What to use for patching a chlorinated rubber/gunite pool?

After 9 hours recently completely removing a flaky HOUSE paint that the previous homeowner used, I've found many cracks and crevices in my gunite pool. I've determined the coat below that (what's left) is a chlorinated rubber.

Now, I need to patch: two actual cracks (as wide as 3/8"), several deeply pitted areas, one actual HOLE (about 3/4" diameter), and many uneven/pitted areas. I would like to know what to use. The "pool putty" stuff I've used in the past just seems to deteriorate & flake off. I'd like something more durable.

I've read that chlorinated rubbers are "self priming" so I'm hoping to just patch and paint, skipping a primer coat. The method I used to prep the surface was a 2400 PSI pressure wash, and I covered EVERY centimeter of the pool. I'm hoping I can get by without the acid or neutralizer washing.

Thank you!

If you want to REMOVE the paint, the only thing I've found is these: http://www.aurand.net/aurandweb/site/electric_tools.php

You can't 'grind' it if off -- it just gums up the abrasive. And, you can't brush it off, because it's resilient enough to resist the bristles.

As far as recoating info, I'd recommend reading the guides at Kelley Technical: http://www.kelleytech.com/olympic/ol...-bulletins.asp

Regarding cracks and holes:

+ Holes are easy -- fill them with epoxy or concrete or whatever.

+ Cracks are hard -- usually they move, as temps change, and it doesn't take much movement to break anything rigid. There are expansion joint materials that work, but they are expensive, require very careful surface prep, and on larger cracks must be supported with foam backer rod or something of the kind.

I'd say go for a contractor . . . but a lot of contractors can't do this sort of stuff. Still you might want to try.

It really sounds like you may need an extensive rehab of your pool's surface, but I can't tell from here.

Ben

Thanks Ben. Lots of good info under the Kelley Technical bulletins.

Using a concrete mix is good news for much of the patch work. I don't mind "mud" and trowels. Would a sand based thinset work? (NOT the premixed stuff). Or what do you recommend?

I remember seeing a specific caulk tube a while back in an instructional pool video, with the backer rod you mentioned. The caulk was $15 or so a tube I think. I'll look for it and compare with the Kelley docs.

Aside from 9 hours of pressure washing, I've moved the filter/pump, re-plumbed everything and just need to prep/paint, and finish electrical. My goal was to do it all for $1,000 to 1,500. I hope that's still possible.

I'd prefer to leave the chlorinated rubber though it isn't in great shape. Paint sticks to paint. The patches of bare concrete and pitting are what scare me. The cracks I think I can handle. My primary fear is that the paint won't stick to the parts of bare concrete, or the new concrete to the pitted areas. Am I being too paranoid? Will any chlorinated rubber work, or must it be Type A, etc? Home Depot has a $49 chlorinated rubber, but the MSDS mentions acrylic. ??

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think the time and money it would take to remove the existing paint and start over with an epoxy is worth it for this house. It's a 16x32, 3-8ft pool in an older/ordinary neighborhood. Plain Jane, concrete box in the ground with a massive Oak next door. My primary reason for the project was to solve a water loss problem. Secondary concern was the appearance. The patching and two coats of paint I hope will solve both. Since I found the 3/4" hole (blocked by paint), I'm pretty sure the 250+ gal loss a day last year (with evaporation) will be resolved!

Hi Treed;

Judgements about value are purely personal: pools are not a good real estate "investment". If you are doing the repairs for resale, cynically I'd probably have to say the cheapest work possible that produces a short term improvement in appearance is what is 'best'. If you are doing it for yourself, then that's a different matter.

Regarding paints, I'd try to use Kelley's. I think other products out there *might* be OK, but I don't know that, and I do know that I've seen some really terrible paint jobs done with other paint. One large (300,000 gallons) pool, painted with an acrylic containing product essentially chalked away during its first season -- white clouds appeared around swimmers feet as they walked, all season long.

Doheny's has had the best consumer prices in the past: http://www.doheny.com/poolsupplies/O...ase-Paint.html
Looks like they still may.

Ben

So I bit the bullet and ordered the paint I *thought* I needed. I'm not sure now if I have a chlorinated rubber or synthetic ...but I KNOW I've got 8 gallons of Paralon 2!! ;) Can you/anyone help with determining my paint type?

I mixed 25% Xylene and 75% Mineral Spirits and DO have some paint coming off below the water line. Above it, there is paint that is NOT coming off. This paint is in good shape actually - comes off with 100% Xylene. The paint below the line has serious wear (bare in places), more so after the recent heavy duty pressure washing that I did. I thought maybe the CR might break down over time and present/test as a synthetic. Is that possible?

Along with the previous owner's decision to paint with a non-compatible paint, I wouldn't be surprised if there are multiple, incompatible types. Of course an acrylic (such as olympic Hyrdolon) would work over anything, right? I did not do the denatured alcohol test (used isopropyl). I plan to do that tomorrow, just in case it's an acrylic. I doubt that it is, but I wouldn't be surprised either. I'm thinking an acrylic would be the best option here, but I already have the Paralon 2, so I want to be sure one way or another before I send this back or sell it.

Oh, and I looked up the Aurand tool. I'd buy or rent one of these for a reasonable price, but I didn't see them offered anywhere. I could use it for other things, like the pool deck, my garage, etc. I'm not interested in sandblasting, period. 4,000lbs of sand or a crazy price to contract what's ultimately a "paint" job makes no sense.

Thank you for the help!