Shotcrete Concerns

[chicky]

Hello everyone,

I was reading the forum and found the information here helpful! I am looking for some advice regarding my pool currently under construction. Let me give a little background.

I had shotcrete applied 5 days ago. As they were finishing up the application, it started to rain and rained steadily for the next 12 hours. I think we got close to half an inch, this is a lot of rain for Las Vegas! The next morning, I saw a white layer on most of the pool shell. Thanks to this forum and the internet, I believe this to be calcium carbonate that made its way through the shell or perhaps Efflorenscence. This was was concerning to me, so I sent an image to my contractor and he said it was because of the rain and was normal.

I have been watering down the shell as required (3-4 times a day). As a few days have passed I am becoming concerned that the rain may have caused the shotcrete to not cure properly and/or the shotcrete was poorly applied.

Here are a list of my concerns:
The fact that it rained during the most important part of the curing process.
The white player on the surface.
The texture of the shell. It seems pretty rough, rougher than I would have thought it should be. I am no expert here, but understand that shotcrete should be the texture of an orange peel. The texture of my shotcrete is definitely much, much rougher.
I have some weepers and moisture around most of the plumbing pipes.
There are signs of rebound being used to finish off raised beams.

See some images below:

Rough texture on spa wall:


White residue after application


Weepers and wet spots



I would appreciate some help in understanding if these concerns are valid and what the next course of action should be.

Thanks!

 

[Bperry]

Hello everyone,

I was reading the forum and found the information here helpful! I am looking for some advice regarding my pool currently under construction. Let me give a little background.

I had shotcrete applied 5 days ago. As they were finishing up the application, it started to rain and rained steadily for the next 12 hours. I think we got close to half an inch, this is a lot of rain for Las Vegas! The next morning, I saw a white layer on most of the pool shell. Thanks to this forum and the internet, I believe this to be calcium carbonate that made its way through the shell or perhaps Efflorenscence. This was was concerning to me, so I sent an image to my contractor and he said it was because of the rain and was normal.

I have been watering down the shell as required (3-4 times a day). As a few days have passed I am becoming concerned that the rain may have caused the shotcrete to not cure properly and/or the shotcrete was poorly applied.

Here are a list of my concerns:
The fact that it rained during the most important part of the curing process.
The white player on the surface.
The texture of the shell. It seems pretty rough, rougher than I would have thought it should be. I am no expert here, but understand that shotcrete should be the texture of an orange peel. The texture of my shotcrete is definitely much, much rougher.
I have some weepers and moisture around most of the plumbing pipes.
There are signs of rebound being used to finish off raised beams.

See some images below:

Rough texture on spa wall:
View attachment 644612View attachment 644614View attachment 644615View attachment 644618View attachment 644619

White residue after application
View attachment 644620

Weepers and wet spots

View attachment 644624View attachment 644627View attachment 644628

I would appreciate some help in understanding if these concerns are valid and what the next course of action should be.

Thanks!

It all looks pretty normal. The texture isn’t a concern. The only potential spot to look at is the deepest part that may have collected water during the rain and stayed underwater for a long time but it’s probably fine. If nothing shifted or caved in, it sounds like you have nothing to be concerned about. Maybe some other opinions will pop up here though.

 

[ajw22]

There is nothing there to be concerned about.

The white film is not a problem.

The rain did not affect the curing. If anything, it helped.

The roughness is typical for a B-quality job. It's not the best, but roughness is actually better for plaster to adhere to.

Your builder should plug up any weeping areas with hydraulic cement before plaster.

Use of rebound is a concern and is typical of a B- job. It is too late now to do anything about it.

 

[chicky]

Thank you for the responses!