I had a liner pool converted to a shotcrete/stonescape pool and it has been fully completed for about 8 weeks now. My wife and I chose stonescape mini tropic with Puerto Rican blend and added black stone to darken it up a bit. We brushed twice a day religiously for at least the fist month. Took water samples in every few days and besides having to constantly add muriatic acid to keep PH at bay everything remained balanced. Our pool builder recommended we wait 6 weeks to add both salt and use any kind of robot vacuum so we did. Now nearly every time I run the dolphin it gets a little bit of stone or plaster bits in the basket. At first I wasn't to worried because its usually just a little bit in the corner of the basket and I thought maybe it was just settled debris. However, last night the vacuum had a dime size chunk of plaster/shotcrete in the basket. I got worried so I got in the pool to try and see where it had come from. For various reasons this in only the second time I myself have been in the pool and the first time it wasn't for more than 10 mins. I did not find where the chunk came from but did notice something else. In a lot of places I stepped it felt like there was a void or air in between the stonescape and the shotcrete. I'm not sure if its even possible but this is leading me to believe that the plaster didn't completely bond with the concrete. So my questions are this.. is it normal at all to still be getting stones and other plaster debris in my dolphin almost every time I run it after 8 weeks of curing? Also is it possible the stonescape didn't bond with the shotcrete and is this a problem/what are my options here?
Stonescape bonding failure
- Thread starter gmartin2490
- Start date
MAPR-Austin
In The Industry
Do you have any pictures of the pool before stonescape installation? What was the shell like before they applied the stonescapes?
Some debris and shedding of stone is normal, often there are little bits of plaster that get stuck in a return line or something like that and don't work themselves free right away.
I don't think you would be able to feel the stonescapes flex if there was a void under it. I would try dragging something metallic across the surface while you are underwater. You should be able to hear a 'hollow' sound when you hit an area that is not bonded. You don't need to scratch or hit the surface, just do enough to be able to hear.
Some debris and shedding of stone is normal, often there are little bits of plaster that get stuck in a return line or something like that and don't work themselves free right away.
I don't think you would be able to feel the stonescapes flex if there was a void under it. I would try dragging something metallic across the surface while you are underwater. You should be able to hear a 'hollow' sound when you hit an area that is not bonded. You don't need to scratch or hit the surface, just do enough to be able to hear.
DavidArmenB
Well-known member
- Sep 7, 2022
- 262
- Pool Size
- 16500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I Just resurfaced my gunite pool with Stonescapes too. I am in Day 8 of Start up. So far so good with my plaster but Following this thread for any developments.
sktn77a
Gold Supporter
No, its not normal Sounds like the Stonescape has delaminated from the shotcrete. get a long metal or wood pole and tap those areas of the pool you think suspect. If it sounds hollow, get the builder back ASAP.
I do have some pics. There were no cracks or holes anywhere. I dont think the void is in the shotcrete or anything. It feels more like the stonescape isn't attached to the shotcrete and when you step down you can feel it settle. I will also try dragging something metallic accross it This evening. Also I haven't found any debris in my skimmer basket since the first couple days. All the debris i have been finding is in the dolphin vacuum basket.
Attachments
MAPR-Austin
In The Industry
The pics look normal to me, they have the surface rough, relatively clean (although it does look like maybe some dirt on the shallow end floor?) and damp by the looks of the install pic.
Definitely curious if you find anything by sounding the pool. If so, you need the builder back out asap as sktn77a says. If not, it is probably just some errant debris.
so those pics are actually a couple weeks before they did the stonescape. I didn't have any pics taken directly beforehand. The day before they came out and cleaned up everything and I believe pressure washed. I read somewhere they were supposed to acid wash before and I know they didn't do that. I'm not sure if it is actually necessary or not.
It was storming last night so I didn't get to try anything but as soon as i can ill update if I find anything.