Repair/replace cement skimmer surround?

[DryHeat99]

Hello Folks - Hope everyone is enjoying their pools during this record heat. I know I’m using mine a lot and can’t imaging life in Phoenix without it at the moment. Anyway…. I’m looking for some advice and product recommendations from the experts so that I can prevent a small problem from getting larger.

Here’s the story… my pool decking is travertine pavers. My skimmer is one row back from the pool edge. The cement surround for the skimmer is less than 1/2” in depth, and is falling apart (pic below). The adjacent pieces of travertine only have sand under them and recently starting heaving up because of a nasty black moss growing under them. Clearly the moss is enjoying water from somewhere. I paid for a leak detection and surprisingly they could not find any leaks in or around the skimmer. They offered the explanation that water may simply be splashing up from the skimmer and it just compromised the concrete over time, the pool is 8yrs old. Their suggestion was to just dig out the existing surround and re-pour it. I agree that a re-pour needs to be done, but I feel that may simply mask the problem rather than correct it. So my questions are…

1. How far out from the skimmer should the concrete pour go?
2. What product to use? Hydraulic cement? Regular cement w/ waterproofer? Mortar with waterproofer? Or does it not matter?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[Bperry]

Hello Folks - Hope everyone is enjoying their pools during this record heat. I know I’m using mine a lot and can’t imaging life in Phoenix without it at the moment. Anyway…. I’m looking for some advice and product recommendations from the experts so that I can prevent a small problem from getting larger.

Here’s the story… my pool decking is travertine pavers. My skimmer is one row back from the pool edge. The cement surround for the skimmer is less than 1/2” in depth, and is falling apart (pic below). The adjacent pieces of travertine only have sand under them and recently starting heaving up because of a nasty black moss growing under them. Clearly the moss is enjoying water from somewhere. I paid for a leak detection and surprisingly they could not find any leaks in or around the skimmer. They offered the explanation that water may simply be splashing up from the skimmer and it just compromised the concrete over time, the pool is 8yrs old. Their suggestion was to just dig out the existing surround and re-pour it. I agree that a re-pour needs to be done, but I feel that may simply mask the problem rather than correct it. So my questions are…

1. How far out from the skimmer should the concrete pour go?
2. What product to use? Hydraulic cement? Regular cement w/ waterproofer? Mortar with waterproofer? Or does it not matter?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

View attachment 521244

The concrete around the skimmer should be structural and solidly connected to the pool shell. Are you sure it’s only 1/2” thick?

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

This is a picture of a typical skimmer prior to Shotcrete, the amount of material around the skimmer is significant.

 

[DryHeat99]

The concrete around the skimmer should be structural and solidly connected to the pool shell. Are you sure it’s only 1/2” thick?

Yes, those cracked pieces of cement around the top of skimmer can be pulled out easily, they are really thin, and there is sand under it. The adjoining travertine tiles are set in compacted sand as well. I know there must be structural concrete deeper down around the skimmer housing, and the sand layer on top is there for setting the travertine tiles. I’m just not sure what this now broken up 16”x16”x1/2” piece of cement surrounding the top of the skimmer is supposed to accomplish. Is it mean to contain or direct moisture, distribute the weight of the skimmer lid (travertine tile), or just help it to sit flat? In any case, just trying to figure out if I need to remake it larger, and what to make it out of.

 

[Bperry]

Yes, those cracked pieces of cement around the top of skimmer can be pulled out easily, they are really thin, and there is sand under it. The adjoining travertine tiles are set in compacted sand as well. I know there must be structural concrete deeper down around the skimmer housing, and the sand layer on top is there for setting the travertine tiles. I’m just not sure what this now broken up 16”x16”x1/2” piece of cement surrounding the top of the skimmer is supposed to accomplish. Is it mean to contain or direct moisture, distribute the weight of the skimmer lid (travertine tile), or just help it to sit flat? In any case, just trying to figure out if I need to remake it larger, and what to make it out of.

I think I take it out and make sure that there’s only an inch of sand underneath it. It’s not doing anything now.