Dang... I almost feel bad for bumping this thread. I can feel the pain. I'm in PA so I definitely wont be using your pool builder.
New Build - Austin, Texas - Slide Video
- Thread starter Sparks22
- Start date
For the tile step markers (the row of tiles at the edge of steps/seats under water), are those typically installed by the plaster crew when they do the plaster, or does a different trade typically have those installed before the plaster crew comes?
The step tile should be done at the same time as the waterline tile.
Ha! The waterline tile step came and went months ago... whoops.
Thanks for the information!
TexasRain
Well-known member
- May 19, 2020
- 358
- Pool Size
- 13868
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
My PB said sometimes they wait until closer to plaster time because they are easy to get knocked off. (not everyone watches where they are walking 
) Mine got knocked of A LOT! lol
) Mine got knocked of A LOT! lol
- Sep 3, 2018
- 1,340
- Pool Size
- 17000
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
In our last pool we had 2x2 tiles set on the diamond instead of the strip of 1x1s we have now. The plaster crew set those in plaster. There weren't many of them though.
My builder installed them about a week before plaster. The waterline tile went in much earlier.My PB said sometimes they wait until closer to plaster time because they are easy to get knocked off. (not everyone watches where they are walking
Well they finally have us on the schedule to do plaster next week! With scattered thunderstorms being predicted for most of the week. We are currently scheduled for Tuesday. The weather forecast shows 30% chance of rain Monday (which we might get bumped up to), 50% chance of rain on Tuesday (current scheduled day), 60% chance of rain on Wednesday, 0% on Thursday.
The PB assures me it will be fine, but I don't trust him at all. Should I try to just push it back to Thursday or Friday when rain is out of the forecast? Or is it not a big deal like PB says?
Oh, and for the step markers PB said that they don't affix the files beforehand, they just lay them out and the plaster people plaster over them. Seems like that isn't right based on what everyone above has said.
The PB assures me it will be fine, but I don't trust him at all. Should I try to just push it back to Thursday or Friday when rain is out of the forecast? Or is it not a big deal like PB says?
Oh, and for the step markers PB said that they don't affix the files beforehand, they just lay them out and the plaster people plaster over them. Seems like that isn't right based on what everyone above has said.
- Sep 3, 2018
- 1,340
- Pool Size
- 17000
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
NO plaster if there is a chance of rain!!! Of course they may "punish" you for telling them what to do and when by pushing your plaster job back but that is MUCH better than taking the chance of it raining on the brand new plaster. It can cause streaks in the plaster and if any water collects in teh bottom of the pool it could cause a ring in the plaster that is almost impossible to get out.
The tiles should be "glued" down in some way before the plaster is put in. GURRRRRRRRRRRRr to your PB!!!
The tiles should be "glued" down in some way before the plaster is put in. GURRRRRRRRRRRRr to your PB!!!
My plaster was installed and then we got hit by a huge downpour overnight. It put 6 inches of water in my pool and spa. My plaster sub didn't think it was a big deal when I called him that night while it was raining. He said the acid wash the next day would take care of it. I disagreed, I remembered the hundreds of threads on this forum that I had read where @kimkats had told people, "don't turn off the water once you start filling or you will get a ring". So I watched the radar and when the rain was about to quit, i dropped in my sump pump in the deep end and used a shop vac for the spa and pumped out all the water I could. This was a 3am. I obviously could not get all the water out but I vacuumed up as much as I could. Everywhere there was water still left standing in the bottom of my pool the plaster is darker. Thankfully I don't have a ring around the walls. The acid wash did help a lot the next day and with brushing over the next month, I have not streaks in the pool. Only those dark spots remain, a few on sun shelf and in the deep end of the pool.
Can I use thinset to lock down the step marker tiles, or do I need a different product. Thinking about just doing it myself.
- Sep 3, 2018
- 1,340
- Pool Size
- 17000
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
They use thin set but you have to make sure to get it the right height. Little Tile Inc has videos. I watched one about setting mosaics. You might want to check to see if he has one for step trim.
So I had texted the PB and asked if I could use thinset to lay it and he said yes. Then he said, ideally you would make a flat surface with concrete first and level that out, then use thinset to hold the tiles in place. I then asked him, that sounds great, why aren't you having the masons (the ones who did our tile and stonework) do that since that sounds like what the proper thing is to do? Crickets... haven't gotten a reply since then.
On the bright side, we did find some seating cushions that worked well with the fire pit area.
sigh on the PB non answer and YEA!!! on the cushions!!! Those look awesome! Are they comfy???
Yep, very comfy! Almost fell asleep on them the first night we had them!
colleenbevans
Well-known member
That travertine is gorgeous!! Love everything about this pool-- great choice on the cushions too!
Thank you!
My PB has reluctantly agreed to have the masons come out and properly do the step tiles. Also requested to push my plaster date back to at least Friday when there is no threat of rain for the next few days after that. He is supposedly checking the schedule with the plaster crew to see if that is doable.
Glad they are doing the right thing. Our step tiles are one of the things I like best about the material choices I made. After watching some of your build I really think I should have went with travertine instead of stamped concrete.