Cracks one day after pouring deck - normal???

[cyberpenguin]

The contractor just poured the deck on our pool last week and there are already a number of cracks. The joints were tooled, and the surface was stamped.

After stamping, they didn't wet the concrete, and didn't wet the ground beforehand either. The deck is 4" think.... no rebar. The edge against the pool has an automated cover track.

We did mist the deck the next day, but by that point it was already cracked. That morning, the deck was almost solid white with efflorence (last 3 photos in the album link below).

Some of the surface cracks from the stamping look like it's already spalling. But, on looking closer, they look more like cracks in the surface.

There is also a large crack running perpendicular to the joints across an area where there are block steps underneath. They were supposed to take out the steps, but poured over them, and the crack runs along the edge where the steps are underneath.

We are in Albuquerque, so we do get freeze thaw cycles in Winter, and I'm concerned that a new deck already has so many cracks.

The contractor says these cracks are normal. Is he right?

I was going to attach photos, but there are quite a few (35) so I created a shared Google album with photos at full resolution here:

Pool deck cracks

38 new items · Album by Rick Vinyard

photos.app.goo.gl

None of the photos are duplicates, and on a couple of them I put down a tape measure for scale.

Do we have a problem, or is this normal?

 

[kimkats]

I have a BIG sad for you I am sorry we are meeting this way. I can see why you are upset. Of course the PB says this is normal as he does not want to have to redo it.

No rebar? none at all in the deck?

 

[PoolGate]

Concrete contractors are quick to point out that it is not if, but when your concrete will crack. This early I would suspect they didn't tamp down (compress) or otherwise prep your concrete base very well. Is it crushed stone? Do you have pics before it was poured?

 

[Newdude]

Concrete contractors are quick to point out that it is not if, but when your concrete will crack

+1. I had 2 large, well established companies give me quotes on our old pool and they both preached the ‘when’ instead of the ‘if’. They both promised to do the best they could delaying the inevitable, but made the inevitable well known.

Also +1 that for it to happen this soon they did not do their best. So sorry we met this way. But now that you’re here, stick around for easy peasy pool care and from a warm and friendly group of fellow pool enthusiasts. With every new member the hive gets stronger and you have plenty of your own experience to share after your build that can help others.

 

[Shirker]

Concrete will always crack. But, in my humble opinion, those photos show substantial cracking and I don't think it is normal to see that much cracking right after the pour. You might have an uphill battle with the contractor though. Hopefully you have not paid him everything yet. That might give you a little leverage.

 

[PoolGate]

Concrete will always crack. But, in my humble opinion, those photos show substantial cracking and I don't think it is normal to see that much cracking right after the pour. You might have an uphill battle with the contractor though. Hopefully you have not paid him everything yet. That might give you a little leverage.

I agree with this and based on your pics, your deck will be in pieces in a year. Either bad base, bad mix, or a combination of both.

 

[cyberpenguin]

The base is just dirt fill. No crushed stone. I didn't see a tamper, but i also didn't see the whole process.

No rebar anywhere inside the deck pour. The pool itself has it. The pool rebar was inspected before the shotcrete, but I don't think any part of the deck was inspected.

I know all concrete cracks, but this just seemed extreme to have this many already. These 35 cracks weren't comprehensive either. I did a quick walk through and those were the most obvious ones.

The concrete went through a pump on a trailer. I wonder if it was thinned too much to get through the pump?

Thanks for the feedback. It is appreciated. I've been following TFP forums for years as we had a pool before moving to Albuquerque a little more than a year ago.

 

[cyberpenguin]

Also, the concrete trucks were on-site for over an hour before they began pouring. I wonder if that, combined with the heat of the pump resulted in trying to compensate with water.

 

[cyberpenguin]

From the inside of the pool, I counted about 30 visible cracks in the face of the coping.

 

[PoolGate]

I stress I am not a concrete expert. But I also suspect there was too much water in the mix. And probably dried too quickly. Rebar isn't really needed but a good base is. However, I don't think the base comes into play for brand-new concrete like this. Perhaps if you didn't have cracking issues the base down the road would cause issues. And I am not sure what the practice is in your area but in mine they put at least 4-6" of gravel as a base. There was no rebar for my deck and I got no cracks until the 2nd year and just maybe 2 very small hairline cracks.

To me, your job is a complete redo I would not accept that. Perhaps call in another company and see what they say.

 

[PoolGate]

For reference:

 

[cyberpenguin]

I stress I am not a concrete expert. But I also suspect there was too much water in the mix. And probably dried too quickly. Rebar isn't really needed but a good base is. However, I don't think the base comes into play for brand-new concrete like this. Perhaps if you didn't have cracking issues the base down the road would cause issues. And I am not sure what the practice is in your area but in mine they put at least 4-6" of gravel as a base. There was no rebar for my deck and I got no cracks until the 2nd year and just maybe 2 very small hairline cracks.

To me, your job is a complete redo I would not accept that. Perhaps call in another company and see what they say.

I've spoken to a couple of masons and they thought along the same lines as you... too much water... possibly too hot (not the weather, but the concrete from the mixer + pump). They suggested finding out if additives were used to cool the concrete.

 

[cyberpenguin]

For reference:

View attachment 320318
View attachment 320319
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That's a pretty nice looking job.

 

[Newdude]

While I always agree with finding out the ‘why’s’ and being better prepared going forward, right now priority # 1 is getting somebody to take responsibility for unacceptable results. We can Monday morning quarterback it until the end of time once you have a fix.

 

[kimkats]

Moving forward any and all contact/communication between you and the PB should be in writing! Go as far as to making sure the first time you talk to him about the decking problem and move forward from there. This will be very helpful if you have to go to court over it.

 

[cyberpenguin]

Just following up... they ended up jackhammering out the pool deck and re-pouring. We continued to get cracks and were over 200 after a week. Here's a Google Photos album if you want to see: Pool deck cracks - 07 APR 2021 and 15 APR 2021

The repour wasn't smooth though... the wrong color was ordered and there are still several major cracks. At least the deck cracks are down into the tens instead of the (literally) hundreds.

Ugh... Sadly 'ugh' has become my word for the pool.

One of these days I'll have to detail everything... including the issue we're dealing with now that we realized they used the hydrostatic valve port as a suction port for the AVSC heavy debris removal drain: Heavy debris drain installed incorrectly???

 

[pjt]

Glad they redid the job.

Cure the deck the best you can. I was diligent in curing the pool deck and concrete walkway at my previous house in California. It's 11 years old and I haven't seen a single crack yet:

 

[kimkats]

Will you make the redo it again? Wrong color? Still some MAJOR cracks?? sigh...................really guys???