Caulking Expansion Joint in New Pool (1st Winter)

[Lurker4Life]

Good Morning, I have a new 29k gallon concrete pool with a raised 10' spa, waterfall and the whole deal. The coping is flagstone and the decking is stamped concrete. The pool was filled in March of this year so this will be our 1st winter closing. The concrete contractors used the black foam expansion joint material and I have learned here about caulking that joint. I plan on using Deck o Seal. My question is should I do it now before winter or do I need to wait until next spring? I was sure it needed to be done before the winter freeze but my pool contractor said no, not yet.

I he stearing me wrong? Please let me kow if there is any additional info you need to give me some advice. Thanks so much in advance, Erik

 

[SecoSteve]

Our pool was new in May and I still have the foam expansion joints in. I plan on waiting at least a year to put in the Mastic. Going to give it plenty of time for settling of the concrete and pool. If you do it now and the pool and or concrete settles, then the Deck o Seal will separate and you'll have to re do it. We have a friend who used the same builder 6 years ago, and he STILL has the foam in the joints(at least he did in the beginning of the season). He has no obvious issues with cracking concrete that I saw. His foam is in bad shape though after so long. I am not sure why he hasn't put in the Mastic yet (maybe the cost to have it installed?)

 

[Lurker4Life]

Thanks for the quick answer. I was afraid that when that foam joint filled up with water then froze this winter it would immeaditally crack the decking or coping. I was under the impression that the mastic would be nessasary to keep water (then ice) completely out of expansion jpoint during the winter to prevent cracking. Sounds like I should wait till after the winter season. I should have mentioned Im in Maryland so not super harsh winters but we get ice, snow an dfreezing from Dec till March. Thasnk again, E

 

[SecoSteve]

I don't think it will fill with water because the foam has holes in it to drain the water, so no issues with ice. My only issue with the foam this first season is with small pieces of cement that stuck to the foam and then detached and ended up in the pool. They immediately settled to the bottom and were hard to get with the net. Also, my robot had a hard time sucking some of them up.