Swimming pools come in all shapes and sizes and are accessible to all budgets. A tiled pool not only offers the look of luxury but provides a practical resilience to many conditions. Leaving you with a pool that will last long past all the others.
Remember a pool is a tough environment for any product to withstand. With the consistent chemical fluctuation and temperature variance (sometimes just in the matter of moments) all pool products need to be long lasting but they do ware over time or with so many components something may misfire.
You may have heard of or the experience yourself with pool tiles falling off. We do not want this to be a reason why you would not choose such a hard waring product. So “Why do pool tiles fall off”? Let’s provide some in site to this question and many of the leading factors.
More often than not, it has nothing to do with the tiles, rather how they were installed. Before you start trying to repair the immediate tile, it pays to find out why they’re falling off or breaking in the first place. Knowing the reason and how to fix your pool tiles properly, will help prevent it from happening again.
Here are some of the main reasons why your swimming pool tiles might fall off.
Lack of expansion joints
When we talk about pool tiles we often refer to mosaics. These are most commonly used due to their size and ability to follow the curves in the organic shapes of pools. However all mosaics come held together as sheets and often a mesh backing is used to do so. At Ceramic Tile Supplies we suggest not to use the mesh backed mosaics in pools for several reasons.
Firstly the backing often covers so much of the tile that the glue does not get through the mesh on to the tile. Second the mesh can rot away and if not enough glue has reached the tile there is nothing left holding it on. We offer paper faced or polyurethane backed mosaic tile alternatives to combat these problems.
Mesh Backing
Pool expansion joints are an important and often overlooked element of an in ground swimming pool because they protect your pool from damage.
An expansion joint is the gap between the pool coping (edging) and pool deck, and it’s usually filled with caulk or a sealant. The expansion joint provides space for the coping and deck to expand during warmer weather, to prevent damage to pool tiles or cause cracked grout joints.
If you do have expansion joints and notice damage to them over time, make sure you replace or repair it as soon as possible. If water enters under the tile surface it will create problems, eventually resulting in your pool tiles falling off.
Incorrect adhesive products used in installation
You may have purchased good quality swimming pool tiles, but if they’re not installed properly it can also lead to problems. Poor installation of pool tiles usually comes down to the type of products used when installing them.
Choosing the right products is just as important as selecting your pool tiles and should not be treated like tiles you install inside your home. As we all know, indoor tiles are exposed to air while pool tiles are submerged in water. When selecting the grout, adhesive and sealant ensure it is pool rated and if it is recommended to include an additive to increase the products durability.
pH levels in your pool
pH is a measure of the pool water’s total acid-alkalinity balance, meaning how acidic or basic the water is. When the total alkalinity in your pool is low, it can lead to concavity on the surface of the concrete, causing pool tiles to fall off.
To prevent this from happening, you need to pay close attention to the pH level of your pool and adjust it from time to time, to always keep the water balanced.
Are your pool tiles and decking attached?
If you have a deck, it’s common for the elements to damage it over time. It will also begin to impact your pool if the decking is attached to it. Decking needs room to expand and contract, and this is why when building your pool or deck you should always have some separation between the two.
The key things to remember; make sure you use the right products when installing your pool tiles in the first instance. If you notice your pool tiles starting to fall off, try diagnosing the problem before fixing them back up. If you can’t figure out what the cause is, get professional help.
If you have any questions about swimming pool tiles, contact us and we’ll be happy to assist.
