shotcrete stairs - rebars needed?

jmassoud87

Member
May 22, 2025
6
Montreal
I was wondering, are rebars typically needed for stairs in a shotcrete pool? Or are stairs built without rebars?
This is a pool for one of my clients, and there was not rebars. Is this the norm?
 

Attachments

  • 07b8bfcb-7023-4909-ad40-c5303cd6036d.JPG
    07b8bfcb-7023-4909-ad40-c5303cd6036d.JPG
    628.9 KB · Views: 33
Not normal. Do you have pictures of the before stage? What does the rebar/structural drawings show?
I don't have any drawings, but here are some photos of the placement of rebars and the construction (the stairs were shot when the shell was already dry, not sure if this is also normal or not, I thought it should be done at the same time), and one pic of the recently demolished stairs, showing no rebars and no sort of anchoring to the walls... 0aff8555-4d5c-4c58-a181-d4f8f61726a9.JPG4bc902ee-531a-4a73-9633-5fe9b284dc94.JPGIMG_7287.JPG
 
Rebar requirements are not typical in steps, as long as the steps are located within the rebar cage of the pool.
Benches and seats located in the deep end of a pool will have rebar and the reason is that the shotcrete will now have something to hold on to in a vertical position.
thanks for your input. but shouldn't the stairs at least be anchored to the walls in some way? Also, in my case, the stairs were shot once the shell was already dry... shouldn't it be done at the same time?
 
Shotcrete can be applied at separate times, the prep work prior to the second application is very important in order for proper adhesion.
Steps inside the steel shell have no bearing on the outside envelope, when Shotcrete is stacked inside the shell rebar may be added so the product doesn’t fall.
Your steel engineering plans will show all the requirements for bar placement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jmassoud87
Shotcrete can be applied at separate times, the prep work prior to the second application is very important in order for proper adhesion.
Steps inside the steel shell have no bearing on the outside envelope, when Shotcrete is stacked inside the shell rebar may be added so the product doesn’t fall.
Your steel engineering plans will show all the requirements for bar placement.
Thank you!
 
Ideally, the stairs concrete would be shot at the same time - but two separate concrete placements are perfectly fine if done properly. I would expect this to include stair rebar doweled and epoxied into the main pool shell.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jmassoud87
The surface to be applied too must be cleaned (power washed is preferred).
An aggressively rough surface is best.
Proper hydration of the original Shotcrete (surface-saturation-dry) prior to the second application.
Ends of the application should not be feathered in, that will create weak zone.

On a side note, do not allow for the use of rebound product in the stairs.
 
Last edited:

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
The surface to be applied to must be cleaned (power washed is preferred).
An aggressively rough surface is best.
Proper hydration of the original Shotcrete (surface-saturation-dry) prior to the second application.
Ends of the application should not be feathered in, that will create weak zone.

On a side note, do not allow for the use of rebound product in the stairs.
Thank you so much!