Salt water ate my tile grout-repair suggestions?

[Exlonghorn]

About a year after installing my salt water chlorine generator, all the tiles around my spa began coming loose, and it looks like the grout between and adhesive under the tiles has largely been eaten away. All of the stone around the top has also become loose because of the grout and adhesive being eroded. Are there recommendations on types or brands of grout that will survive a salt pool, and will keep these tiles in place? I picked up the two Pool Patch products, but don’t know if they’ll survive in salt water or if I’ll have the same problem down the road

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Salt water had nothing to do with that. That’s a very poor tile installation job. There’s almost no thinset adhesive on the back of that tile. It was either improperly installed (unskilled labor not knowing how to properly tile) or the wrong thinset was used (there’s versions that are designed for continuous submersion). My guess is it’s a combination of the two. It wouldn’t matter if it was a saltwater pool or a manually chlorinated pool. That tile needs renovation work - removal and replacement with proper materials and craftsmanship.

 

[Exlonghorn]

Salt water had nothing to do with that. That’s a very poor tile installation job. There’s almost no thinset adhesive on the back of that tile. It was either improperly installed (unskilled labor not knowing how to properly tile) or the wrong thinset was used (there’s versions that are designed for continuous submersion). My guess is it’s a combination of the two. It wouldn’t matter if it was a saltwater pool or a manually chlorinated pool. That tile needs renovation work - removal and replacement with proper materials and craftsmanship.

I agree with you on the poor craftsmanship. The only reason that I say the saltwater may be a contributing factor is because the pool was in operation for 10 years before those tiles came loose, and they all came loose one year after putting in the salt water chlorine generator. I agree that could be correlation versus causation. I guess the bigger priority is the repair. I’m wondering if it’s either type S mortar, or the stuff in the cans that I attached.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

No. S mortar is not rated for continuous submersion. Those tiles need to be set using the correct adhesive - look at the Laticrete website for the proper adhesive. After they are set then you can grout them with pool patch grout. It’s not going to match color-wise though. Only a full retile of that spa overflow would look consistent.

 

[Exlonghorn]

No. S mortar is not rated for continuous submersion. Those tiles need to be set using the correct adhesive - look at the Laticrete website for the proper adhesive. After they are set then you can grout them with pool patch grout. It’s not going to match color-wise though. Only a full retile of that spa overflow would look consistent.

Thanks I’ll check that out

 

[Exlonghorn]

Settled on Laticrete 254

Laticrete 254 Platinum White | Floor and Decor

Laticrete 254 Platinum White is a premium one-step, polymer-fortified, thin-set mortar that provides unsurpassed strength and versatility. Ideal for interior, exteri

www.flooranddecor.com

 

[Exlonghorn]

Completed the repair. The Laticrete 254 mortar appears to be giving a very strong hold. Used epoxy grout to finish it off.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Completed the repair. The Laticrete 254 mortar appears to be giving a very strong hold. Used epoxy grout to finish it off.

Very nice!! Laticrete products are top-shelf and those pro’s that value their work always use them even though they can get cheaper stuff that will allow them to walk away blameless even though they know what they placed won’t go the distance. And epoxy grout is the bomb for pool tile. My bet is the rest of the spa will crumble and fall apart before any of the tile you just fixed does ….

… just don’t blame the salt water

 

[red-beard]

Completed the repair. The Laticrete 254 mortar appears to be giving a very strong hold. Used epoxy grout to finish it off.

When I have my pool coping and tile re-done, I will insist on epoxy grout!

 

[Exlonghorn]

Fixed. Laticrete 254 mortar to set the tiles. Pool Patch grout repair. Very solid after a week

 

[Exlonghorn]

Very nice!! Laticrete products are top-shelf and those pro’s that value their work always use them even though they can get cheaper stuff that will allow them to walk away blameless even though they know what they placed won’t go the distance. And epoxy grout is the bomb for pool tile. My bet is the rest of the spa will crumble and fall apart before any of the tile you just fixed does ….

… just don’t blame the salt water

Thanks. I love learning on here. And you’re right, salt water was correlated but not causation. Thanks for the guidance.