Coloring Concrete at the waterline and under water in a pool

[Rick]

Ok didn't see this on the website so figured i'd ask.

When you put boulders under water in a pool. What is your process for coloring and sealing them so they don't bleach out?

What is the way to keep them water tight? Since most underwater surfaces are painted with rubberized paint.

[Rick]

Yep thanks,

I've looked at his site before. Was considering using it.

We have a lot of custom mixes already. We use a lot of steel fiber in base coats for strengh. Fiberglass is really only for surface cracking.

But to be honest. They are not really custom. Get a book on cement engineering and it's right there in black and white. The tweeks are with the smoothness. Which for my structural coat isn't what i want.

We've even done a exposed ag type mix with steel fiber so we could power wash off the surface to leave steel fibers exposed to tie into the surface mix. Meaning you didn't have to depend only on your polymers to bond it to the base surface.

Even the Cellular concrete is there.

But, what's easy to carve isn't. LOL

Richard Winget is the only problem i've had with the site. I see someone deleted his posts.

Others have been more then helpfull. Including you.

Our skim coat is pretty simple. Polymer, fine sand, and standard sand. We usually use a #60 and #30. Throw in a little fly ash for the smoothing and you have a nice coating. I usually throw in a little retardant/plastisizer to drop the liquid level and give a little bit of retard. Nothing more then store bought. Two in one. Add in 4 tblspoons per bag.

A lot of people like to use ice water. Which i'm a little leary of. 2 different temp materials going onto one another isn't really a good thing. Think thermal expansion.

If your working in 90 degrees best to have a mix that works at that temp. Instead of throwing in the problem of thermal expansion.

The epoxy manufacturers state that. Everything to be the same temp that is. For them, it also has the problem of more air bubbles.

Thanks, Rick


Randy Murray said:

Hi Rick,
Try JPJ technologies for different mixes. I paid about $900.00 four years ago for the DVD's they offer. They also had classes , I do not know if they are still doing that. The classes then were $2600.00 for a week. It was well worth the price for the DVD's learning different mixes for pools. I have had lots of concrete experience in the past so the DVD's worked just fine for me and it sounds like they would work good for you. JPJ will also give you help by phone and e-mail if you need it. There is lots of info for freeze thaw mixes etc. Keith Tutor also has some excellent DVD's. Also try concrete network I also just started talking to crown polymers about waterproofing barrier coats on the opposite side of the hydrostatic pressure (I guess the negative side). There products and additive seem to be working very well for waterproofing or stopping hydrostatic pressure coming up through the floors. I live in western Washington where we get it all, freeze thaw, huge moisture issues etc.

Just to let you know Nathan has been really helpful and informative, at least for me. I do get a little frustrated about the lack of mixes that are made, however that being said I can understand people holding them tight if they have spent thousands of dollars and time developing them. I have floor skimcoat mix I would not give out for free. It is really to bad this has gotten so ugly. There are some really good people on this site.

Good luck Rick, let me know if this helps

[Nathan Giffin Vertical Artisans]

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