Rusted out steel coping

[Orion7319]

This is where I’m confused. My coping does not have a track under that I can see. See photo please

The track is where the liner gets tucked in as it’s what hangs the liner. Last year I had to replace our liner as well as the fiberglass steps because they were busted. We replaced the steps with plastic steps that were more of an oval shape that better matched the oval shape of the pool. They had to alter the radius of the pool coping in that area and added new coping pieces and were able to tie it in. Point is that you should ask the company that is changing out the liner about it. They can probably fix it if they can find that exact coping.

 

[Sheltont]

The track is where the liner gets tucked in as it’s what hangs the liner. Last year I had to replace our liner as well as the fiberglass steps because they were busted. We replaced the steps with plastic steps that were more of an oval shape that better matched the oval shape of the pool. They had to alter the radius of the pool coping in that area and added new coping pieces and were able to tie it in. Point is that you should ask the company that is changing out the liner about it. They can probably fix it if they can find that exact coping.

Thank you for the info. The pool company told me they do not make steel coping any longer unfortunately.

 

[JamesW]

The track is hard to see when the liner bead is inserted.

 

[Sheltont]

You can buy aluminum used for flashing where one side is white. Cut and bend it around a form and you got it.

Looking again at the first picture is telling me another story. That white clip is to cover the gap between two lengths of what seems to be covering the track where the liner gets wedged into. When they change the liner I think all that needs to come off. The rust is on the cover of those tracks for the liner. Nothing needs to be welded. I think new covers are all that is need. Correct me if I'm wrong please.

See this photo please. It shows a little bit of what may be behind. I have no clue what I’m looking at.

 

[wireform]

If you look at post #35 the top picture is similar to what you have. The the flat portion is what you see in your pool. the part you don't see in your pool is in that picture has a groove at the very bottom where the bead of the liner gets tucked in

 

[Sheltont]

The track is hard to see when the liner bead is inserted.

Okay, I see now. Thanks, that explains why I cannot see the bottom piece.

 

[Orion7319]

Thank you for the info. The pool company told me they do not make steel coping any longer unfortunately.

I would think it’s a pretty standard profile. I wouldn’t be surprised if you can’t find it in steel. I would be surprised however if you can’t find the coping with the same shape in aluminum.

 

[Sheltont]

If you look at post #35 the top picture is similar to what you have. The the flat portion is what you see in your pool. the part you don't see in your pool is in that picture has a groove at the very bottom where the bead of the liner gets tucked in

Got it! I understand now, after seeing the video posted.

 

[jimmythegreek]

What i noticed is that is the originalmetal coping track...... Somebody installed coping amd a deck above the original concrete deck. That's a no no trying to save some bucks on demo. The metal coping underneath is tied into the concrete deck under what you see now. That will be a nightmare to change out and messy. Gotta get creative amd find something to just install over all of it amd hide it leaving just the liner notch exposed.
That's old coping they used aluminum mainly I've only seen steel on a few 80s era pools

 

[Sheltont]

What i noticed is that is the originalmetal coping track...... Somebody installed coping amd a deck above the original concrete deck. That's a no no trying to save some bucks on demo. The metal coping underneath is tied into the concrete deck under what you see now. That will be a nightmare to change out and messy. Gotta get creative amd find something to just install over all of it amd hide it leaving just the liner notch exposed.
That's old coping they used aluminum mainly I've only seen steel on a few 80s era pools

Okay, thanks. This is very overwhelming not knowing anything about pools. Where do you see the original coping track? So I can better understand what I’m dealing with.

 

[Orion7319]

What i noticed is that is the originalmetal coping track...... Somebody installed coping amd a deck above the original concrete deck. That's a no no trying to save some bucks on demo. The metal coping underneath is tied into the concrete deck under what you see now. That will be a nightmare to change out and messy. Gotta get creative amd find something to just install over all of it amd hide it leaving just the liner notch exposed.
That's old coping they used aluminum mainly I've only seen steel on a few 80s era pools

Looks to me like someone simply added coping stones on top of the original deck in a thick mortar bed. Shouldn’t be all that difficult to repair if the coping stones are easy to remove and they can find the same profile aluminum coping.

 

[Orion7319]

Okay, thanks. This is very overwhelming not knowing anything about pools. Where do you see the original coping track? So I can better understand what I’m dealing with.

If it was my pool , I would start calling companies to give me a quote to replace the liner and to repair the metal coping where the spots are rusted.

 

[Sheltont]

If you can find the correct coping, remove the pavers over the bad spot and cut out the bad coping.

Insert the new coping and secure it. Redo the pavers.

Put clips or Bondo the gaps and repaint.

I removed one paver and it is concrete under.

 

[JamesW]

I removed one paver and it is concrete under.

