New IG Vinyl pool with surface cracks and loose handrail????

[webfeet]

Help! PB will be finished tomorrow and want the rest of his money. The concrete deck was poured last Thursday and Friday. The deck has small surface cracks around the corners about 3"-6" from the edge of the coping. Some are serveral inches long. Is this normal? Also, the hand rail for the steps swings back and forth. The PB put pvc pipe in the concrete and when the concrete set up, he put the hand rails down into the pipe. ( I guess he cut the pipe off to the level of the deck?) Anyway, the rails pivot about 8" to 10" to the left of center, and then the same distance to the right. Any input appreciated.

[Poconos]

Not sure but my gut tells me the cracks are not right. As for the PVC for the handrail anchors....is that what you're saying? My rails sit in galvanized steel anchors. There are several pool builders as regulars on this forum and I'm sure they will kick in. For now...express your concerns about the issues, forcefully, and hold off on the final payment. Once you fork over the $$$ you may never see the PB again.
Al

[digger01]

My deck is to be poured and the holders for the rails and ladder are galvanized

[CanuckPool]

ditto here too, thats a lot of stress that PVC will go under, I'm not sure thats what it was designed for. As for the small cracks... I think hairline cracks are normal for concrete decks, but anything that you can get a dime or quarter in is not normal.

[Waterworks]

The handrail should certainly be set in galvanized, bronze or fiberglass anchors meant specifically to hold 1.9" O.D. pool rails and ladders, rather than PVC. These anchors allow you to tighten the rail so there is less movement, and are also stronger, i'm sure.

Concrete cracks from time to time. I would wonder about my installers if a new pool had cracks in the deck that quickly. Even still, small hairline cracks do happen on even the best jobs from time to time. Canuck was right about the dimes and quarters; if the gap is that large, your builder should look after it.

Brad
Waterworks Pools

[mlh]

The anchors for the handrail should be down in the concrete- they put the pcs of pipe in them to keep them cleaned out when pouring the concrete- when done the pipes are pulled out and the handrail is set into the anchors. At least thats how they did mine. Check to see if they remembered to tighten the bolts that hold the handrail in place.

Mike

[webfeet]

The cracks are hairline cracks- very small- a fingernail file will not even fit in them. However, there are several of them.

Yes, the pvc was pulled out. It looks like there are galvanized sleeves that the rails sit in. PB says that since we want a safety cover, the handrail could not be cemented into the deck. That is why it is loose. Supposedly we can take the handrail off. He says it is too late to make it tight and claims that he told us this before he started the pool. We don't recall the conversation. Can the handrail be stabilized at this point, without tearing up the deck? He says no, that he can only try to put wedges in, to tighten it up some.:(

[Tcap]

Hi Web,
We put in our vinyl pool last season, but didn't do the deck until about April of this year. We have no cracking at this point but it has only been one season. We will see what the winter brings. I'm not sure you should see cracks this soon if they settled the surrounding dirt correctly. Also, we have a safety cover and our handrails are solid in the galvanized sleeves. They can still take them out and tighten them back up when we put them back in next season.

Good-luck!

[caustik]

No cracks here mind you the deck has only been poured for 3-4 weeks. I think it may have to do with base prep and relief cuts? Is it stamped concrete or just normal broom finish? Did they put enough base stone and compact it with a machine and use any sono tubes that go down to the footer collar thing they pour at the base of the sides?? I know they put about 30 around my pool and its just a 3' ribbon around the pool that interlock buts up to. Lots of relief cuts in the deck as well. Perhaps those are the reasons? I don't know. Not a contractor. But, reading through some of your other posts it looks like you picked a poor builder.

PS. My ladder is also in a galv sleeve but there are some sort of a bolt and washer holding them solid. They are removable as well since we are putting the safety cover on as well. They used the white plastic type ladder on our pool, something about to do with the SWG setup, not sure. Hope this helps.

Kevin

[webfeet]

The concrete is broom finished. The builder used what he called "flume" or concrete sand to back fill. He says that it settles better than regular soil, and ours was clay soil. The concrete sand has small pea size gravel in it. The sand came from a local concrete company. I think the PB watered it in some, but no special packing equipment. He claims that if he packed it too much, the polymer walls of the pool could cave inward. (He cautioned us about getting to close to the pool edge before the deck was poured, because we could sink and cause the walls to cave in.) Anyway, he used 4" pvc pilings at every wall joint and they were suppose to be filled with concrete, when the deck was poured. He has a few other pilings spread around. I think they sit on the collar and support the deck. Surrounding area is level, but soil is clay gumbo type. Deck is 8' wide on one long side and deep end, and it is 4' to 6' (due to curved design)on the other long side and 10' at the shallow end.

[Poconos]

Here's a pic of the thinggy that holds a rail tight. That wedge piece when tightened bears between the galvanized steel rail cup and the rail. To remove the rail you need to loosen the bolt a few turns, the wedge may not loosen, then give the bolt head a little whack with a small hammer to loosen the wedge. Rail should come out pretty easily then.
Al

564

[webfeet]

Thanks for the picture. I will show it to PB if he doesnt't repair the problem. Web