Deck cracks in new pool deck among other nightmares!!

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carrie/ann

Deck cracks in new pool deck among other nightmares!!

Postby carrie/ann » Fri 07 Dec, 2007 20:23

This is my 1st post. Would appreciate any and all advice. I'll try to keep this brief and to the point. Basically, I had a pool built and completed late last year. My most important question has to do with the deck but I do have other major problems because the nationally known pool builder/franchise's lame plumber failed to plumb certain things in the pool. I am dealing with that legally and within my county's code ordinances as well as this issue.

Back to the deck. I had two individual pool inspectors out to look at the pool back in the Spring. Among their concerns was the deck. Well, it started cracking from the start (meaning 11 months ago). One of the inspectors said that before summer's end, the deck would be cracked 10 fold and he was correct!! You see, there were no expansion joints and/or no scoring was done to the deck. The Florida summer heat did exactly what it does to concrete. It makes concrete expand. Hell, the first sentence of the article states that "Deck movement is impossible to avoid". One inspector in particular included in his report a page that dealt with the proper procedures of these issues and the article was entitled "Sawcutting and Installing Expansdion Joints". My pool builder did not utilize these procedures. Now, he is claiming that we had a "fiber mesh" installed in the concrete and apparently according to some building Statute in Florida???, this is an acceptable alternative to the above mentioned procedures??? His comment to us was, "there's two types of concrete, those that crack and those that are going to crack". Yep, you heard it here first.

That is my primary question. Is there anyone out there who can give me a definitive answer about "fiber meshing", and these deck procedures and perhaps inform me in detail anything about a Statute numbered 1911.2 as an acceptable concrete building procedure/method??? I don't know about fiber meshing but I do know that my deck looks like hell. BTW, I contacted a couple of pool bulders in my area and they all utilize sawcutting/scoring or expansion joints. I did not ask them about this fiber meshing because today is the first I heard that this is what was supposedly used in our deck. Also, BTW, our surface is textured acrylic (sp).

Now that I am aware of this site, I will be visiting often as this seems very helpful!! Thanks in advance to any and all who have any input on this subject. I will answer any additional questions should there be any. :? :?


imfignewton
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Postby imfignewton » Sat 08 Dec, 2007 18:04

Fiber mesh in concrete is for micro cracking. It is not a substitute for wire mesh, rebar or saw cutting (proper joints). To be done properly the concrete needs wire mesh or rebar and exansion joints or saw cuts. You could get in contact with a fiber mesh manufacturers rep and I'll bet they will not tell you it is a substitute for concrete reinforcement.

Hope this helps
Carrie/Ann

Re:Response

Postby Carrie/Ann » Mon 10 Dec, 2007 14:20

Hey imfignewton, thank you so much for your input and advice. I will investigate this further.

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