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

[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

Attachment 564

[webfeet]

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