8 replies to this topic

[pete1956]

Had a new fiberglass pool installed, The tile border around the pool is not even all the way around the pool at the water line, the deep end seem to be sitting lower that the shallow end, One side of the deep end seem to be tilting to the side more then the other, We had heavy rain the other day and the pool filled all the up the water was over flowing on the deep side were it was tilted, the shallow end had at least 1 5/8" before it would over flow, the deep end on the side not tilted had about 1" before over flow, The pool has no concrete around it, The installer told me it would level it self as it sits, Is this true any help, Does the pool have to be reset ?

[PoolGuyNJ]

Nope, he's full of baloney. He needs to reset the pool if it's more than 1/4" off.

Did you take pix of when it was being set? The hole, just before they set the pool can tell me a lot.

Scott

[pete1956]

Nope, he's full of baloney. He needs to reset the pool if it's more than 1/4" off.

Did you take pix of when it was being set? The hole, just before they set the pool can tell me a lot.

Scott

No pictures were taken, I was at work at the time, How do they reset it, Does this mean all the water has to come out and the pool has to come out of the ground, If they were looking for a 1/4" they must have not been looking at all

[PoolGuyNJ]

A F/G shell needs to be set one a screed over bed of either mason sand or small gravel, 2" deep minimum, 4" preferred. It must meet the bottom of the pool uniformly or reasonably so for bottom support. Without the support, the bottom will have undesirable stresses that can create cracked gel coats or worse develop.

What is under the bed is of concern also. Heavy clays or soupy soil do not make for a suitable sub-floor and should be removed or de-watered as needed,

The pool's coping edge must be level. This is how the pool was designed. The 5/8" difference is still too much. No cigar in my book. It can't level itself. Only liquids can do that. If he expects it to settle, that would happen on the deep end where there is more weight. If I read you correctly, that end is already lower.

What you contracted for may be a different thing entirely.

Scott

[pool tile]

I've encountered your problem many times. The only job function my company does is tile fiberglass pools. Since 1980 we have tiled more than 10,000 fiberglass pools. Your problem is a result of tile being installed at the factory. Tile should be installed and water leveled after the pool is in the ground. The cantilever forms are then attached to the tile. When the deck is poured, everything is perfectly level.

Your pool will not level itself. The solution is: Remove the tile, reinstall the tile water leveled, Pour the deck to the top of the level tile.

The 200+ fiberglass pool installers we have worked for usually get the pool level to about 1 1/2 inches. The installer usually takes 6 or 8 level readings with a transit. When we tile the pool we put about 100 waterlevel marks on the pool to work from.

[pete1956]

I've encountered your problem many times. The only job function my company does is tile fiberglass pools. Since 1980 we have tiled more than 10,000 fiberglass pools. Your problem is a result of tile being installed at the factory. Tile should be installed and water leveled after the pool is in the ground. The cantilever forms are then attached to the tile. When the deck is poured, everything is perfectly level.

Your pool will not level itself. The solution is: Remove the tile, reinstall the tile water leveled, Pour the deck to the top of the level tile.

The 200+ fiberglass pool installers we have worked for usually get the pool level to about 1 1/2 inches. The installer usually takes 6 or 8 level readings with a transit. When we tile the pool we put about 100 waterlevel marks on the pool to work from.

The pool was pulled out and sitting on the ground, They are doing the whole thing over again, I know that they are doing the best they can do to get the job done rite,

[PoolGuyNJ]

A laser transit will get them within a 1/4" every time, assuming the bed is done right. 1.5" out of level has no excuses in my book.

Scott

[pool tile]

A laser transit will get them within a 1/4" every time, assuming the bed is done right. 1.5" out of level has no excuses in my book.

Scott

I agree with you Scott. 1.5" is not good. Unfortunatly it is the norm that I've seen from California to Florida and up north.

It's my openion that water is the best leveling tool. A clear plastic tube .5 inch wide X 40 feet long, filled with water can be used to level anything. It's used in several industries other than pools. It's what I use for leveling tile in pools. It only cost about $5.00.

[PoolGuyNJ]

I like the rotating laser and stick with a sensor and torpedo levels 90 degrees apart. The levels tell the stick holder when they are vertical and the sensor beeps when it meets the laser's beam. If the pool is high or low, you'll see exactly how much.

Your way works too but the laser is faster and when you have men and equipment on site, time is money.

Scott