Jimmy, wife has a question about the grout spacing between our coping pieces...since the grout lines on this first install are unsightly can they but them up against each other and float just a hair-line of grout to fill the small gap? Installer didn't use spacers to begin with, just eyeballed it. Didn't know if the grout lines were even necessary.
How picky is too picky?
- Thread starter trophft
- Start date
Jimmy, wife has a question about the grout spacing between our coping pieces...since the grout lines on this first install are unsightly can they but them up against each other and float just a hair-line of grout to fill the small gap? Installer didn't use spacers to begin with, just eyeballed it. Didn't know if the grout lines were even necessary.
In freeze climates a grout joint is necessary to seal out water. In TX if your south you can butt them. The tighter the joint the better your cuts have to be. Tile spacers should always be used, eyeballing doesn't work well, even for old masons that have been doing it forever
You can check by placing a ball wherever you want to check slope
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My first pool builders built without grouted joints, I loved the look. My current builder would not. What they did was butt all the pieces together and take a giant stone saw to cut the joints straight. I thought that was pretty ingenious and definitely hard work.
Luckily the new coping being ordered has pre-cast corner pieces (inside corners as well as outside corners) so no mitered cuts this time, only a few straight edge cuts might be needed on the straightaways. Hopefully that helps with the overall look.
They come to demo the old coping tomorrow and install new coping Fri or Sat! Is it unreasonable to ask them to cover the pool and tape off the waterline tile to minimize collateral damage/mess from the demo? When they replaced a few pieces last time they left tons of busted concrete, grout debris, and sediment in the bottom of our pool from grinding/chiseling out the old coping. They also let globs of mortar fall into the pool and harden on our spa bench and smudged all over our waterline tiles. Don't want to do more damage than already expected!
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,026
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
It is not unreasonable but outside their normal scope of work. They may not have tarps and tapes on their truck. It would have been better if you gave them a heads up that is what you wanted them to do.
When I had some work done around my pool I put my own poly tarps on my pool to catch the debris. I had no confidence they would protect the water to my satisfaction and I did it myself.
The PB just emailed me a few mins ago letting me know schedule (not a big heads up), but I guess it is expecting too much. If i run to walmart tonight and lay some down I'm afraid tomorrow someone will accidentally turn on my equipment, suck tarp into skimmer, and burn up my pump! (worst case scenario) .... just paranoid because I've taken pride in my TFP and got it crystal clear and balanced all winter, and now i'm leaving it in the hands of the same crew that started this whole mess. Could be worse, at least they are honoring the contract and replacing the defective coping so should be grateful for that.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,026
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,026
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I always have some tarps available in the garage. You never know when the roof springs a leak.
Well, so much for tarping the pool to minimize the mess, but all defective coping has been removed (along with some of the waterline tiles 
) and the new SEALED coping is scheduled for install tomorrow.
Does the old rubberized mastic between deck and coping need to be completely removed before new coping is installed? Then mastic is replaced last? correct?
) and the new SEALED coping is scheduled for install tomorrow.Does the old rubberized mastic between deck and coping need to be completely removed before new coping is installed? Then mastic is replaced last? correct?
Vukota12
Well-known member
Vukota12
Well-known member
Wife took some more pics from inside the pool (the most important view!)...
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Vukota12
Well-known member
Your not being too picky! Was the builder being picky when he took your money. Make him make it right and if he doesn’t make it a hobby of yours to go online and answer people’s question in your area “Any Pool Company Recommandations? Cost him a couple of pools a year when the crazy demand settles down.