Crack in fiberglass lined concrete pool

kevro2000 · Postby **kevro2000** » Mon 03 Oct, 2011 00:29

I have tried to sear4ch and can only find people discussing fiberglass pools installed witha sand surrounding, so i apologize if this has been covered.

i am to close on my house this week, it has a pool. Keeping with pool tradition, it needs work. It appears to be a concrete in ground pool, lined with fiberglass instead of plaster. it has a crack about 2 feet in length, and another near that one about 6 inches in length. more importantly when you step on the ground 5 feet away from the crack you can tell the fiberglass is no longer attached to concrete under it.

Where do i start?

I was thinking drain to under the crack, somehow get the water between the fiberglass and the concrete out. (no guesses as to how) and then repair the crack. cure, refill.

I plan on having surface done in the near future (next 3 years) so really just want to buy time as i just bought the house and dont find myself swimming in money.

the pool has appeared blue and cloudy every time I have been there, last time and in pictures as recently as august it appeared blue and crystal clear.
the filter is ALWAYS running for some reason or another.

I am new here and am sure this will not be the first time i need help,
so thanks in advance.
Kevin

Curatolo Pools · Postby **Curatolo Pools** » Mon 03 Oct, 2011 13:08

Sounds like its starting to delaminate . It may not be as expensive as you think to redo the pool without waiting 3 more years depending on who you get. If it is as bad as you are describing I do not think it will be very usable in the very near future. Chances are if you see one area through the water, there will be more when you drain it. I run into those more and more here in Pasco co Fl as it was a popular product in the 80s and mid 90s until it began to fail and the local fiberglass pool coating company's went under along with their warranty. ...Unfortunately you really need to have it taken off and resurfaced as fixing one spot will be merely putting a band aid on a broken leg. If there is one area coming off, there will be another 99 % of the time. .Do away with that surface as you will also notice it will be an itchy experience after swimming in it as the fiberglass begins to break down and powdering becomes a problem as well. I have a ton of experience with this problem and there will probably be a genius or two on here that will tell you something different but i've been there and got the tee shirt many many times It works for a while and then usually fails. Nothing will last forever but that fiberglass is expensive and more trouble than it is worth. These days there are several better options and I prefer SGM Diamond brite products along with their bond coat. I had the pleasure of seeing a pool I did with this product over 18 years ago and it was still in good shape after all that time. If I am predicting this correctly there will a few negative posts below mine but I hope this helps. Curatolo pool repair, New Port Richey fl.

kevro2000 · Postby **kevro2000** » Mon 03 Oct, 2011 17:41

thanks for the well thought out reply, your answer is essentially what i feared. Im looking at about 3500 for chipout, disposal, replaster...(i would do standard plaster) My rental house "needed a re-plaster" the day I bought it. Built in the early 80's and bought it in 2001. we spent $500 to have rebar spots patched three years ago and even if it failed tomorrow I got my 500 worth. It sounds like there isnt an answer like this one for fiberglass..... ignore it for a year? It may have been this way forever. highest water bill last year was 63 which tells me they arent constantly filling suggesting a leak free pool...
thanks again,
Kevin

Curatolo Pools · Postby **Curatolo Pools** » Mon 03 Oct, 2011 21:29

You could probably get a better price than that. What city are you in? I may have contacts for you,

kevro2000 · Postby **kevro2000** » Tue 04 Oct, 2011 15:50

in tempe,az. if i go ahead it will be before xmas.

thanks again
kevin

Postby **czechmate** » Thu 06 Oct, 2011 09:50

Curatolo Pools wrote:Do away with that surface as you will also notice it will be an itchy experience after swimming in it as the fiberglass begins to break down and powdering becomes a problem as well. I have a ton of experience with this problem and there will probably be a genius or two on here that will tell you something different but i've been there and got the tee shirt many many times It works for a while and then usually fails. Nothing will last forever but that fiberglass is expensive and more trouble than it is worth. These days there are several better options and I prefer SGM Diamond brite products along with their bond coat. I had the pleasure of seeing a pool I did with this product over 18 years ago and it was still in good shape after all that time. If I am predicting this correctly there will a few negative posts below mine but I hope this helps. Curatolo pool repair, New Port Richey fl.

