Refurbishment

Ins-and-outs of swimming pool construction

Many types of swimming pools are in service today with both in-ground and above-ground styles available.

In-ground pool construction by far dominates the market with fibreglass, vinyl and concrete the principal types. Each type of pool construction has its advantages and disadvantages; however, concrete pools offer greater choices in size, design and styling. This article will discuss the refurbishment of interior finishes in concrete swimming pools.

Depending on the age of the pool, previous interior finishes could be fibreglass, paint, marblesheen, pebble or render. The integrity of the previous surface finish is a critical consideration. Paint or fibreglass finishes must be completely removed by either, wet sandblast/grit blast and then acid washing. Any loose material or residue must be removed and the surface hosed down. All remaining fluid and debris from this process must be thoroughly pumped out. Marblesheen, if installed in the 1970s, may also include asbestos so appropriate measure need to be taken.

RN237 REFURB Pool 2Marblesheen or pebble interiors must be inspected for any ‘drummy’ or ‘deteriorated’ areas. Drummy areas can be found by tapping the surface with a coin and listening for a hollow sound while any deteriorated sections will be visually obvious or will be softer when scratched with a coin.

Any ‘drummy’ or ‘deteriorated’ areas must be removed back to the original concrete shell. Fill these areas with a strong, cementitious render if they are to be patched. It may be necessary to remove the old interior completely if it is unsound. Generally, sound surfaces can be ‘sparrow pecked’ with a ‘scutcheon’ or ‘kanga’ hammer to provide additional key for a new surface if required.

The condition of any coping on the pool should then be determined and any replacement or repair of this component completed prior to any of the new interior refurbishment.

Depending on the style and age of the pool, a tile band maybe present. If a cementitious render is to be used for the interior refurbishment, the supplier’s technical literature should be consulted to determine if a tile band is recommended for that product.

RN237 REFURB Pool 3Where a tile band exists, preparation for a new interior is achieved by making two 10mm deep cuts, the first directly below the tile band and the second cut 150mm below the tile band using a diamond saw. This section of the old interior surface is removed up to the tile band to allow for the new interior surface to installed flush with the tile band surface. Acid wash and then water blast the exposed area under the tile band to remove all dust and organic debris and thoroughly hose off the area. All residues of acid and debris must be removed from the pool interior. Any repairs to the tile band such as re-grouting should now be completed. The tile band should also be acid washed once grout has hardened.

Once the pool shell has been prepared, a bonding agent must be placed onto the old surface. This is essential for the new interior surface integrity as the previous cement in the old surface has lost its chemical activity and a chemical bond must now be available for the new interior.his section of the old interior surface is removed up to the tile band to allow for the new interior surface to installed flush with the tile band surface. Acid wash and then water blast the exposed area under the tile band to remove all dust and organic debris and thoroughly hose off the area. All residues of acid and debris must be removed from the pool interior. Any repairs to the tile band such as re-grouting should now be completed. The tile band should also be acid washed once grout has hardened.

Consult the supplier’s technical product literature to understand how this product is to be installed and when a new render surface can be placed onto it.

RN237 REFURB Pool 1Once these previous steps have been completed, the application of new interior finish can commence. Cement-based renders need to be placed wet-on-wet; that is, any joints must be placed together while the cement is still active. Consequently, a new interior surface 

Depending on the type of interior surface finish selected, careful exposure of the surface may also be required, which requires experienced trades knowledge in order to achieve a superior surface finish.installation, requires considerable skilled labour and resources to achieve the wet-on-wet timeframe window.

Further, the supplier product warranty is also likely to dictate that professional installation is required. So new interior finishes are generally installed by experienced applicators.

Once the new interior surface has been installed, the last step is to refill the pool and chemically balance the water.

The interior finish supplier’s literature must be consulted to determine the pool water chemistry or balance requirements. Typically, this involves testing parameters such as pH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness levels for the pool water.

New cement render surfaces will undergo a ‘conditioning period’ where the cement in the render continues to harden. During this period, water balance is usually monitored more frequently to adjust for this progressive change in the render. Usually, after the first month of operation, this settles down.

However, it is very important to consult the interior finish supplier’s literature around when chemicals such a salt can be introduced into the pool water. This may require the use of alternative sanitisers during this period.

Refurbishment of an interior swimming pool surface can revitalise the appearance of a pool and also the surrounding landscape.

Prudent inquiry and selection into the type of interior finishes available and suitable for your swimming pool can reinvigorate the significance of a swimming pool in your landscape and improve the marketability of your residence.

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