Tanning Ledge in Vinyl Pool??

[dlmartinez909]

I'm adding a tanning ledge (10'x12') to my vinyl pool. I'm going to pour it using concrete and want to cover it with Diamond Brite to give it that beach entry look. Has anyone ever seen this done. I'm going to recess a 1 1/2" x 2" piece of plastic in the front side of the concrete tanning ledge to attach the step trim to it after putting in my new liner. Water depth will on be 10" deep in this area and I don't see any difference between this and fiberglass steps in a pool. I know most people don't like hybrid pools but doing this out of vinyl would keep me from doing the beach access.

[PoolDoc]

Nope, never heard of that. Right off the top of my head, I'm not sure it seems like a great idea, either.

If you are very careful about the pour, and are able to fit the liner to the ledge correctly, it could work. But it will be a lot of work.

My question: if you have the skills to do this, why don't you convert your whole pool to concrete? Then, you can have the beach entry you want, and a tanning ledge, too.

[dlmartinez909]

I originally built the pool myself so I know how they are done. Never tried concrete in one but have experience pouring decks, driveways, etc. I'm going to replace my entire deck around my pool at the same so I think I will give it a try and update the forum with pictures while I'm doing it and after I'm done. I think alot of people would like to add something like this to thier vinyl pool but it hasn't been tried or hasn't been talked about on the internet very much if it has. Thanks for the help and for you last question cost? I'm sure the it would be expensive to convert the whole pool to concrete.

[PoolDoc]

Most IG pools are built with a double lattice of #3 or #4 rebar, and at least 6" of concrete.

As a builder, you can figure local costs for the concrete and forming better than I can. One caution: you'll need to use TRUE 5" slump (or less) concrete, and vibrate it in. If if haven't ever formed long walls before, do NOT try to pour more than 2 -3 ft at a time -- you'll blow out the forms when you do, unless they are super strong. You can do continuous pour around the pool, allowing the concrete to 'soft-set' before you pour and vibrate the next few feet.

But, pouring pools is very old school, except for some very large commercial pools, even though it works OK. Blown in gunite (nozzle mix) or shot-crete (truck mix) has been the standard for 40+ years. However, you'll have to hire a pool contractor or gunite contractor to concrete the pool for you -- the equipment is expensive and not standard in other applications, plus there's a fair bit of skill involved. If you got that route, you can't vibrate. As a result neat, clean and well aligned rebar layout is critical for pool strength; what happens other wise is the mis-aligned rebar mats tend to block some areas behind both mats, and leave voids.

There's also modification of the poured pool, that's been used many times over the years by DIY builders and by inexperienced pool builders: poured bottom with laid block walls. I've seen a number of these pools, and they all worked OK, except for problems above the waterline, where the porous block was subject to freeze damage over the winter. But, if you pour a cantilever deck + bond beam, on top of the block, so the portion of the pool above the water line is concrete rather than block -- you'll avoid that issue.

Finally, don't make the mistake many residential pool builders do. Seasonal expansion and contraction of your deck is primarily horizontal. But, expansion of the pool wall is primarily vertical. This typically results in a continuous, and unrepairable crack under the tile at the water line. The solution is easy: the joint between the deck, and the bond beam must be a full depth expansion joint and NOT a scratched in control joint. Doing it this way, allows the deck to move horizontally, and the wall up and down, without damage.

Good luck!

[PoolDoc]

This might help illustrate some of the ideas I mentioned, regarding a block wall pool: