Grout under coping and spraycrete crumbling

[Becwilliamson]

Good morning,

We had our pool resurfaced and retiled a couple years ago. My issue is two fold.

1. The cement tile grout between the coping and tile is cracking.

The people who did the tile said to just caulk it and aren’t interested in performing the repair (I would rather pay someone).

2. The spraycrete finish on the coping was applied with a putty knife and is crumbling away in spots. Do I just remove anything loose, and restain it to make the color uniform?

What type of service would complete this work? My chemical service company didn’t have any answers beyond maybe a decking company.

Thanks!

 

[ajw22]

The cracking is cause by movement between the deck and the pool structure.

To do a proper repair that will not crack again you first need to understand how your deck and pool was designed.

Where is your expansion joint? Do you have an expansion joint between your coping and deck? Or do you have a cantilevered deck over the pool structure?

See Expansion Joints and Coping - Further Reading

 

[Becwilliamson]

We are second owners to this pool (built in 2005) and do not know if there is an expansion joint. I think it may be cantilevered… there is a rounded bit that hangs over the wall some. There is a bit of white plastic trim, 1/2” between coping and tile that’s been stayed and grated on. But not sure if that’s related.

 

[Becwilliamson]

Kindof seen here.

 

[ajw22]

If you have cantilevered coping/deck then there should be a gap between the bottom of the deck and the pool.

The gap should not be filled with hard grout or mortar. Anything hard will just crack as the structures move.

People try and fill any gap when the gap is there for a reason.

 

[Becwilliamson]

Do you know who I what kind of service I would call to fix it?

 

[ajw22]

Do you know who I what kind of service I would call to fix it?

There is not a "service" that specializes in fixing pool decks and expansion joints.

You need to find a person who constructs such decks and understands how they should work.

At this point your best solution may be to just live with the cracks and not try and fix it. Recognize that cracking under the deck is the expansion joint doing its function and there needs to be movement.

 

[Becwilliamson]

Ok, thank you so much and appreciate your input.