Best sealant for pool grout?


  #1  
Old 05-26-15, 03:36 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 37
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Best sealant for pool grout?

Hey guys! I have a small pool leak somewhere near the top tile portion of my pool I have not found yet. Good news is the waterline settles down an inch above the skimmer, but I'd still like to seal the grout. What sealer should I use? And is it a good idea to apply silicone over this grout? There are a lot of places where the grout is worn giving a good gap to fill with sealant, but I'm concerned doing it all over will make it hard to clean, or may mildew. We scrub the tiles almost weekly.

I'll probably use the same sealant for the concrete gap, although that seems more aesthetic right now.

I've found so far:
Vulkem 116
White 3M Marine 5200 Adhesive

Thanks!
 
Attached Images  
  #2  
Old 05-26-15, 03:46 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,952 Upvotes on 3,545 Posts
I'm in the process of working on my tile. Replacing some missing/loose grout. Rebuilding some of the cement behind the tile. The pool is about 45 years old and in excellent shape. Since we have to drain it down below the tile before the winter freeze, before refilling is a good time for maintenance. This year I'm repainting so the pool is empty.

You should really lower your pool below the tile, remove the crumbled/bad grout and regrout it. I don't recommend silicone and I don't think a sealer will hold up under chlorinated water.

Here's something I have found out by actually experiencing it..... if the tile leaks the cement behind it gets wet and can crumble.
 
  #3  
Old 05-26-15, 04:07 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 37
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Basically you are saying fill it with more grout? I don't know if that will seal it, as it's probably a crack behind the tile letting water out over the top. Maybe some special Epoxy grout or something? I can't easily re-tile, and even a pro would need to probably bring in more Diamond Brite to fix whatever he took off to replace the tile.
 
  #4  
Old 05-26-15, 04:24 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,952 Upvotes on 3,545 Posts
I doubt your tile is cracked...... more likely a grout issue.

You have to remove old broken grout before refilling it with new.
 
  #5  
Old 06-02-15, 04:20 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 37
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Appreciate the help PJmax. I have a new development though - after a long rain - about a handful of sand came into the pool and I noticed in the skimmer it looks like there is a quarter sized hole in the grout. I don't know if the sand is actually coming from the hole as it's the same sand I use in the trench drain close by. It could have just streamed in from the top. This really isn't where the slow leak is given that it is much too low and the pool level is constant about an inch above that hole.

Any ideas what to do? Sure I could grout it, but I'm more concerned with leaks and grout doesn't normally seal water. It's very porous.

Name:  DSC_1226.jpg
Views: 6971
Size:  22.4 KBName:  DSC_1227.jpg
Views: 6822
Size:  47.2 KB
 
  #6  
Old 06-02-15, 07:48 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,952 Upvotes on 3,545 Posts
I'm not a tile pro so I don't have all the answers. I've been looking online at tile repairs as I have some repair work to do myself.

The common consensus is that grout doesn't seal the tile. There are coatings you can put over the grout for waterproofing but I don't know how effective they are for major water leaks.

I did come across a video that may apply towards your problem.
youtube/com/watch?v=4XTZAFZHmwM
 
  #7  
Old 06-02-15, 08:08 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 37
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Thanks PJmax, I did come across that video as well. That's what gave me the idea of caulk, but cleaning siliconed grout may be hard to do. I bought some Vulkem 116 at Home Depot and will do a beed around the pool along the concrete anyway. 99% of the work will be tearing off the old caulk, paint, and then cleaning it.

There is a waterproof epoxy type grout that is more expensive and harder to apply. Maybe that's something to look into.
 
  #8  
Old 06-02-15, 08:16 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,939
Received 3,952 Upvotes on 3,545 Posts
I got into a discussion on another board. The statement was made that the water actually goes thru the tile too. The cement/plaster behind the tile is what actually makes the pool waterproof and to not rely on the grout at all.

I guess there is some truth to that.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: