ICF pool in Canad

[Canada OT]

Hey folks,

Up here in the great white. I have taken on to build my own pool and its the very first one for me. I have used 8" core ICF and built buttress walls in the deep end. To make a long story short My pour set up way to fast for me to trowel my concrete smooth. I am in the process of contracting out maybe an over pour?? To get it all smooth. Have looked into using Meadow patch as well.

So I have a few questions to ask the forum.

Would you concrete guys recommend a patch or an overopour? (see pictures)

And has anyone used sider crete in the north? pros cons?

Has anyone had experience with using sika 107 ? I have seen one in my area that has worked for three seasons without fail.

What other products are available to seal both the ICF and Styrofoam?


Before you say why not drop in a vinyl liner notice that I poured a giant concrete step that has made this not possible. and I would still have to manage my honeycombed slope.

Any advice skilled or not appreciated.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Ok, I'm just shooting out this question but I have no idea if this is possible or not: Can it be sanded down smooth??

Yip

 

[PAGirl]

I believe I've seen liner installs over steps. Not sure if the cost would be higher than plaster, though. The sanding idea might work in conjunction with the liner.

 

[Canada OT]

Yes a diamond blade was used for a little bit in the shallow pool. But the equipment is not made to do such a steep slope. So this is why I'm looking at the overlay/patch. I would expect the reason why a liner over steps doesn't work is because of the wear and tear associated with all that traffic. One dog would do it in.

 

[Patrick_B]

Its only my opinion, but this shape seems complex enough that Plaster would be a better option. I think it could be used to smooth things out as well, but hopefully someone skilled in this can give better advice.

 

[gwegan]

Depends on what you want. What were you attempting? A concrete pool with paint? If that's the goal then there are several products available that will allow you to skim coat the area. If done properly they turn out well.

Rapidset has several products. Cementall can be applied from a featheredge to 4 inches. Rapidset can be manipulated to control set time.

However, I strongly suggest you finish the pool with high end plaster. It covers many many sins. Results in a beautiful pool. And lasts 15 plus years.

Paint will last 3 years at best (more likely the spouse will be asking questions in year 2).

One question is whether your pool has a rebar grid in the floor and wallls and is it connected to a equapotential bonding system. If no you should put a liner it.

 

[Canada OT]

Yes I have 5/8 rebar every 8 inches in the vertical as well as horizontal.
I will look into these products you have mentioned.

 

[vermaraj]

You could remove interior foam and apply conventional plaster finish.

 

[Canada OT]

Well i have levelled/smoothed over the floor and it looks great now I'm waiting for spring to finish I will be rendering right to the styrofoam. With either Sitka 107 or sider-Crete. Leaning towards Sika unless someone can say they used sidercrete in this environment with success??

 

[duanebe]

Interesting use of ICF... I built an ICF house foundation this way so I'm familiar with the construction... but using it for a pool is unique! Looks like you poured the walls first, then the floor inside the ICF... how are the walls tied to the floor? was there a "footing" that extended out under the walls like you would do with a house foundation?

I'm late seeing this thread.... I just did my own vinyl inground this past summer and I'm in Canada too (New Brunswick). I had some smoothing issues to take care of with vermiculite and some exposed concrete... I bought a pneumatic concrete polisher with diamond pads... it makes very quick work of grinding and polishing concrete and vermiculite. I posted a thread here:

Smoothing hardened vermiculite base

 

[duanebe]

Thinking about this some more... any concern about the ICF forms compressing at deeper parts of the pool? I suppose it will depend on how thick and how structural the Sika 170 is. I'd be a little concerned that the styrofoam wouldn't hold up and your layer of Sika would crack and leak.

 

[duanebe]

Just did some Googling and the ICF manufacturers are endorsing and advertising the use of their forms for swimming pools... so I guess my question is answered. Very cool! If I had known this a year ago I might have used ICF for my pool too!

How do skimmers work? I was starting out to build a wooden walled pool for a bit and I had purchased a 3'x6'x3/16" stainless steel sheet that I was planning to use for mounting the skimmer in the wooden wall... I suppose that would work with an ICF form as well. What are your plans?