How do I join old and new concrete so pavers on top are stable?

5 years ago

Hello my smart fellow Houzzers,

I've received conflicting advice from professionals and don't know what to do.

We are refurbishing our 30 year old concrete pool with new limestone coping pavers and pave also the area around the pool so that it is flat and level. The current pool coping bed is 35cm wide, then it drops to the current ground level between 20 - 80cm.

In order to raise the ground level and lay pavers we need to pour concrete around the pool. We have received different advice from different pool renovation companies.

One company said you can drill into the pool coping bed, put some rods in with chemset, expansion joint between the two concretes and then pour the new concrete.

Another company said "oh no can't drill into the coping bed as you would ruin it' ...consider timber around the pool.

What CAN we do to ensure the new and old concrete remains stable and the pavers on top don't crack or move apart from each other?

Any concreters out there who can help?

Photo shows the current pool coping and the drop to ground level. Temp fencing around as the house is also being renovated.....

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Comments (2)

PRO
Dr Retro House Calls
5 years ago
I wouldn't leave it to the pool renovators and their concretors to decide. If they misjudge and it cracks open in a few years then will they be around to pay for relaying new limestone? I would engage an engineer to assess the condition of the concrete under the brick coping and design the joint (possibly with rods and chemset), allowing for adequate expansion joints for the new concrete and the new limestone. Engineers tend to be more conservative than concretors when it comes to design. Engaging an engineer to design this joint will cost you more in the short term, but nothing will be left to chance. Who knows there may be a better way to connect than rods and chemset - let your engineer advise. You can then get a competitive quote from the two pool companies for the same thing. Just dont go with timber decking around a pool as it looks so dated and needs lots of maintenance.

Best of luck,

Dr Retro

of Dr Retro House Calls
watchedpoppy thanked Dr Retro House Calls
watchedpoppy
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you Dr Retro for the advice about an engineer. I think we are almost thinking the easiest way to go is to cut the 600x400 paver down to the coping width and be done with it. Higher cost for all the cuts but it may be better given the expansion joints needed for the concrete and the pavers separately.

I agree with the timber decking for sure.
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How do I join old and new concrete so pavers on top are stable?

Comments (2)

Dr Retro House Calls

watchedpoppy
Original Author

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How do I join old and new concrete so pavers on top are stable?

Comments (2)

Dr Retro House Calls

watchedpoppyOriginal Author

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watchedpoppy
Original Author