Advice on re digging out filled in pool
- Thread starter Alex36
- Start date
I was thinking of that but I do not want to cut any concrete at all.
As you can see there is a return line that runs under the concrete where the chair is placed in the picture. Sure don’t want to cut any concrete if I don’t really have to.
I don’t blame ya.. the younger I get the less I want to demo.. you could punch new wall fittings on skimmer side to have new pipes & minimal demo, leaving the old wall flange for dead.
Now about bracing the sides. Can’t find anything online. Is it just a bunch of 2x4s across each panel and across the width? Or any other way? Like I said can’t find any info online on how to do it properly.
There is no text book way to do it.
Screw jacks or lumber to span the pool. The goal is to prevent an a-frame from snapping.
(Somewhere I have a post with a snapped a frame job photo on here) - the a frames of whatever they used for verticals support will be between the panels.
Screw jacks or lumber with sheet lumber (makes a big washer) over the joints. The A frame will be toward top of panel behind pool wall, this is where you want most of the pressure..
if a panel is going to crack you can’t stop it, is what it is- your goal is to take load of the A frames. Cracked panels can be remedied from inside the pool- A frame Repairs are nightmares.
Bracing can get pricey & nobody in their right mind would guarantee it. If you are having a contractor do it, it is not his responsibility to have “screw jacks” in his toolbox & if that’s what he wants to use, expect it to be a line item.
Screw jacks or lumber to span the pool. The goal is to prevent an a-frame from snapping.
(Somewhere I have a post with a snapped a frame job photo on here) - the a frames of whatever they used for verticals support will be between the panels.
Screw jacks or lumber with sheet lumber (makes a big washer) over the joints. The A frame will be toward top of panel behind pool wall, this is where you want most of the pressure..
if a panel is going to crack you can’t stop it, is what it is- your goal is to take load of the A frames. Cracked panels can be remedied from inside the pool- A frame Repairs are nightmares.
Bracing can get pricey & nobody in their right mind would guarantee it. If you are having a contractor do it, it is not his responsibility to have “screw jacks” in his toolbox & if that’s what he wants to use, expect it to be a line item.
If you are going to brace the walls, I would highly recommend you use sturdy plywood 4*8, or smaller so there is even pressure on the walls. You can brace the plywood against the walls, with whatever you are comfortable with. I used this method not for pool walls, but to hold soil during the winter months during pool construction in some areas. Worked out like a charm. You may need a lot of wood.
Regarding cutting out the concrete, you could eventually pour colored concrete with a curved expansion joint and make it look it was always there. Adding extra returns should be done now as later will be problematic. My friend only had one return (shallow end) and one skimmer (deep end) + main drain and he had absolutely no circulation causing him to brush his pool daily or algae would show up in all the dead spots.
I don’t see a buck fifty even covering the hands and feet on the job, not to mention lumber or whatever device he comes up with.. just saying.
Said he would brace the pool for that price. I told my wife if I do it it would be at least 350 in lumber alone.
He must be starving to say that price. I would make sure to be there to see what he does.
I hope he is not starving, because at that # he is going to loose money.. I’m presuming he is going to get an “education” or when he sees it retract the quote & rightfully so.
Bracing is a miserable job,probably his first rodeo.
Bracing is a miserable job,probably his first rodeo.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,695
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
...OR.... he's done it a hundred times before, he already has the bracing jacks and old lumber and he'll spend precisely 1 to 2 hours doing a quick & dirty job (as you said, he probably won't guarantee anything). $75 to $150/hr .... that's not a bad take home pay. Heck, if I had all the stuff on hand to do it and I didn't have to guarantee anything, I'd be there tomorrow morning for $150...
I like the half full speculation[emoji106]. I’m such a pessimist at times, I just found my 2018 resolution.
I like the half full explanation too. But if I were Alex, I'd be calling him saying "How many of these have you done?"
Last time we braced a pool it was $1500 & big picture wise it was not worth the hassle.
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,392
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
Cool project. I'm with Kim and bet you were really happy to see the end of those buckets!
In case a picture is helpful, here's an example of shoring jacks used to brace the sides: https://www.mrblastit.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Braced-Pool.jpg
To brace the ends, you could lay timbers (2x4s) across the top of the shoring jacks from end to end, all attached to one another and then attached to the shoring jacks (a couple of large pipe clamps at each junction) so the wood can't flex much. Two of these running the length of the pool would make sense. Everything will sag a bit, and then you can put straight props under each junction to hold everything up, level and also tighten it all up a bit. Imagine a grid of straight braces. That would be my choice, but I'm sure you'll get plenty of opinions
I don't know what's under there, but if you can drive a stake in the ground at the bottom around 8' out from the wall, you could brace with angled braces (three 2x4s per brace, with one angled down to the stake, one flat on the bottom, and one vertical against the wall. You could have as many of these as make sense, but probably two for each end wall. Similar spacing along the sides would work as well. If you have them meet in the centre, it's stronger because the angled braces aren't relying on the stake so much. (looks like upside-down rafters). I think it's harder that way because of the challenge of tightening it all up, but probably do-able with some wedges.
The flat bits against the wall, as already mentioned, spread the load, and should be around 2/3 of the way up from the bottom.
Just as an option not yet mentioned, and only if the bottom can be dug, you can make the pool deeper and order your new liner to fit the new shaped hopper.
In case a picture is helpful, here's an example of shoring jacks used to brace the sides: https://www.mrblastit.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Braced-Pool.jpg
To brace the ends, you could lay timbers (2x4s) across the top of the shoring jacks from end to end, all attached to one another and then attached to the shoring jacks (a couple of large pipe clamps at each junction) so the wood can't flex much. Two of these running the length of the pool would make sense. Everything will sag a bit, and then you can put straight props under each junction to hold everything up, level and also tighten it all up a bit. Imagine a grid of straight braces. That would be my choice, but I'm sure you'll get plenty of opinions
I don't know what's under there, but if you can drive a stake in the ground at the bottom around 8' out from the wall, you could brace with angled braces (three 2x4s per brace, with one angled down to the stake, one flat on the bottom, and one vertical against the wall. You could have as many of these as make sense, but probably two for each end wall. Similar spacing along the sides would work as well. If you have them meet in the centre, it's stronger because the angled braces aren't relying on the stake so much. (looks like upside-down rafters). I think it's harder that way because of the challenge of tightening it all up, but probably do-able with some wedges.
The flat bits against the wall, as already mentioned, spread the load, and should be around 2/3 of the way up from the bottom.
Just as an option not yet mentioned, and only if the bottom can be dug, you can make the pool deeper and order your new liner to fit the new shaped hopper.
Ok sorry for being away from the forums for a bit but.......
We did it. I have all the pictures to post along the way. Total cost for pool around 5-6k I believe. Everything was done by me and my wife and daughter except the liner.
I’ll post more pics when I get to my home in the city tonight
We did it. I have all the pictures to post along the way. Total cost for pool around 5-6k I believe. Everything was done by me and my wife and daughter except the liner.
I’ll post more pics when I get to my home in the city tonight
- May 3, 2014
- 62,672
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40