Is This Rebar OK for Gunite?

[crabking]

We are currently building a pool in DFW.

While waiting for gunite, we had cave-ins / soli movements / wall collapse. The builder sent a team to dig the mud out. But now I noticed the rebar cage got pushed by cave-ins and some rebar got bent/shifted (as shown in pictures).

The builder insisted it will not compromise the longevity of the pool and scheduled gunite this week.

As this is our first time building a pool, I wanted to check here to see if rebar like this will cause any issues in the future?

Thanks for any information!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

It really wouldn’t take much effort to move the rebar and re-set it to its proper on-center distances. You could make the request that the builder have his rebar sub come back and clean up the damage but that might incur more cost (which you could have to pay) and/or delay shotcrete. Delays are really bad right now and you could be pushed off for weeks by canceling last minute.

In the end, it may not make a huge difference and if your pool builder is willing to stake his warranty on it then I’d at least get it in writing that it’s ok.

 

[HermanTX]

As a general rule, the rebar should be in the middle of the gunite shell. So generally you have about 6 inches on bottom and maybe 8 inches on walls of gunite thickness. Just ensure that the rebar is still able to be positioned in the middle of the gunite. They should have spacers (about 3 inches) under your rebar on the floor of your pool to lift it off the ground to be positioned properly when they apply gunite.
It is hard to see in your pictures but you do not want rebar protruding outwards into the pool and not able to be properly covered by gunite.
you could have the contractor who applied the rebar come back out to review - not sure if that will delay your gunite timing.

 

[tommelton]

Our shotcrete crew had to place the second light niche so they had to move a piece of rebar to install it. They also tweaked a piece of rebar where the umbrella sleeve was going to go.

Ask the gunite crew to put that back into normal place for you. I know on ours, they also had to muck out the bottom a little (remove mud) in a few places. So at least on our build - that crew does work other than simply shooting and sculpting the gunite.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Here’s what it should look like

 

[jimmythegreek]

That rebar should all be on chairs as seen in the pic above. Rebar in the outer edge of a concrete shoot does nothing but weaken the gunite

 

[wireform]

Like a friend of mine several years back complaining his radiant driveway never really worked as imagined. I recommended a tech to check it out. The short of it was the flow wasn't good and the pex undersized along with several loops being cracked as it wasn't holding pressure. They ended up with a new install to get it right but when they removed the concrete the pex was laying on the ground and never ended up being in mid slab. They had no chairs and no insulation in the first install. Now the snow hasn't got a chance.