Reviving out of service pool: FG & deck Refresh

good job on this, what a massive amount of work! I think I started reading last year, then got busy over winter and just now finished catching up. amazing. I totally relate to rural DYI and being a woman of a certain age (perfection, in other words 😉) - and your sense of humor.

be careful on ladders and roofs when you start the solar. I give my family heart attacks sometimes.🤣
 
be careful on ladders and roofs when you start the solar. I give my family heart attacks sometimes.🤣
Solar panels will probably be deferred to next year. Right now I'm able to maintain 86°-88° water temp heaven with just the solar cover on at night. Pool will be drained in late Oct & a new gel coat applied, so not much incentive for heat then.

Currently attempting to remove a chinaberry volunteer tree in the irrigation pipe area next to the pool equipment. Dang thing sprouted when I was sidelined with the herniated disc and wasn't able to deal with it. A real pain because its roots are right over the irrigation pipes which are on top of the pipes running to/from the future solar panels. Pic doesn't show how tight of a work area it is, but almost can't use any power tools 'cause they're too long.
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So I'm mostly in a pretzel position and using a hammer on a hatchet for an hour in the early AM every day. Thank goodness I can strip down after that and unkink in the pool. :snorkle:
 
oh yeah we have those, mostly wild ones and they are kind of cool in their adaptations. be greatful it isn't Tree of Heaven! been fighting those for most of my life. if you don't stay on top of them you have a tropical looking jungle in no time. pretty to look at and nice shade, but invasive, destructive, and stinky.

was there a leak there too, that helped it along? have had pipes completely plugged with mesquite roots from 50 feet away. thank the gods for pvc. just imagine doing all that with galvanized pipe.
 
was there a leak there too, that helped it along?
Yep.
Oh, dear girl! It looks like you have been hacking at it with a hand saw. Cut that thing low with a chain saw and put some root killer on it. The come back next year and pull it out.
Recip saw where I can, but mostly hitting back of a hatchet with a hammer - like a big chisel. Like I said, most power tools are too big to position for useful cuts because of the location of the walls, pipes, rocks, and concrete. Tree is flush against rock wall, so using a chainsaw would be difficult for low cuts. Left some of the trunks with the hope that I may be able to use them as levers to free roots.

Goal is to expose the irrigation pvc so I can cobble something back together mostly "for real" instead of using the gray hose with a ball valve now in use to connect existing sections. Otherwise I'd be content to use Round Up and wait until next year.
 
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The next phase begins. Had tree trimmers here a few weeks ago to take care of dead branches that were over the pool. Today the pool guys started.
This morning at 11:00:
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At 2:00 PM:
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Told the head guy that I'd noticed a crack in the skimmer that wasn't leaking. Looks like the skimmer as well as the light niche are going to be replaced.
 

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Those horizontal supports seem insufficient.

If there is any significant inward pressure, the braces are too focused and the fiberglass is likely to crack.

You want the force spread over as much area as possible.

What is the ground water situation?
 
Probably not a problem here - lots of limestone & not much dirt. Last time I had pool resurfaced, don't remember the contractor even using this much reinforcement. :LOL: These pool guys specialize in fiberglass and are based in TX with lots of experience in my area, so they should know what's safe 'cause they have to fix it out of their pocket if there's damage. Same ones that did the side patches last year.
 
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Pool prep: Roughing up existing gel coat with sander
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Sweep, rinse then acid wash. Main is plugged, 2 gal of Muriatic acid is added to a little water. and then pumped to hose from a sump pump.
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Begin power washing pool deck
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I got cold and came in. Still going on although starting to get dark. Concrete fill for deck cutouts for pool light niche and skimmer replacements supposed to happen today too... I bet all planned for today doesn't get done. :rolleyes: IMO, no big deal. Supposed to be back tomorrow for gel coat.
 
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Nice to see you wrapping this up finally!!
So true! We did get to use the pool almost daily all summer and found a skimmer crack that wasn't leaking. Everything else worked out just great. Sure glad I knew every nook and cranny of the equipment to prevent damage during the TX Feb freeze. Anyhow, good time to replace the old, brittle skimmer now. Will have to learn how a weir door works. :LOL:

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Nozzle broke on the pressure washer before the KoolDeck cleaning was done, but huge change. Almost forgot what it had looked like without embedded dirt. :rolleyes:
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Today started by sealing the skimmer and light niche to the pool with fiberglass.
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Repairs to the bottom of cantilever edge:
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Filling in where KoolDeck had been broken by a fallen tree branch.
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They had planned to put on the gel coat today, but someone forgot to tell the crew that the top step was to be raised 2" to make it easier for hubby to get in/out of the pool. At least I caught it before they started. They'll be back Mon.
 
Monday, 11/15

2" step extension formed by screwing bender board onto existing step then filling with Rapid Set concrete. After it set, was sanded.
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Prep for new, to-code main drain cover.
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More repairs to cantilever edge.
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Grind down deck patch.
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Apply KoolDeck texture to cantilever edge.
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Apply texture to deck patches.
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Tuesday, 11/16

Paint cantilever edge
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Repair expansion joint strips
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Put fiberglass over step extension
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Sand pool surface again
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Power wash surrounding deck. Why did we not know to do this? Boy do the rock pillars look dirty now. Gonna have to get new skills to clean them. :LOL:
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Putting on the gel coat. Didn't think this was going to happen 'cause was very windy and leaves everywhere, but just as prep ended, wind decreased just long enough :)
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First coat of deck paint
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