A swimming pool in the backyard gives hours of entertainment for the entire family. However, there are numerous maintenance issues that must be addressed, whether by hiring a pool service or doing it yourself. Here’s what you need to know about keeping the expansion joint and pool caulking in good condition. We will go over how long you should wait once you have caulked the pool for it to dry and why it must be caulked.
When Caulking a Pool
It is critical that you use the specific caulk rather than the common household caulk because not all caulks are waterproof. You’ll need several swimming pool expansion joint caulk tubes and a caulking gun to do the pool caulking job.
Caulk requires a clean surface to adhere adequately to existing caulk. To begin, cut away any loose caulking along with the expansion joint with a razor blade or utility knife. Then, using a garden hose, squirt debris and dirt away from the expansion joint. If you have a pressure washer, the high-power spray will produce superior results and help you finish the work faster. Wipe away the water with many cloth towels, making your way around the edge of the swimming pool. This will ensure the expansion joint is clean. If the area is extremely dirty, clean it with a wire brush before washing it away.
Once clean, allow the expansion joint to dry for several days in the sun before applying the fresh caulk. The surface must be completely dry for the new caulk to adhere to the old caulk. If you need to dry quickly, you can utilize the help of a leaf blower.
If your expansion joints have large gaps, you can move backer foam down about 3/8 inch within the expansion joint. This will offer caulk support as well, and you won’t have to use as much caulk to fill the space. (Caulk costs more than backer foam.)
Why Fill the Expansion Joint?
It is filled with flexible pool caulking to keep water from seeping down below the swimming pool construction. Water could rust the steel supports that keep the swimming pool floor and walls together. Furthermore, if water gets down and around the pool and freezes, it can damage the swimming pool bottom.
Because of this, you should inspect the expansion joint on a regular basis. If you find cracks or caulking pulling away from the coping or cement deck, you should replace it. This will also prevent dirt and sand from entering the expansion joint and slipping down the pool walls and floors. If enough dirt and sand accumulate inside the expansion joint over time, it will limit the movement of the pool. The swimming pool will crack if it has nowhere to move as the earth shifts.
The caulk will dry in roughly 24 hours if applied. If you accomplished everything correctly, your caulking job should last about five years, leaving you with time to enjoy that pool.
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