My pool renovation was completed recently in Sedona, AZ - the plaster was poured in March, 2023 and the coping and bond beam (no rebar used) were replaced in January, 2023. I have already noticed at least 10 hairline cracks in the coping (see a few photos attached as examples). The guy who did the work told me this is normal. Would appreciate feedback on this issue and whether others believe this is "normal."
Hairline Cracks in Pool Coping
- Thread starter Cnostram
- Start date
MAPR-Austin
In The Industry
Yes, normal for a large span of concrete with no expansion joints to develop hairline cracks.
To avoid this, you want regular tooled in joints (I run these @18-20" and over every skimmer), that are at least 1/4 the thickness of the concrete. I know many people cut their joints in, but I feel like the window for that is very small and coming back the next day to make the cuts usually doesn't work as well as tooling them in the fresh concrete.
To avoid this, you want regular tooled in joints (I run these @18-20" and over every skimmer), that are at least 1/4 the thickness of the concrete. I know many people cut their joints in, but I feel like the window for that is very small and coming back the next day to make the cuts usually doesn't work as well as tooling them in the fresh concrete.
Thanks for this information. So I understand...are you saying the tooled in joints should have been done when the work was done? Since they were not done, what should I be looking for or asking the contractor to do now?
One other issue in addition to hairline cracks that I have with my newly re-plastered pool is that I was told they had to replace the bond beam and the coping because the water level was higher on one side of the pool than the other and that this had to be fixed or when they put the new tile on it would pop off. After the bond beam was redone and the coping was redone and the pool was chipped out and re-plastered.... the pool is still not level. The water line is higher on one side of the pool than the water line on the other which you can tell from where the water hits the tile (one side it's on top of tile and one is a little below middle of tile). I brought to attention of contractor and he said it was best he could do... Is this something I should be concerned about?
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So I understand...are you saying the tooled in joints should have been done when the work was done? Since they were not done, what should I be looking for or asking the contractor to do now?
Also...one other issue in addition to hairline cracks that I have with my newly re-plastered pool is that I was told they had to replace the bond beam and the coping because the water level was higher on one side of the pool than the other and that this had to be fixed or when they put the new tile on it would pop off. After the bond beam was redone and the coping was redone and the pool was chipped out and re-plastered.... the pool is still not level. The water line is higher on one side of the pool than the water line on the other which you can tell from where the water hits the tile (one side it's on top of tile and one is a little below middle of tile). I brought to attention of contractor and he said it was best he could do... Is this something I should be concerned about?
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MAPR-Austin
In The Industry
There isn't really anything that can be done for the cracks now. Once concrete has decided where it is going to crack that decision is final.
On one end of the spectrum they tear the coping our and redo it with proper joints. This is probably going to damage your tile, and possibly have repercussions for the interior if it is not protected. Seems unlikely that things go this way.
On the other end of the spectrum, they do nothing. Concrete cracks and that's the way of the world.
Somewhere in the middle, you get a discount and live with the minor imperfections. This is the most pragmatic approach.
The pool being out of level - do you have any before pictures showing how out of level it was? It is hard to tell from your pictures how out of level it is now.
When fixing an out of level pool you are partially constrained by leaving the deck in place (since it is at the existing elevation), so you have to make up that variance by having the coping pitch more in some areas than others. You are practically limited to @2" of adjustment before the coping starts sloping excessively.
Really, the work looks good overall. The hairline cracks are not structural and aren't going to lead to some catastrophic failure. The tile looks good, coping looks good, interior looks good.
On one end of the spectrum they tear the coping our and redo it with proper joints. This is probably going to damage your tile, and possibly have repercussions for the interior if it is not protected. Seems unlikely that things go this way.
On the other end of the spectrum, they do nothing. Concrete cracks and that's the way of the world.
Somewhere in the middle, you get a discount and live with the minor imperfections. This is the most pragmatic approach.
The pool being out of level - do you have any before pictures showing how out of level it was? It is hard to tell from your pictures how out of level it is now.
When fixing an out of level pool you are partially constrained by leaving the deck in place (since it is at the existing elevation), so you have to make up that variance by having the coping pitch more in some areas than others. You are practically limited to @2" of adjustment before the coping starts sloping excessively.
Really, the work looks good overall. The hairline cracks are not structural and aren't going to lead to some catastrophic failure. The tile looks good, coping looks good, interior looks good.