Over time, fiberglass swimming pools require more and more maintenance. Constant contact with water and the chemicals used in swimming pools causes fiberglass to break down. The effects are even more pronounced in areas where seasonal temperature changes are dramatic. Hot summers followed by cold winters will eventually cause the fiberglass finish to dull and may even lead to cracks and other serious problems. Luckily, there are some easy-to-use and inexpensive home repair techniques you can use to correct these and other problems. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Research the various fiberglass repair kits for pools available for purchase online. There are several makers of these kits for swimming pool or you can simply purchase the necessary items individually at most home repair stores, paint stores or pool supply stores.
2. Identify the problem before you embark on repairs. Cosmetic or "appearance" problems can be fixed quite easily, while cracks might take a bit more time and effort. Cosmetic repairs can be made by simply applying a bit of fiberglass paint in an effort to get the right color match. Be careful, though, as it's really quite difficult to get an exact match when it comes to fiberglass paint.
3. Start by draining your pool completely and letting it dry.
4. Locate the crack you want to repair and carefully sand the area around it. It is important to sand and clear away any and all loose particles from the area.
5. Use your cutting tool to cut the crack out (this will require a diamond blade). Make the cut about half an inch deep and outside the original edge of the crack.
6. Use hydraulic cement to fill the gap, and then apply a bond coat. Wait until the bond coat dries.
7. Use a putty knife to apply polyester putty the area. As soon as the putty is dry, sand the area until it is totally smooth.
8. Get out your paint roller and apply the recommended gel coat. To make your work look nicer, put tape around the area on which you're working.
9. Apply fiberglass cloth to the repair area. A good overlap is necessary. Make sure you overlap about 2 inches. Apply more gel coat and roll it out smooth, being careful to get out all air bubbles.
10. Let your repair work dry, sand it and top it all off with the finish coat.
Tags: bond coat, fiberglass paint, home repair, sand area
