Decking demo (fiberglass pool)

[Staudie]

We are working on a backyard remodel and have hit a small snag. We want extend the concrete deck around our fiberglass pool and make it flush with the top of the coping (1 1/2" below now). One contractors no bid (without seeing the site) the work due to fears of cracking the pool. A local fiberglass pool installer flat out said we would be crazy to remove the deck. The company who resurfaced the pool a couple years ago have a bid in but the price is very high. So are we nuts or should we just expand without removing the old deck and put an overlay on top? Thoughts??

Thanks,
Chris

 

[pooldv]

2 out of 3 dentists recommend ... Just sayin! LOL! I have no experience with this. Let's see if some FG pool owners have some experiences to add.

 

[swimcmp]

Your description should answer a lot of your question. One installer no bid, another your crazy to do it, the third bid is really expensive. The third guy is doing cya, if something bad happens you have already paid to fix it that way. Fiberglass deck is tricky. If the original deck was done correctly it is tied to the pool shell and could damage the shell.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

A picture would help...

I'm thinking pavers on top of your existing deck may be the best answer, to bring the existing surface up to be flush with the coping.

 

[AuroraB]

Some paver companies have thin pavers for remodeling, you could put that on existing concrete, then add regular pavers around that to extend? How much space do you need to make up?

 

[Casey]

Have you decided what you're going to do?

 

[Staudie]

We are still working on it but here are a couple of pics...

We want to expand the decking (33") to the fence (+48") so that we have a place to put some deck chairs


This pic show the pool coping better... its about 1 1/2" above the decking


Here is the completed backyard plan

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Yeah, I think pavers are the answer. At least that's what I would do.

 

[keithw]

I think pavers as well. This looks like an easy DIY job. I did something similar to my fiberglass pool a few years ago but used flagstone : http://www.troublefreepool.com/thre...lagstoning-around-(and-on)-my-fiberglass-pool . I would: rent a cement saw and cut a joint in the existing deck all the way around the pool about a foot out. Find a cantilever coping that you like. The joint should be where that coping ends on the existing deck. Drill into the 1ft cement collar at intervals and put some small rebar "L's" into the holes. frame it up and pour a layer of cement so that the new collar is flush with the top of the pool. (I would pressure wash the old collar first and use a cement bonding agent when pouring the new collar.) Make the top of the new collar rough cement by brushing as it sets. After it completely dries, mortar in your cantilever coping and grout. Pack road base behind and paver out as far as you wish. You can also pour a collar on the outside edge of the proposed deck if you wish to mortar in the outside row of pavers. Easy Peasy. Concerns: hitting a pipe or electrical when using the cement saw. Should not be very likely but you never know. I would stay shallow with the saw and then run the pump after the cut is done to see if you get any water along the cut line.

 

[Staudie]

Thank you to everyone for the reply's as they have help a great deal. Keithw thanks for your suggestions on how to construct the collar. Since we have flagstone accents through out the backyard the plans is to create flagstone collar.

Next step is to decide on a cover!!!