New Pool Coping Question

[kleinmk]

I have a 75 year old IG pool that has a concrete pool deck about 50 years old that is in sad shape and desperately needs to be replaced. Going to have a pool concrete guy install the pool deck. However, the existing pool deck had a pour straight up to the edge of the pool. Throughout the years, it has cracked and has cracks that go straight to the edge of the pool. I want to put in some coping around the pool both for looks, but also in case of future repairs.

My plan is to put the pool coping in myself. My thought is that if I ever need to repair it, I can easily do that myself and still retain the overall look of the pool coping and deck being separate.

I have read that there is some sort of plastic that is typically laid down on the edge of the pool wall these days and then the pool coping is mortared into place on top of that. I believe that is to allow for movement and shifting over the years of the concrete and / or pool coping. If so, what is that material called and where do I get it from?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[ajw22]

I have read that there is some sort of plastic that is typically laid down on the edge of the pool wall these days and then the pool coping is mortared into place on top of that. I believe that is to allow for movement and shifting over the years of the concrete and / or pool coping. If so, what is that material called and where do I get it from?

Kevin, I don’t know about a plastic material. Typically there is an expansion joint between the coping and deck that is filled with a foam backing and DECK-O-SEAL - Polysulfide-Based Joint Sealant

Pool Expansion Joint

• ajw22
• Jan 25, 2019

 

[kleinmk]

Thanks Allen. Right, I am aware of the expansion joint and the backer rod foam that goes under the joint sealant. What I am referring to is under the coping itself. Is the coping supposed to be mortared to the top of the pool wall or is it supposed to float on some material of some sort? So in your pic - directly under the coping.

Thanks!

 

[RoyR]

The "plastic" is only for cantilevered pool coping - so that it can slide on the BB.....

 

[kleinmk]

OK - so to be clear then, for a concrete pool, the pool coping should be mortared directly onto the top of the pool wall, correct? So assuming this was done 50 some years ago, does that mean that once the existing concrete pool deck is removed, I can potentially have damage done to the top of the pool wall if it does not separate from each other cleanly? Also, does that mean that I will need to grind the pool wall top clean to remove as much of the old mortar as possible?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[jimmythegreek]

Usually ita mortared to the top of pool wall or bond beam. Depending how ur pool is finished on inside w tile or plaster is gonna dictate how u proceed. Best way is to cut the concrete near the edge and have it removed so no damage to coping if ita part of deck. Then cut a section and chip it out and see what ur up against every pool is built different especially many years ago might be a totally non standard setup

 

[kleinmk]

OK, thanks. I have tiles that go around and also need to be replaced. You can see a good shot of the pool deck after a section of it fell off last summer. I also had refinished it with epoxy pool paint this past year. If you zoom in on the picture, you can get a good view of the pool deck that currently goes right up to the edge. This pic shows a good cross section of what is there today. So based on comments, it appears as if this was probably mortared right to the top of the pool wall.

Dropbox - 20170925_182729.jpg

So based on my research, most concrete pool coping products are flat on the bottom. As the pic indicates, I probably have a slight "lip" over the wall unless that is additional mortar. But I do not believe it is. That said, won't I have problems installing a flat pool coping product?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[PoolguyinCT]

That’s a common poured 1960s pool, the particular wall form used package is the giveaway.

That pool won’t have what is considered a beam.
It’s strength comes from being overbuilt.
The setting bed can go directly on solid material after the perimeter treatment is removed.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Sounds like OP is a “slip sheet.” A thin plastic sheet to decouple poured cantilever from pool walls, SS are only used with poured cantilever.

Slip sheets are not used with cast coping, stone or brick.

To make a short story longer, if the coping comes off a pallet or truck - no slip sheet.

 

[kleinmk]

OK, thanks PoolguyinCT. So will I have to level the pool wall top before installing the new pool coping then?

I am not sure how thick the pool wall is (can't tell from my pic of the piece that had fallen off last year). To fix that piece, I simply put some mortar on the bottom of the piece and put it back for now so it was safe for the kids.

 

[jimmythegreek]

Ur gonna level it as you set it. Do the demo and clean and chip anything loose. U dont want dust or fines in between ur mud and the pool walls. I would shoot grade a transit or lazer to see if its level or where high spot is and work around from there and add mud as needed to keep the coping the same height. U may be able to cut the demo down by overlaying the existing concrete w tile or reno pavers and just replace the coping. Would cut alot of work and cost out of it especially if ur planning on DIY this