Plaster Cracking

[joesc230]

Hi all,

I opened my pool for the season and noticed that there are many long, hairline cracks developing in the area of my spa where the bench meets the wall. I've attached a pic so you can see what I mean.

I follow the TFP methods and (at least think that I) really take care of the pool and water well. What would cause an issue like this? The PB warranty only covers the plaster for the first 3 years, and I'm at about 3.5 years now, so that's my luck.

I don't care if it's just a cosmetic thing (unless it starts getting worse and worse) . I know that I now have to be extra careful about algae buildup in those cracks, but other than that, can this cause any sort of major issues if left as is? Is fixing it a possibility? I was thinking that since it's in the spa area, it's easy to drain it down (for repairs) if necessary, but don't want to go overboard if not necessary.

 

[ajw22]

Diagnosing Pool Plaster Problems

Plaster Discolorations – New white pool plaster can discolor (darken or turn gray) from adding excessive calcium chloride set accelerator, from late hard troweling, from thin and thick areas due to an uneven shell, etc. Gray (or grey) mottled discoloration (also known as “water entrapment” or...

www.troublefreepool.com

You can lower the water and patch the crack with E-Z Patch® 1 White or Colored Pool Plaster Repair - E-Z Patch

 

[joesc230]

Thanks for the info! I took a look, and I'm pretty handy, but chipping down the plaster myself makes me worried. The cracks are very thin, but probably about a third of the circumference of the spa bench has the cracking. I have a feeling a pool renovation company won't want a job this small, so I might have to do it myself. I might reach out to the PB and see if they'd send someone but they were really terrible in many areas, so I don't have high hopes.

 

[kimkats]

I will tell you that so long as you are not losing water I would not bother with it. I am going to share a pic from a spa that a member had patched. He says he wishes he had left it alone. You can see why.