This time Curatolo is right on the money.
DiamondBrite applied by an experienced crew is still the best product on the market today, hands down.
It will be a messy prep, one that you probably cant't do yourself, but worth the the end result.

kevro2000 · Postby **kevro2000** » Fri 07 Oct, 2011 03:51

moved in today, it looks like he is dead right, there are more cracks around the offending area, the pool is crystal clear right now and looking at it in the light it appears that the pool was a plaster pool and then was "resurfaced" with fiberglass, i can only guess as to what the problems were that caused the resurface in the first place, but all that being said, it seems like something i can postpone for a year?? no kids are ever in my pool, in fact it will be rare that anyone other than me and my girl are in it....
thoughts?
id prefer to wait until i can spend bigger better money and get the pool I want instead of just fixing something with little funds because i have to.
thanks again
Kevin

Postby **czechmate** » Sat 08 Oct, 2011 16:37

You can winterize the pool and let it go.
Or drain below tile and drain all equipment. Make sure you completely drain the system.
Pump, heater and filter etc.!
This will save you a lot on electricity.
Than you could let the pool freeze over if you drain to below the tile line.
Unless you planning on a new tile anyway. Then the water level is irrelevant.
Algae start is really not much concern, since the prep for new plaster will take care of it later.
As long as you have at least 4 feet of water in the gunite pool it is unlikely that it will float up.
It depends on the depth of the water table, but gunite + 4 feet of water+ friction of walls add up to a lot of displacement.
When you decide to plaster, make sure that you see the crew in action on the jobsite.
Do not depend on the references only. Anybody who is in the pool plaster business has plenty good references/friends and that crew may also be long gone!
It is better to shop around for a month than be frustrated for 5 years!

kevro2000 · Postby **kevro2000** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 16:05

anyone familiar with garza pools in phoenix, decent bbb rating, not in business very long but zero complaints. its time to start shopping around.
kevin

allclearpools · Postby **allclearpools** » Tue 29 Nov, 2011 17:31

Whoever you chose make sure they have done this type of remodel before. They need to remove all the old fiberglass. Then make sure there aren't any voids in the plaster. Some will even remove all the old plaster (not totally necessary). Make sure and go see their old jobs. You might even talk to their old customers and see how they feel about them.

kiwipool · Postby **kiwipool** » Mon 02 Jan, 2012 16:57

OK so you are looking for a straight Answer.

Let me try! From what you tell me is you may have a possibly have a perfect Concrete Shell under a layer of Fibre Glass that was applied.

And when it rains the water level in the pool rises it gets in behind the liner under the top.

Suggest you do not even repair the Fibre Glass but rip it out and find out the construction method used to build the pool (Maybe the local Council can help if it was built wit a permit.) then maybe you re Plaster or re Fiber Glass Dont attempt a Repair. And most important f you re F/Glass make sure you have a overflow point to stop the water level from going over the top and back behind the liner, even a drain hole in the bottom of the shell will help.
Norman kiwipool@ vodafone.net

Abow1007 · Postby **Abow1007** » Sat 21 Apr, 2018 19:45

My fiberglass pool has a crack but it is in the deepest part and I can't get water to stop from seeping in thru the crack. I was going to do a fiberglass cloth and resin patch but it just fills with water. Any ideas?

pedro12 · Postby **pedro12** » Tue 24 Apr, 2018 09:19

kiwipool wrote:Suggest you do not even repair the Fibre Glass but rip it out and find out the construction method used to build the pool (Maybe the local Council can help if it was built with a permit.) then maybe you re Plaster or re Fiber Glass Don't attempt a Repair. And most important f you re F/Glass make sure you have an overflow point to stop the water level from going over the top and back behind the liner, even a drain hole in the bottom of the shell will help.

This is a great answer. I also suggest you what exactly he suggested.

Teapot · Postby **Teapot** » Tue 24 Apr, 2018 14:17

pedro12 wrote:
kiwipool wrote:Suggest you do not even repair the Fibre Glass but rip it out and find out the construction method used to build the pool (Maybe the local Council can help if it was built with a permit.) then maybe you re Plaster or re Fiber Glass Don't attempt a Repair. And most important f you re F/Glass make sure you have an overflow point to stop the water level from going over the top and back behind the liner, even a drain hole in the bottom of the shell will help.

This is a great answer. I also suggest you what exactly he suggested.

It sure is a good answer, Norman is a great guy but it is an answer to a previous different problem than the current one?

kandy477 · Postby **kandy477** » Mon 10 Jan, 2022 10:45

Louisiana Pool did a great job on my fiberglass pool resurfacing in Baton Rouge. I know they repair cracks as well. Their website has a form for estimates.