Gunite: This Type of Construction Led The Way To The Growth in Pool Ownership
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bhupsjangirGunite: This Type of Construction Led The Way To The Growth in Pool Ownership
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bhupsjangirGunite : This type of construction led the way to the growth in pool ownership
because it was much cheaper than other methods of concrete construction
Gunite is a mixture of hydrated cement and sand applied over and under a grid of
steel reinforcing rods-called rebar-directly against the soil. The mix is very dry
and is shot from a nozzle under high pressure to form a one-piece shell that is
considered stronger than any other type of concrete.
The gunite must be directed behind the rebars and against the earth so that pockets
of air or loose sand cannot form. He shell must be of the proper thickness
throughout, with no weak spots that will be unable to resist earth and hydrostatic
pressures.
Many contractors place covers over the main drain pipe, inlet pipes, and light
sockets to prevent their being filled with concrete. Otherwise, all openings must
be checked and cleared as soon as the gunite crew is finished.
Gunite allows complete freedom of size and shape, since it follows any excavated
shape. Steps and spas can be formed at the same time. The thickness of the shell
and the number and size of the rebars can be adjusted to meet any structural
requirement. If you have to build your pool on filled ground, a gunite shell
supported on concrete piers that sit on solid ground may be the answer.
The initial cost of gunite equipment makes it impractical for the small contractor
who builds only a few pools a year, unless the equipment can be rented when
needed. If you don’t live in a densely populated area, you may find either that
gunite is not available or that the cost is considerably higher than other available
materials.
Poured concrete. Largely replaced by gunite where the spray equipment is
available, the poured concrete method has been abandoned by many companies
because of the labour involved in setting the forms and the time it takes for the
concrete to dry. After the forms are stripped, the concrete floor is poured, spread,
and then toweled smooth by hand.
The bond beam along the top of the wall is usually the last structural step, unless it
is incorporated in the pour for the walls.
Steel reinforcing is used in this type of pool, too. The rebars projecting from the
walls must be tied to the rebars in the floor and bond beam.
Unlike gunite, poured concrete limits your choice to sample rectangular and
circular shapes.
Hand-packed concrete. This method has almost disappeared but may astill be used
in some rural areas.
Fewer forms are used than with a poured concrete pool, and much more hand
labour is required. The same limitations on shape apply. The pool’s sloping sides
have two disadvantages – they make it more difficult for people to get out of the
pool and they don’t lend themselves to competitive swimming.
Masonry blocks. Some small contractors favour this type of construction
because there’s a minimum outlay for equipment.
Because the blocks serve as forms and the cores are filled with mortar, a block
pool is similar to a poured pool. There are two kinds of blocks – the most
common are set in mortar; interlocking blocks, available in some areas, are easier
to handle.
The blocks are stacked on a poured concrete footing. Reinforcing rods in the
footing extend into the walls and floor. As the walls go up, openings must be left
for plumbing and underwater lights.
The floor can be poured after the walls are up or at the same time the footing is
poured. Steel is tied to rods projecting from the footing to form a solid grid. The
floor is made with one pour and then toweled smooth.
The reinforcing rods projecting from the walls are bent down and wired to rods in
the bond beam (see drawing on opposite page).
Because of the rectangular shape of the blocks, most pools of this type have
straight lines – they are rectangular, wedge-shaped, L-shaped, or T Shaped.
Curves can be incorporated into the design, but they should have not less than a
10-foot radius.
An interior finish must be applied to a masonry block pool to provide a
waterproof surface for plaster and paint finishes.
Vinyl-lined pools
