Step-by-Step Account of Fiberglass Pool Crack Repair

[Bosco390]

I thought I would post the process I went through to repair the structural crack in the deep end of our 5 year old fiberglass pool... I am just a do-it-yourself person, not a pool professional or anything. I supposed I did some dumb things in this process, things that I am not sure I would recommend to others, but it is an account of what I did, none the less, and I hope that maybe it can be helpful to some others.

Please let me know if anyone has any questions or anything. ENJOYING THE POOL AGAIN!!!

[PoolDoc]

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Pool just after installation:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TMQ4BuHU-CA/UhKqHM4Di0I/AAAAAAAAGBI/FbscuIzSUVw/s800/00%2520pool%2520in%25202007.jpg

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Crack & putty patch

Detail:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NsILGtV-XD8/UhKqHRl2DTI/AAAAAAAAGBM/53zQoLxxe9E/s640/01%2520crack%2520w%2520putty%2520repair.jpg

Detail:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uHYTXUsrag4/UhKqHJmfkxI/AAAAAAAAGBE/HzSKcf-juHU/s800/02%2520crack%2520w%2520putty%2520repair.jpg

Detail:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DIsG7V9jcnw/UhKqHra6wXI/AAAAAAAAGBc/WmsrUdZ4uFg/s1000/04%2520the%2520crack.jpg

Overall area:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0wiZaUjs_5k/UhKqHbqAXWI/AAAAAAAAGBk/Tw7_wXoS4Sg/s1000/03%2520before%2520starting%2520repair.jpg

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Repairs

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NmqZWayupiA/UhKqIC_Hr3I/AAAAAAAAGB8/PucnkKo2wck/s1000/08%2520starting.jpg

Holes to stop further cracking:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JnJOI9zT-08/UhKqIZBZUsI/AAAAAAAAGBw/YHJoKBdroNE/s900/09%2520holes%2520drilled%2520to%2520stop%2520crack .jpg

Grinding out crack:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QaGO_Bizb4c/UhKqI9Zr10I/AAAAAAAAGCA/imgB6fa7gq0/s900/10%2520crack%2520ground%2520out.jpg https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-66jwcewErBg/UhKqI5G0dRI/AAAAAAAAGCE/Zcm4E_BBsBQ/s900/11%2520crack%2520ground%2520out.jpg

grinding and cleaning patch area:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rI-hccMa0Pw/UhKqJD80vOI/AAAAAAAAGCU/DxpOybkJ06Q/s900/12%2520gelcoat%2520ground%2520away.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r-znUldOvL8/UhKqJfJnKqI/AAAAAAAAGCY/YIsn1TnAWGA/s900/15%2520cleaned%2520fiberglass%2520w%2520acetone.jp g

fiberglassing applied:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hT7ikaqYZiY/UhKqJ0UVgUI/AAAAAAAAGC0/Vy-DFXllTkI/s900/16%2520applied%2520fiberglass%2520%2526%2520epoxy. jpg https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-BBJ6AjTLKYU/UhKqJ9HDDcI/AAAAAAAAGCs/Oz45R97uiok/s900/17%2520after%25203rd%2520layer.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I9EA5Z4NGLY/UhKqKBc_mVI/AAAAAAAAGCw/8H6jzGD2OLA/s900/18%2520distance%2520view.jpg https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vKN1cJyMZw4/UhKqKu3Q8vI/AAAAAAAAGD8/y3yWMJAs2EU/s900/20%2520after%252010%2520layers.jpg

Gel coat applied:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mp2Ggoy2j6Y/UhKqKof1iGI/AAAAAAAAGDE/NF86AtfIFFM/s900/21%2520marine%2520gelcoat%2520applied.jpg https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xRrP_Rlvs9Y/UhKqKlVxu9I/AAAAAAAAGDI/aU0TFcEZYY8/s900/23%2520%2520final%2520gelcoat.jpg

Gel coat completed:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NZjnUMw4jHM/UhKqLObwX3I/AAAAAAAAGDM/PW5JXlIfNHM/s1000/24%2520gelcoat%2520sanded.jpg

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Backfill inspection hole

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wnfiwyz0L8I/UhKqLezbqsI/AAAAAAAAGDg/MrKPD2g6Q4U/s1000/25%2520preparation.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-d96M50ziKBo/UhKqLgUwOxI/AAAAAAAAGDY/YGo-ZJFU3Fk/s1000/26%2520inspection%2520hole.jpg

[Bosco390]

Thanks, PoolDoc

[PoolDoc]

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Backfill inspection hole


Viewing the backfill:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n3mMMBOvB54/UhKqL0pZB2I/AAAAAAAAGDk/9vYwdaJPDu8/s900/28%2520backfill%2520visible.jpg

Washdown tool:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-HnXhL94_NoY/UhKqM3bXORI/AAAAAAAAGEQ/tAmuZqR30rc/s900/33%252036.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ipwAT6c5_08/UhKqM4NGzXI/AAAAAAAAGEI/W9Z3hN9cPhY/s700/34%2520tool%2520detail.jpg

Repairing the inspection hole

Work area:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-U1ap0h8pU_s/UhKqMJLJ_NI/AAAAAAAAGD4/2LU6QY0rip4/s1000/30%2520repair%2520area.jpg

Backfill replacement gizzmo:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D6sy_tAxK8o/UhKqNitph3I/AAAAAAAAGEg/SNIFc9kH8lY/s900/37%2520backfill%2520replacement%2520tool.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-R3rUtpUMyOM/UhKqN4ya2zI/AAAAAAAAGEo/orsLeuWZw7c/s900/38%2520view.jpg

