Installation of ceramic tiles in a swimming pool

Installation of ceramic tiles in a swimming pool

The materials used for installing and jointing ceramic tiles in a swimming pool are extremely exposed.

Not only due to having to be permanently submerged, but also due to the different treatments to which the water is subjected and the different pressures, expansions and contractions suffered by the tiles when the swimming pool is full or empty.

Preliminary analysis

The materials used for installing and jointing ceramic tiles, stone materials or vitreous mosaics suffer very extreme use conditions:

  • Positive hydrostatic pressures (full swimming pool).
  • Negative hydrostatic pressures (empty swimming pool).
  • High temperature gradients.
  • Water saturation.
  • Freezing and thawing.
  • Treatment of the water with chemical agents.

There are also special ceramic tiles resistant to immersion and outdoors, with anti-sliding properties and resistant to chemical cleaning agents.

Technical considerations

The first consideration to be taken into account is the state of the substrate on which the cladding will be installed:

  1. It must be resistant, clean, dry and flat; cleaning and removing weak areas such as cement grout, traces of release agents, dust, paint, greases, non-cementitious waterproofing membranes, etc.

In case of repairs of the pool cup, specific products of the GECOL Reparatec range are recommended.

2. The swimming pool vessel must be waterproofed using mortars of the GECOL Imper range.

Additionally, it must be designed in such a manner as to allow deformities in order to prevent the appearance of fissures and the wall-floor and wall-wall contacts must be correctly sealed.

3. Once the cladding has been jointed, we recommend filling the pool previously, thereby ensuring the non-existence of leaks and good watertightness of the pool vessel.

 

A second consideration to be considered is the design of the joints, making sure to:

  • Leave at least 3 mm joint spacing between tiles.
  • Execute perimeter movement joints in corners and changes in plane, height or material.
  • Execute expansion joints in the pool.

All expansion joints must be filled with elastic mastics such as G#color Elastic-MS.

 

Likewise, the use of specific mechanical anchorages is obligatory whenever tiles with dimensions greater than 60 x 40 cm or 40 kg / m2 are installed, in order not to alter the watertightness of the pool.

Jointing mortar must be applied in accordance with the times marked in the Technical Data Sheet of the adhesive.

Commissioning will take place 48 hours after executing the joint.

Recommended products

Adhesive

Flexible

Anhydrite supports

High deformability

High performance

Ultra-fast setting

High deformability

Joint mortars

From 0 to 20 mm quick setting

From 3 to 15 mm

From 2 to 15 mm

Completely watertight joints

Flexible mastic

Elastomeric mastic

Concrete repairers

Structural

Structural-fast setting

Structural-fluid

Waterproofing

Thin layer 3 mm Elastic

Thin layer from 2 to 5 mm

Thick layer 10 mm

Warnings: The data provided by this Constructive Solution were prepared based on standard onsite installation processes. However, we recommend that you consult our Technical Department in the event of any specific circumstance info@gecol.com