Convert Plastic Skimmer inlet to Tiled Skimmer inlet - DIY build advice

[dwuk86]

Greetings from Portugal!

I have a pool that has plastic skimmer inlets... they are a bit ugly, in the photo here iv removed the thick frame as im regrouting and retiling the waterline.


So this might be totally crazy... but my idea was to do the following:

1) dremel cut out the tapered part to remove the inlet plastic.

2) apply cement on the bottom and sides.

3) hammer out the cement under the coping enought to insert a slate tile to serve as the roof and to adhere roof tiles to.

4) sillicon seal the square entrance of skimmer with the new concrete.

5) add tiles to match on the floor, sides and roof of the skimmer inlet.

So: is this a totally crazy idea, am I asking myself for alot of trouble and likely to create problems?

Thank you kindly in advance for any advice or suggestions on how to proceed or not as the case may be.

Dan

 

[ajw22]

The plastic throat makes me wonder why the builder slapped it in front of the skimmer mouth instead of finishing the gunite sides. I wonder what you are going to find when you remove it. Usually the sides form a smooth box to be tiled.

Once you cut into the plastic you are committed to finishing it. It is impossible to say what can of worms you may be opening up.

Good luck and show us pics of what you do.

 

[1poolman1]

You have what appears to be a skimmer designed for a vinyl liner or fiberglass pool. The holes in front should have been mounted outside the pool and where the face-plate would have been attached inside the pool. That would have attached the skimmer to the pool shell and been sealed with a gasket.

When a conventional skimmer is set, rebar is formed around it and then gunite or shotcrete is sprayed around that, essentially making the skimmer a monolithic part of the pool shell. The throat is sealed with grout on its perimeter inside of the pool and then tile applied to the gunite opening in the shell.

If you chip away the plastic of your skimmer you may find it very difficult, or impossible, to stop a leak where the skimmer meets the pool as that skimmer wasn't designed for that type of application. You will also weaken it structurally.

 

[dwuk86]

Incase this is useful to anyone, this was the result. I didn't make any modification to the plastic skimmer at all, except to scum the plastic with wire wool and low grit sand paper. I then used a product like high tack "no more nails" and spread it thinly over the areas I would apply tiles to. I then applied the tiles and pressed them in hard, and left to set for 24 hours.

I had tested this on the same plastic and its near impossible to remove them after.

Then simply grouted as usual. Hopefully they will stay on long term.

 

[1poolman1]

Impressive work.

 

[cowboycasey]

That looks GREAT

 

[dwuk86]

Thanks I was rather pleased with the outcome. Sometimes its just about having the confidence to try something!