builders. Still, against my husbands wishes I have chosen to share them because this is a learning forum (for us anyway). Plus, it falls in line with the Hill Billy theme! So, learn, don't judge, but do feel free to laugh with us!Disclaimer: Please note that the term 'we' is used frequently. If it required manual labor, it didn't include me. If it involved a mistake, I accept responsibility so as not to throw my husband under the bus.
We were really looking forward to this week because we would finally get a sense of the pool after we pour the rest of the steps. We learned a lot of lessons about concrete. Mostly through trial and error...well, mostly error. A few weeks ago we poured the footer and base step. We learned that the forms really have to be solid. Ours were not and the bottom step bowed pretty badly. This week, we felt we did better on the forms. Turns out, not so much. After filling the forms about 3/4 of the way, the forms started to bow. Since we couldn't trust the forms, we declined to vibrate them and ended up with some voids that we will fill later.
In this pic you can see how much the top step is bowed before cutting it back. Previously, all this steps were this way. Please note a person is facing away from the camera to protect his identity. This may or may not be my husband.
In order to fix this debacle, my husband ran down to our local medieval-torture rental store and picked up this saw from the Freddie Krueger section. I asked him to take a before pic of the steps. As an afterthought, I also requested a before pic of his arms. I was very stressed out over this piece of machinery and thus had to go get my hair done so I wouldn't stand at the edge of the pool screaming at him to be careful. Yea, tough morning for me. I just noticed my son's plastic shield and sword at the corner of the picture. Even he knew this machine looked medieval!
After trimming. Relax everyone, no one went to the hospital today!
He spent about six hours trimming the steps...in the pouring rain. The neighbor came to see the progress and so lovingly sprayed the concrete muck off him with a freezing hose. He is a real go getter! We really appreciate the lengths he has gone to give us this family oasis!
Originally, we were advised to go with the 20 mil liner because when using a pool kit, it allows more stretch to accommodate any variations in the dig. However, we decided to do a custom liner. Now, we are wondering if we should go for the 28 mil liner because it is more durable. Is it safe to do the 28 since we will be able to measure the hole exactly or do we really need a more pliable liner because we are not pros?
at least for my part. Thank goodness!!!! I'm going to sub all the decking. I do not have the experience or manpower to do it myself. I want nothing to do with pouring the deck!!!! Thanks in advance for your help.