DIY Pool Rehab
- Thread starter MinerJason
- Start date
A friend and I spent 26 hrs over the weekend removing 1300 SF of old Kool deck, and made a huge mess of everything in the process. Still have a few areas to clean up by hand, but it already looks so much better, especially on the small edges facing the pool. Just hope it's not too hot on the feet. Don't have any pics of it finished, but here's one in process.
Last night after work I got most of the the plumbing done at the pad. Still need to add a short section for the backwash line, and paint all the exposed PVC. Tried to leave plenty of room to install a SWCG at a later date.
Last night after work I got most of the the plumbing done at the pad. Still need to add a short section for the backwash line, and paint all the exposed PVC. Tried to leave plenty of room to install a SWCG at a later date.
djdonte
Well-known member
- Mar 25, 2019
- 537
- Pool Size
- 11300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-30 Plus
Wow. I felt good about cutting over a pressure cleaner line to a suction line at my equipment pad with a sawzall and some glue... but you are a BEAST man! I will definitely be following this thread. Keep up the good work!
SWEET! Now that is a friend indeed right there! I am hoping there were some cold ones waiting by the steak on the grill for him!!
Kim
Kim
How the frig did the plastic pump basket lid leave a rust stain on the pad??
Hah! It's actually not rust, but rather organic stains from dead willow acacia leaves and fruits that fell and got caught on the plastic filter wrench and the coil of bond wire I left sitting there. For some reason the willow acacia leaves and fruits seem to stain masonry like nobody's business if allowed to sit and rot. There was a massive willow acacia next to the pool when we bought the house, and it stained the Kool deck around the pool really badly in the corners and edges where the leaves and fruits collected. It's also what destroyed my skimmer, and got it's roots behind some of the waterline tile and popped them off, and caused the decking to heave in a couple spots. I'm thinking I'll need to get rid of the small one adjacent to my equipment pad before it starts causing the same sorts of havoc.
SWEET! Now that is a friend indeed right there! I am hoping there were some cold ones waiting by the steak on the grill for him!!
Kim
We've been letting him stay with us rent free for a couple months, so I see this as reciprocation for that. But yes, there were beers and burgers had Sunday evening after we finished. ?
I also got my TF-100 and all the accessories in the mail the other day, and tested my fill water. As I suspected it's relatively amenable to a bicarb startup. Will only need about 30# of bicarb.
Thinking? THINKING? With all the destruction that papa tree did, I’d have that little guy wrapped in C4!!
Hah!
It definitely needs to go, just trying to decide how soon it needs to be done. Lot's of other high priority things going on with the pool and house right now. Middle kid has a birthday coming up in a couple weeks, and really wants to have a pool party.
Got the accent tile installed on the edges of the steps, baja shelf border, and between the waterline tile and waterfall. Also plumbed in the backwash line.
Jason, when you built your water feature, did you fill the block with anything? Or did you leave it empty?
So far I've only filled the cavities that have vertical rebar in them. Even though it's not really necessary, I'll probably fill most of the perimeter cavities with concrete before capping it with flagstone. The interior and the cavities underneath the sheer descent will stay open to enable servicing the plumbing if needed.
After several delays, it sounds like we'll finally be getting plaster this weekend!
Going with a custom color mini-pebble, similar to what I've seen described here as reverse Tahoe. Plaster guy likes the bicarb start-up idea and will allow me to handle it all without any impact to the warranty. He's actually a fan of the bicarb start-up for regular plaster, but hasn't seen it done on pebble before. He echoed my concerns about how smooth the old part of the baja shelf was (old plaster was barely bonded), and we've decided to do an acid etching, followed by scarifying the surface with an angle grinder, and then a good bod coat. His prep guy is coming out tomorrow to pressure wash and apply the bond coat, so I need to get the acid etching and scarification done tonight.
Have slowly been working away in the mean time, but don't really have any good pictures. Grouted the accent tile on the water feature wall, flushed all the plumbing lines just in case there was any dirt/debris in them, another pressure test with all the plumbing at the pad in place, plumbed the sheer descent, lots of touch up grinding on the concrete decking, installed the pool light, and got the filter set up (fresh o-rings, new glycerin filled gauge, filled with fresh sand). Have also purchased most of the supplies needed for the electrical work, but haven't had time to install the sub-panel or pull wire yet.
I'll be sure to post pictures of the progress this week. Kids are getting excited about being able to swim again.
Going with a custom color mini-pebble, similar to what I've seen described here as reverse Tahoe. Plaster guy likes the bicarb start-up idea and will allow me to handle it all without any impact to the warranty. He's actually a fan of the bicarb start-up for regular plaster, but hasn't seen it done on pebble before. He echoed my concerns about how smooth the old part of the baja shelf was (old plaster was barely bonded), and we've decided to do an acid etching, followed by scarifying the surface with an angle grinder, and then a good bod coat. His prep guy is coming out tomorrow to pressure wash and apply the bond coat, so I need to get the acid etching and scarification done tonight.
Have slowly been working away in the mean time, but don't really have any good pictures. Grouted the accent tile on the water feature wall, flushed all the plumbing lines just in case there was any dirt/debris in them, another pressure test with all the plumbing at the pad in place, plumbed the sheer descent, lots of touch up grinding on the concrete decking, installed the pool light, and got the filter set up (fresh o-rings, new glycerin filled gauge, filled with fresh sand). Have also purchased most of the supplies needed for the electrical work, but haven't had time to install the sub-panel or pull wire yet.
I'll be sure to post pictures of the progress this week. Kids are getting excited about being able to swim again.
WOW! That is some awesome news about them liking the best start up out there!! NICE!
Getting closer!!!
Kim
Getting closer!!!
Kim
Pressure washing and bond coat this morning. Guess than means I really need to get going on the electrical.
Dude that decking came out kick azz!! 
(Pergola in the background could use a little help, but we’ll let the slide for now.)
(Pergola in the background could use a little help, but we’ll let the slide for now.)
Plaster applied this morning. It's a variation of Stonescapes mini pebble Tahoe Blue, used 8 bags of gold and 4 of black per batch instead of 10 and 2. Also only used ~1/3 of the dye. Exposed the pebble with only water. Will do a super light acid wash tomorrow, and then start filling using the bicarb start up. Still a lot of work to be done, but starting to feel like it's close to being done!
NICE! I can't wait to see the water color!! That is going to really pop when it is done!!
Kim
Kim