Concrete help!

We had a deck for a pool poured 4 days ago and it dried dark black in places, is rough and has white spots. Need help!

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Dark = wet, not dried out yet.

White = very dry

Have you been misting it with a hose so that it cure uniform?

Did your contractor explain the curing process?

Has it received heavy amounts of rain in the last couple days?

Contractor explained nothing to us! We have had no rain. Can we go back and mist now and save the deck?

Spray it with water and better yet cover it with plastic to keep the moisture in so it cures more evenly.

Should our pool contractor be responsible for that?

Nikki Bullock wrote:

Should our pool contractor be responsible for that?

They are supposed to be the expert! Hard to imagine that a contractor that specializes in luxury items wouldn’t inform you on how to assist in the curing process. Ecspecially with a slab baking in the sun. Granted, they can put in additives to help the process, but how they just poured and didn’t explain anything to you is rediculous. So now it puts you in a elevated level of concern…. All would have been avioded with a 2 minute conversation.

As mentioned, wet, cover in plastic during the day, expose at night after sunset. As it continues to cure, the color should even out

Thank you so much for the help! It’s been a frustrating process and he has not been forth coming about most of it with little to no contact and won’t return phone calls. This process for the pool started at the end of April.

It will be OK when dry. Out of curiosity does the contractor have a license or was he just driving down the road when you found him?

The pool contractor has a license and he subcontracted out to them we didn’t have a choice and weren’t given any info.

Problem one sees alot in sub work. Miscommunication, which is a bummer bc the product most certainly can be top notch.

If you can’t get ahold of the guy talk to another pool company, hire to come out and take care of it, pay em yourself and back charge original contractor.

I’d be calling the pool contractor out to take a peek first hand and then ask why you were not appraised of the after-care of the fresh concrete. I’d let that contractor know that this is not acceptable and work from there. If he refuses to answer the phone, I’d drive right to his brick and mortar place of business. At a minimum in this weather you should have been instructed to give the concrete a spray three or four times a day and to have it covered between sprayings for at least a couple day.

The pool contractor won’t come out and look at it. We called and voiced our concerns and he said we would love the finished product. He has not come back out and checked any of the work that anybody he sub contracted out to do.

Randy Wieland wrote:

Dark = wet, not dried out yet.

White = very dry

Have you been misting it with a hose so that it cure uniform?

Did your contractor explain the curing process?

Has it received heavy amounts of rain in the last couple days?

Agree

Sounds like a poor contractor

Have you checked with the better business bureau for complaints against the company?

They had no complaints against them.

Nikki Bullock wrote:

The pool contractor won’t come out and look at it. We called and voiced our concerns and he said we would love the finished product. He has not come back out and checked any of the work that anybody he sub contracted out to do.

Report to the BBB (Better business Bureau)!

Calling the BBB will do nothing except make you feel better. Document your phone calls and contact with the general and sub contractor. Take photo’s. Do what others have said in regards to keeping it wet & covered and let it cure. Once cured if you still are unhappy start your legal action against the general and let him fight it out with his subs. My guess is when it’s all said and done nothing will happen and you will be very happy with your pool. As mentioned better communication would have made this a non issue.

Don’t hit the panic button yet. Do what Randy said and take it easy. Most likely it will be fine when it has cured uniformly.

Not to excuse poor communication or customer service, but do what Randy is saying.

I had the same reaction when I saw my parents new driveway, I wanted to have the contractor shot. Even after it was misted and covered, it still was blotchy for a week, but it turned out fine. Don’t panic, be patient and wait.

Grouse

Nikki, is the slab being tiled or other covering? Or is the slab the finished project?

Yep, communication is a valuable tool. It could be perfectly fine. Most pool slabs I’ve been involved with are not polished to an ultra smooth finish. Generally are left with a very light texture to reduce slipping on when wet OR for mortar when being tiled

It is the finished product. We are just frustrated with not being given clear cut answers by him and him dismissing our concern. According to another person who does concrete/pool decking they fisnished the concrete more like a driveway and used a brush that was too hard.

Document what the expectations were set as for the finish, with plenty of pictures of examples Vs. What you received. If they had you go to other customers to see their finished pools, see if they will let you take pictures.

I’m surprised you guys didn’t mention holding final payment, or at least threatening to do so if the cement didn’t clear up.

Assuming it’s not paid in full.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

I’m surprised you guys didn’t mention holding final payment, or at least threatening to do so if the cement didn’t clear up.

Assuming it’s not paid in full.

X2, that was my initial thought as well

I wouldn’t be worried about the color or this finish.
It takes a long time for concrete to dry.
I would also prefer a rougher finish if there are going to be kids running around the pool.
Slick concrete is dangerous, slick concrete around a pool is asking for trouble.

It has been a while since I did concrete work, but it usually takes a few days to cure and then the color will generally even out like my driveway I had to have done last year did.

I would also think a brush finish would be preferred also as you are going to want that versus a flat slick finish near a pool. As far as what type of brush was used, that is a different question all together.

Good Luck.

Seems a little late for you guys to be telling him what finish to put on it. Considering it’s already poured and finished

Is it too late to apply the chemical to get exposed aggregate? I know we always put that on right away and then covered with plastic and washed away the top layer the next day. Don’t know if there’s a product that can do it after cure.

All concrete dries like that. Give it a few weeks and it will be uniform.

call your city inspector and make them be accountable.

on a serious note I hope it works out for you.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

Is it too late to apply the chemical to get exposed aggregate?

Are you talking about sodium chloride? It’s never too late to put that on. Just ask the FW about the patio block that’s flaking off.