Anyone knowabout swimming pool plaster?

[dad911]

Our new pool plaster (Hydrazzo) cracked instantly upon aplication. Cracks were initially only in a few spots, but have now spread throughout the pool. The shell had no cracks prior to plastering. I believe the plaster contractor added too much calcium to accelerate hardening.

Anyway, the pool builder has pretty much agreed to replaster my pool, but I want to be sure it is done correctly. I have been told the process is to 'chip' away the plaster near the tile, jets, and drains, and 'burn off' the remaining plaster with acid. Can anyone confirm that this is standard practice, and advise what precautions I can take to prevent cracking this time?

[tabs]

I had a pool built (did a lot of the subcontracting myself) and owned it for 12 years and my Dad had a pool built when I was a mere lad...You mean the Gunite (shot in under pressure concrete) had no cracks...Plaster is the thing that seals the water in the pool....I would imagine that they would sand blast the plaster off... by using acid they are etching the orginal plaster to give it rough texture so new plaster will adhere to the old... I don't think your problem is earth shattering...as pools are usually replastered over time.... I would also say the pool plaster ususally would be acid washed every 5 plus years...

BTW: Building a Pool is not rocket science...if Tabby52 can do it so can any Joe Blow and thats usually who the Pool contractor is...

A. Get your Pool Design....what you like and want....look around for ideas and see what fits in the yard.

B. Draw a scale drawing of the pool in relation to your yard.

C. Go down to your local civil engineering firm....they allready have detailed engineering drawings for your soil and type of pool your going to build...they have them for retaining walls etc. They usually cost about $75.00 they then afix their stamp and sign.

D. Go to the city and get your Permits...using your scale drawing and engineering details...

E. Hire a guy to dig your pool...he should be able to set your grade on the pool

F. Hire a REbar...Steel guy...to put the rebar in your pool per the engineering details provided...Also have any rocks or waterfalls/special features started

G. Hire a Plumber to do the rough Plumbing including Gas lines for a Heater...

1.Purchase your Pool Equipment at a Pool Wholesale Supply House..the Plumber can get you in....slip him a few bucks...A Heater, Filter, couple of Whisperflow Pumps, Automatic pool cleaner (Krepy Crawler) about $3500.

H. Hire an Electrician to do the rough electrical, including lighting in pool, sub panel for the pool (opt), lighting around pool etc.

I. Call city to do inspection, and do corrections if necessary

J. Hire Gunite Company to shoot concrete into hole,

K. put coping around pool, tile pool and finish special features.

L.Apply your Pool Decking...there should be a mastic gap between the pool coping and the pool decking allowing for expansion or contraction

M. Set your Pool Equipment...Plumber, Finish Electrical/ Electrician...

N.Call for finial inspection...

O. Plaster/ pebble tech the pool and fill with water.....

P. Start pumps etc....

There are also issues of having the proper gating and fencing which I didn't go into....which will be part of the City permitting process and finail inspection.

Usually one contractor will lead to another, and you only pay when the job is done, or as you go...NEVER AHEAD. You might have to give a SMALL good faith deposit, there are laws governing that...Contractors licenses usually protect the contractor not you, Contractors Bond Companies...are hard to collect from... If U get a judgemment the Contractor is LIKELY to go BK, and restart a new business tommorow. So Beware...In any construction project whether it's painting the house or building it...