COPING AND TILE

As to the problems associated with tile damage and coping products failure. Precast concrete, Brick, Rock, Or Other copings used in the finish process of the pool construction. Most personal that the consumer speaks to in regards to the damage will be the DECK-O-SEAL, (Sealer used for protection between the coping product and the pool decking.) Note that most pool builder do not provide finish product care instructions on the products that you may have selected. DECK-O-SEAL should be inspected at the end of the pool season and repaired as needed. Yes DECK-O-SEAL is one of the main reasons for pool coping failure. With the winters freeze and thaw ICING can develop between the coping products and the decking causing pressure. Usually this is stress related, meaning the damage is not seen until in time it grows into an eye sore to many. Note that when coping products fail is usually the cause of tile damage.

How ever, I have found in the past that there may be and usually are other factors involved with the cause of damage to the coping products. The following is a list of a few problem.

1. Decking is poured at some areas, are touching, and or connected to the back side of the pool structure, or against the mortar used to set the coping products. No expansion between the pool and decking.

2. Concrete nails used to hold expansion foam to the back side of the coping products. This is like putting a steel pin between the solid pool structure, and the pool decking so when the decking is expanding and contracting during the seasons it applies alot of presure to the back side of the coping products.

3. Some times the GUNITE material in some area's at the top of the pool wall is to sandy and weak So the coping products are installed over a weak BOND BEAM. Usually this will show with a crack or break leading to or can be seen below the the line and into the plaster area. Meaning the BOND BEAM is broken. Most pool owners think that only the tile is damaged, where as the TILE is installed over the face of the coping lip and the mortar used to set the coping products. Once the bond is broken between the coping products and the BOND BEAM tile damage is evident. The coping products must be re-bonded and or replaced to properly secure new tile. (See cross section below)

CANTILEVER DECKING AND TILE

Cantilever decking is when the pool decking is poured over the top of the pool wall, ( Bond Beam ) This usually is installed using a seperation material so the under side of the decking does not adhere to the pool BOND BEAM. This allows the decking to expand and contraction with out damaging the pool tiles in most cases. There are reasons of tile damage on this kind of pool construction and are more involved when the repair work is under reconstruction. It takes trained personal to complete the re-tiling of these pool repairs for a good pool tile repair person should know the proper construction mothods related to cantilever construction and it's relation to tile installation.

REPAIR METHODS USED BY Gunite Finish Supply

1. WE USE LATEX IN ALL MORTARS, TILE GLUES, AND GROUTS.

2. INSPECT ALL AREA'S AND CORRECT ANY OTHER CAUSES OF DAMAGE.

3. INSTALL DECK-O-SEAL AS DEEP AS IT IS IN WIDTH.

4. IF POOL IS NOT TO BE RE-PLASTERED WE HARD TROWEL UNDER THE TILE LINE.

5. WE OFFER 5 YEARS WARRANTY ON REPAIR WORK.