You will probably have to cut down all the way through the coping down to the wall and install a new piece of coping.

If you can't find the exact coping, you can probably use some Bondo filler to make up the difference.

 

[Orion7319]

I removed one paver and it is concrete under.

If the pavers come up easily, without breaking them that would be good. The steel coping is secured around the pool with concrete. I’m thinking all that needs to be done is cut out the bad sections of steel coping. Remove the pavers over the bad section. Cut and bust out the concrete that was under the pavers and securing the coping at the sections of the rusted coping. Insert new aluminum coping in the bad sections. Secure new coping sections with fresh concrete in those sections. Replace pavers with fresh mortar in those sections. This is all work that a pool company that can replace a liner should be able to do. I wouldn’t think the extra cost should be astronomical. As I stated previously I had to have my pool steps replaced and my liner replaced last year. They had to cut the steps out, bust up all the concrete around the steps. Dig out by hand about 4ft of mud around the steps. Rip out the steps, break out a two ft thick concrete footing they discovered under the steps with a Jack hammer. Install the steps, back fill with stones and mud by hand. Modify the pool radius around the steps with new coping and then pour 10 to 12 bags of new concrete around the steps. The steps cost me $4,000 for all that manual labor and the cost of the steps. The liner cost me $6,000. What your looking at having done is not nearly as big a job as replacing the pool steps. I don’t think it’s going to be as expensive as what you probably think it will be.

 

[jimmythegreek]

The liner hooks into the bottom of the white section that's rusted. They installed a new deck over the old one. That steel coping is old amd its rusting. That's what likely is going in with the steel walls behind that liner. Could be a can of worms not trying to scare you. It's easier said than done to pop off all the coping and not damage any. For a cheap fix some filler amd bondso after cleaning up what's rusted and then a paint job is a good idea as James suggested

 

[Orion7319]

The liner hooks into the bottom of the white section that's rusted. They installed a new deck over the old one. That steel coping is old amd its rusting. That's what likely is going in with the steel walls behind that liner. Could be a can of worms not trying to scare you. It's easier said than done to pop off all the coping and not damage any. For a cheap fix some filler amd bondso after cleaning up what's rusted and then a paint job is a good idea as James suggested

I guess I’m not seeing what your seeing. I can’t tell that they installed a new deck over an existing one. Grinding out the rust and filling it with bondo or pool putty epoxy is an easy fix. Hopefully the OP has polymer walls. Easy enough to find out just take a magnet and see if it sticks. They were using polymer walls during that time period as my pool was constructed in the 70’s and we were lucky enough that it was constructed out of polymer. We converted it to salt water and I’m not sure we would have gone that route if it had galvanized steel walls. How bad can the corrosion get with steel walls and what gauge of steel is typically used?

 

[Sheltont]

I guess I’m not seeing what your seeing. I can’t tell that they installed a new deck over an existing one. Grinding out the rust and filling it with bondo or pool putty epoxy is an easy fix. Hopefully the OP has polymer walls. Easy enough to find out just take a magnet and see if it sticks. They were using polymer walls during that time period as my pool was constructed in the 70’s and we were lucky enough that it was constructed out of polymer. We converted it to salt water and I’m not sure we would have gone that route if it had galvanized steel walls. How bad can the corrosion get with steel walls and what gauge of steel is typically used?

I just had a pool guy out, and he said he can grind down, fill in, replace clips and paint. But now I’m concerned if there is damage to the walls??? I stuck and magnet and it stuck. Good or bad?

 

[Sheltont]

I just had a pool guy out, and he said he can grind down, fill in, replace clips and paint. But now I’m concerned if there is damage to the walls??? I stuck and magnet and it stuck. Good or bad?

Also, the current liner was replaced about 8 years ago. So I’m praying no damage to the walls.

 

[Orion7319]

I just had a pool guy out, and he said he can grind down, fill in, replace clips and paint. But now I’m concerned if there is damage to the walls??? I stuck and magnet and it stuck. Good or bad?

The magnet just means that the pool structure is steel. Mine is plastic so I really don’t know how prone to serious rusting a steel walled pool actually is. I think it’s not uncommon for some minor surface rust, but I have heard of people who have salt pools and steel walls having serious rust issues. When they pull that liner off you will know for sure. Your steel coping rusted away at the joints. Most likely it was galvanized steel which is basically a protective zinc coating that the steel has been dipped in to stop rust. The installer probably cut those pieces which would have taken off the zinc coating at the cuts which would have left those steel coping pieces vulnerable to rust. Hopefully your pool structure is fine.

Edit: I would just make sure that the contractor spray a bit of metal primer spray paint on the freshly cut metal before filling and painting the coping. This will help prevent it from rusting again.