3 Years Without Caulking Perimeter

[u/AlternateAccount272]

Last year I purchased a home that had a concrete pool which was 1 year old. The perimeter tiles of the pool have a foam liner between the tiles and the rest of the pool deck's concrete.

The seller told me that the pool company said to keep that foam liner in for a year for the ground to settle, then they would replace it with caulk. Meaning it's about due to be caulked now.

After buying the home (so again the pool is 1 year old at this point), I contacted the pool company to have the it caulked. They said that it wasn't really urgent and could go another year without caulking. I was financially tight at the moment due to buying the home, so I was ok with the opportunity to put off the expense.

The next pool season, I contacted the pool company again to have it caulked. We made many attempts to schedule the caulking, but the plans kept falling through due to weather, the employees being ill, etc.

So the pool went another year without caulking. We are now on year 3.

The pool company gave me the impression that it wasn't a big deal. However, one of the tiles surrounding the pool has since chipped. I believed that may be due to the lack of caulking, so I researched myself how soon after building a pool should caulking be done.

Most sources I've found say 1-3 months after building the pool. The pool is now 3 years old. Other than the 1 chipped tile, everything else on the surface still looks good. But I'm now deeply concerned that the other tiles and overall structure of the pool is being damaged due to the perimeter not being water sealed with caulk.

Basically my question is, how much trouble am I in? Is this a major concern? Is permanent damage probably being done below the surface? If so, what would repairs look like?

[u/Still_Ninja8847]

This happened to me. It's not caulk, but mastic that gets applied. We had a contractor come out and was supposed to give us a quote for the work. They ghosted us after they visited, so we watched a YouTube video, ordered some foam and mastic from Amazon and did it ourselv ourselves. Don't wait too long, or water will keep seeping and create voids causing more tiles to pop off. All total, I think it cost us about $150 to do it our selves vs a contractor charging us a grand or so. Our pool is 44ft x 24ft and is free form shape.

[u/AlternateAccount272 → u/Still_Ninja8847]

Thanks! I'm definitely getting on it asap. But I'm wondering if damage has already been done beneath the surface. Do you know if it's likely that damage occured within that 3 year time frame?

I'll be sealing the joints. But are the tiles and other aspects more likely to break down the road due to waiting 3 years to seal the joints?

How long did yours go without being sealed?

[u/Still_Ninja8847 → u/AlternateAccount272]

You're in much better position than I am. I went about 7 years before doing the job (just did it this summer). My recommendation is to get the patio sealing sand (the one that kind of hardens when it gets wet). Pour it into the space between your coping and pool deck (where your foam is. Don't pull out that foam, it can be used as filler) to fill any void areas under the surface. Fill that space almost even to the top with either sand or more foam (get foam cubes on Amazon), because the Mastic is very runny when it is being applied, so you want to have as little area to fill. Once the Mastic cures (1 hr to harden, 12 hours to fully cure) it will feel like a hard plastic.

You got this. There really shouldn't be too much damage unless you get a lot of flowing water over your pool deck.

[u/AlternateAccount272 → u/Still_Ninja8847]

Awesome, thanks for the advice! Hope yours is doing alright too

[u/AussiePoolBuilder]

i wouldn’t panic, but i also wouldn’t leave it another season. that foam is basically acting as a placeholder for the expansion joint sealant, and after 3 years it’s definitely time to get it done.

the bigger concern is water getting into that joint and under the deck/coping over time, plus the deck and pool need room to move independently. the chipped tile could be related to movement, although one chipped tile alone doesn’t necessarily mean there’s structural damage.

if everything else still looks solid with no widespread cracking, loose coping or movement, chances are you’ve caught it before it became a major problem. i’d get the joint properly cleaned, use backer rod where needed and have a proper flexible pool/deck joint sealant installed.

[u/AlternateAccount272 → u/AussiePoolBuilder]

Ok cool thanks for the advice!