In the middle of a pool build. Just had my deck poured and noticed this embedded trim. I have a few pieces butted up next to each other and then several other places with varying gaps up to 1/4 inch space. Any thoughts? and what is the purpose of these pieces. Are they permanent? I'm starting to fall out of love with my poolbuilder of late and looking for some opinions as I feel I am starting to get the run around with varying issues. Thanks.
pool trim between tile and coping?
- Thread starter tony75
- Start date
Just wanted to bump up, Can anyone please look at their pool and see if they are consistently tight up to one another or not? Builder just said it was used to close the gap for possible coping movement instead of a grout line that could crack and that it is hard to get them close together. He said they are installed blindly behind some foam forms??
Am I being too particular?
Am I being too particular?
I actually have caulk and not trim but it is separating of course... I'm honestly not sure how critical it is but tomorrow and it's late I'll try to take some pictures for you if it helps
Attached are a few pictures
An overview and then you can see where it's starting to fail.
Not sure if this helps you but this gives you an idea of what mine looks like
An overview and then you can see where it's starting to fail.
Not sure if this helps you but this gives you an idea of what mine looks like
sktn77a
Gold Supporter
I have gaps the same size as yours. Don't like it (my strip is white so it shows up worse). I'm going to caulk or paint the gap when I get around to it. Yes, as far as I am aware, these are permanent.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I am confused as to what tony75'a pic is showing. Are we looking at the vertical pool wall with the tile line above the water where it interfaces with the coping?
Because pouring the deck in mentioned. There is caulking or deck-o-seal that is installed on the horizontal surface between the deck and the coping. It looks like toofast posted pics showing his flexible caulking between his coping and deck.
Because pouring the deck in mentioned. There is caulking or deck-o-seal that is installed on the horizontal surface between the deck and the coping. It looks like toofast posted pics showing his flexible caulking between his coping and deck.
Here is the widest gap I have in mine, and looks like they filled it with grout or cement. The others are closer together, like your second pic, but also have grout in them.
I think it's normal, I had never really noticed.
- - - Updated - - -
Yes it's the vertical wall, between the waterline tile and the cement decking. I don't have coping on mine, the deck just goes right up to the pool.
I think it's normal, I had never really noticed.
- - - Updated - - -
Yes it's the vertical wall, between the waterline tile and the cement decking. I don't have coping on mine, the deck just goes right up to the pool.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I think the fact that you don't have coping and the deck is poured right up to the pool is the reason you need that trim strip. I think you need an open joint for the pool to move separately from the deck.
With coping stones the tile to coping interface is grouted. Flexible pool caulk is used between the coping and the deck to allow them to move independently.
Maybe something like that... But that cement decking is sitting directly on top of a foot wide gunite wall. The pool is not going to move independently. Just guessing, maybe someone here knows the answer, but I'm thinking when they pour the cement into the forms, there is not a real clean edge between the waterline tile and the cement, so that covers it, and maybe also holds in the wet cement along that line.
- - - Updated - - -
Here are the forms they use for this.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Do you know if they tied the rebar in the deck to the rebar in the pool? If not, they are independent slabs to deal with the ground shifting over time.
That is the purpose of the flexible pool deck caulk. Without it the ground shifting causes cracked coping.
No they do not... And looking at my pic, there is sand between the gunite and the cement that is about to be poured.
So this brings up the question sort of related.... not trying to hijack the thread but seems like it makes sense.
Do I need to worry about the gaps and do I need to refill the caulk some how.
Or will I continually get minor shifting and us it's always going to crack and it's more just visual Aesthetics versus trying to prevent any sort of water in the freeze-thaw cycle..
Do I need to worry about the gaps and do I need to refill the caulk some how.
Or will I continually get minor shifting and us it's always going to crack and it's more just visual Aesthetics versus trying to prevent any sort of water in the freeze-thaw cycle..
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,343
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
From Expansion Joint Caulking Around Inground Swimming Pools
How often is Pool Caulking Needed?
Replace or repair caulking when it cracks or pulls away from either side, or has become deteriorated. Most good caulking jobs can last 5 years, more or less. It can be one of the more frequent repair jobs done around a pool, and also one of the most important. Pool caulk can be patched or repaired in small areas that pull away from the coping or deck, or if holes open up in certain areas, but eventually, it will need to be cut out and replaced, every 5-10 years.
What you're looking at is the cove strip which is installed with the deck form. It acts as a waterstop between top of tile and bottom of deck. The reason for the sand on bond beam is so the deck can move without cracking tile and any mud cap tile installers used to level bond beam. A good installation should have a minimal gap between strips
Thanks for all the replies. He said it was to not grout the top of the water tile and to cover any movement between pool and deck.