Plaster not adhered to pool surface

[demeter234]

Our pool was emptied today for sanding out depressions and irregularities. Unfortunately, we discovered several places in front of the steps where the plaster is not in contact with the pool...when you tap on it with your knuckles, it makes a hollow sound while all around it the plaster is solid.

Should we be overly concerned? Should these areas be knocked out and replastered or left alone?

[TSH Tech]

It's simply time for a re-plaster on your pool. Your plaster is aged and bubbling in large sections away from the gunite, if you pop them, you'll have unsightly blotches and lots of plaster scraps/dust to sweep out of the pool. You can leave them alone, it's your decision. It won't hurt to pop them, but you will have more of a rough surface to all the areas of plaster removed. In my personal opinion, just leave them until you are ready to bite the bullet and have the pool resurfaced.

~~~~~
Up until recent years, pool plaster used to have asbestos in the plaster mix. Pools built in the 60's and 70's that had been well cared for, surprisingly had plaster in good and sometimes still in excellent condition up until this very day(2012). Since all the environmental laws of the late 1980's, forced the pool industry to remove crystalline asbestos from plaster. Now, pool owners are lucky if they get 8 years out of their plaster life before it starts to crack, bubble and chip.

[demeter234]

TSH Tech
I really appreciate your reply. I failed to mention that this is a new re-plaster job. My pool is 31 years old and the only problem was the plaster was wearing thin and it needed freshening up. All I have now is a really sloppy plaster job.

You could actually see indentions where the workers walked in front of the pool steps. The company insisted on emptying the pool and sanding. Emptying the pool only exposed more. The steps and the entire area in front of them looked like a child had done the plaster work. I also discovered two places that had not bonded and that is what scares me most.

The sanding made the appearance much worse but the bonding is of more concern. The pool company wants to redo the plaster (but not remove the old plaster) and assured us they would fix the areas that are not bonded.

Common sense tells me that if I "just happened" to find an area or two that is not bonded, then it stands to reason that this will happen to other areas as well.

My pool was just plastered this summer. If it did not bond well, wouldn't it be unwise to just cover it up?
Can the plaster be removed and start over? The company says it would be worse to do that. Of course it would be more costly for them. Won't a 3rd coat be more costly to me in the longrun since, I assume, it will need to be removed when a 4th plastering needs to be done?

Your advice is very much appreciated

[TSH Tech]

it was a replaster job, that changes things.
It sounds as thought the plaster company is going to spot repair the weak spots, then blend and smooth the plaster to match the rest, so it won't look like a spotty job. I'm not the one doing the work, but I don't foresee them covering up damaged areas, it follows reason to remove the faulty plaster area, make the repair with new plaster and blend it in with the rest of the pool. For whatever reason, the plaster in that particular area did not bond well, so it must be chipped out and redone.
I know it feels uneasy, what if more breaks loose, then what? Well, you're not there yet, but let the plaster company complete the repairs and refill the pool, go from there. In all seriousness, that's all anyone can do. If there is ever a time for a 4th plaster job as you say, mix it up a bit, try another reputable company.

[demeter234]

Thanks again for the reply.
I have had several pool companies give me estimates and advice. Here's the real problem, now that I have learned more about the process...the company emptied the pool, chipped around the sides with a hatchet, sprayed it down (with water) and commenced to plaster the pool, but NO BONDING was applied at all and no acid wash either...

The company we are dealing with wants to re-plaster the entire pool but they do not want to take off the old plaster. Since they didn't prep it right, shouldn't they be held responsible?

The (new) folks I have talked to say that bonding is "industry standard" and that any "reputable" company would have done it. They don't want to risk patching and plastering over a coat that they know has not been bonded and prepped properly. "The top coat is only as good as what is under it."

Do you have any input or suggestions on how to deal with this?

Thanks again..

[TSH Tech]

They didn't bond the plaster? Oh man. How do they say, 'it's gets sticky from here...'
wow, ok, scratch everything I said above. If they didn't bond the plaster, then yes,
there are going to be problems. In my opinion, they're going to have to eat this job
and do it right or refund you the money. Probably not the answer you were looking
to hear today, but keep your attorney warmed up in the bull pen.

[demeter234]

Thanks once again, I can't tell you how helpful your advice has been.

I have been getting advice and estimates from other companies. Two companies say the plaster needs to be removed first, and another wants to fix the pop-ups and replaster over the existing plaster. All agree that an aggregate bonding should have been applied, but the one company sees no problem with plastering over the existing plaster.

The pool company wants to replaster, as well, over the existing plaster. When confronted about not using a bonding agent, they say that chipping is just as good and they do it both ways. Unfortunately, they chose to do the chipping on my pool.

I feel that am between a rock and a hard place. The expense of removing the old plaster is quite high. My original company will not agree to remove the old plaster but will replaster over their botched-up job.

What is your take on letting the pool company replaster? We are uneasy about it but other options are way too expensive.

All three "new" companies have also noted that the coping is too close to the decking and expansion will cause the coping to pop. Mastic has not been applied yet.

Thanks....

[TSH Tech]

What is your take on letting the pool company replaster?

It is what it is. A botched plaster job. If I were in this situation, I'd have two choices, take the gamble and see how long their repair holds within their guarantee, assuming they have one. I mean, if this company is going to skip bonding the plaster to the gunite, why put a guarantee on it, right? Obviously, they pushed back on eating the job. I would pick up the phone, call my attorney for some advice and go with what he says.
That's as simple as I would make it for myself if I were in this position. They messed up. And they know it.

At this point, you are well informed about plaster jobs, but ultimately you're going to have to decide the course of action you need to take and what is going to work for you. There isn't any additional value I can add to this. It is my hope this has a positive resolve.

[annie]

I am having my pool re-plastered in 3 days. Which is better: Chipping/or removing all of the existing plaster down to the gunite then put on new plaster OR chipping the plaster off the rusted areas, the tile line, around the fixtures and the areas where the plaster is scaling or chipping and then applying the bonding then the plaster?

The plaster company seems to want to do the latter - the bonding process. They said the cost would be the same. They said removing the plaster down to the gunite could damage the structure???

I would appreciate any advice.

[Barolac14]

I'm not the one doing the work, but I don't foresee them covering up damaged areas, it follows reason to remove the faulty plaster area, make the repair with new plaster and blend it in with the rest of the pool.

[deaconjones]

It's simply time for a re-plaster on your pool. Your plaster is aged and bubbling in large sections away from the gahnite. It won't hurt to pop them, but you will have more of a rough surface to all the areas of plaster removed.

Affordable rendering brisbane