Cleaned hole:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1yr2Tw_nEQY/UhKqM9ZKNoI/AAAAAAAAGF0/cXozw6raDDg/s1000/31%2520cleaned.jpg

The plug:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D6B1PaqK35I/UhKqMGc4JiI/AAAAAAAAGD0/hp9QvilNNcY/s900/29%2520saved%2520cutout.jpg

The back-plate:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZffEGStlfNA/UhKqOB3itEI/AAAAAAAAGEw/xWDSrWzXjLM/s1000/39%2520backer%2520plate%2520prep.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bHfeXuL1Xhc/UhKqOAmq-UI/AAAAAAAAGE4/6MprQ9EH8Qo/s1000/40%2520installing%2520backer.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KmTqQeHWdk4/UhKqOc8dOHI/AAAAAAAAGFA/xle6UpakXI0/s1000/41%2520installed%2520and%2520curing.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tvWD5wRlJWY/UhKqOtCQcMI/AAAAAAAAGFI/dyYM9LUUvw4/s1000/42%2520cured.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FA41cSSoyJA/UhKqO01EPkI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/S2kcsNM29Zg/s1000/43%2520installing%2520cutout.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t8ENxP1LbSU/UhKqPE7E7fI/AAAAAAAAGFY/l8rGWUEkb0s/s1000/44%2520installed.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yBD__bznHEY/UhKqPcB0jXI/AAAAAAAAGGQ/V11t5T2HtNY/s1000/45%2520resin%2520then%2520gel.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iv-iuy3P_4o/UhKqPv_JGDI/AAAAAAAAGFo/jzjVGD3OxBw/s1000/46%2520multi-gelcoat.jpg

Repaired:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y8ffcrHnOvk/UhKqP6QoLUI/AAAAAAAAGFs/5wW_8ajFfaI/s1000/47%2520view.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DzYfePMrHtw/UhKqQGfQ_hI/AAAAAAAAGFw/q_jpt0AxBK8/s1000/48%2520filling.jpg

Replacing tile:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4UwEBjZ3ygU/UhKqQVa3cCI/AAAAAAAAGGI/w8VDJ4TaKI4/s800/49%2520foam%2520tile%2520tool.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-frcqaTf7jN0/UhKqQ1g-jRI/AAAAAAAAGHE/HA3gT73cvcs/s1000/51%2520tiles%2520curing.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lKKKZGwhgEg/UhKqRNi5s-I/AAAAAAAAGGY/pw_i8rshv3Y/s900/52%2520mommas%2520platter.jpg

Refilling:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yPFYvjzWwmg/UhKqRDgquRI/AAAAAAAAGGg/b5YCLI-dBKA/s1000/53%2520filling.jpg

Repaired!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tWp5Wu8etAk/UhKqRe1-dzI/AAAAAAAAGGo/jApwod1z1Ws/s1000/54%2520all%2520done%2520-%2520detail.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-p8MBI8SQggY/UhKqRjU_zUI/AAAAAAAAGGw/TgTaBZakUoQ/s1000/55%2520all%2520done%2520-%2520detail.jpg

All done!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SvNrxRmJegg/UhKqSOAGLeI/AAAAAAAAGHA/Lcl0dnjw2pg/s1000/57%2520pool%2520ready%2520to%2520go.jpg

[nefretrameses]

WOW! Rubbers bands and chop sticks - not to mention the cottage cheese container and hanger. Can I get an "innovation"? Nice job. Hopefully it will last.

I would have suggested air tools. GFI saves lives, but I'm not sure I'd bet mine on one. Did you sand the fiberglass smooth before the gel coat?

[Bosco390]

Thanks, nefretrameses... It has lasted thus far, and still looks great a year later. And yes, I DID sand the rough fiberglass before starting the GelCoat... I should have included that step. Oh, and if I had air tools, absolutely I would have used them... just used what I have... in hindsight, probably wasn't the wisest move to be standing in butt-deep water using powertools... but I was determined to get 'er done. Thanks so much for the positive comments!!!

.

[PoolDoc]

I'm moving this thread to sticky status, for both fiberglass pools and steps. I'm going to add some notes about FG steps, following this post.

Tap Plastics (http://tapplastics.com/) has some helpful videos:
FG repair (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsoKAHU5xUw)
Gelcoat repair 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWEE6SFUdpg)
Gelcoat repair 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en-8SbhdF_k)

In many cases, if you want to tackle FG repair, you can find what you need at Lowes, Home Depot, or a local boat supply outlet.

Amazon also sells products that will work in many cases:
Gel-coat repair kit (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BO9NOO/scouscho-20/)
Fiberglass repair kit (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000AXS0X /scouscho-20/)

[PoolDoc]

Repairing the prefabricated fiberglass pool steps, used in vinyl pools, has a number of elements in common with the repair Bosco completed. But when reading information from various sources, it seems there's an additional complication: structural support of the steps from underneath!

Apparently step failures can be divided into 2 main groups:
* Non-structural failures, that are often just gel-coat cracks or problems.
* Structural failures that related to the loss of support from UNDERNEATH the step.

In the first case, the solution is a straight-forward gel coat repair. The Tap Plastics videos seem to cover this well.

But in the second case, repairing the steps without resolving the loss of structural support UNDER the steps is likely to result in a short-lived repair.

The two solutions reported as successful were (a) use of expanding foam to fill in under the steps, and (b) use of round river gravel or pea gravel to fill. Obviously expanding foam can't fill in very large voids, but can be used in the case of smaller ones. If you use foam, be VERY careful to know what you are doing; these products can be tricky to use. Some expanding foams could actually damage your steps if you use too much.

This site seems helpful to have helpful information: www.aeromarineproducts.com/boat-foam.htm