How to repair a shell pool?

Highly appreciated for its ease of installation, swimming pool shells are often made with fiberglass and polyester resin, two particularly resistant and durable materials. However, it sometimes happens that after several years of use, your swimming pool shell deteriorates, revealing one or more micro-cracks in the gelcoat.

Whether your crack is star-shaped or as thin as a hair, these cracks aren't as harmless as they seem... 

Fortunately, there are solutions to repair the shell of your polyester pool . And for this, it is not always necessary to call a professional! With a little patience (and elbow grease) it is possible to repair a cracked shell pool yourself ! We explain everything to you.

Why is my pool shell cracked?

The appearance of a crack on your polyester resin shell can be explained in several ways. Before you start repairing the shell pool , you should identify the origin of the small cracks:

• Ground movement: one of the reasons that may explain cracks in your coating concerns ground movements. These are often the result of construction on an unstable site;
• A shock caused by the fall of an object against the hull : micro star-shaped cracks generally indicate these accidental falls of objects;
• Premature wear of the hull: when it is of poor quality, the coating can crack more easily on contact with water, treatment products and depending on weather conditions (frost in winter, UV rays, etc.).

Be aware, however, that if the cracks do not go through the inner coating , i.e. the gelcoat , there is nothing to worry about. In fact, it is quite normal for superficial cracks to appear on the gelcoat after 15 to 20 years of use.

How to repair a crack in the shell of your swimming pool?

Depending on the extent of the damage, you can do your own pool repairs… As long as you’re a handyman! If not, it’s a better idea to seek professional expertise.

 1. Repair your pool shell yourself

Do you have a DIY spirit? Repair your pool shell yourself !

If the crack is not very large, you can repair the pool shell underwater . To do this, get a waterproof glue suitable for underwater work.

However, if the damage is more significant, draining the pool will be necessary. Here are the steps to follow to successfully renovate your coating:

• After draining your pool , the first step is to sand the area of the pool that needs repair. Using P60 grit sandpaper, rub the area and go back about 5 cm so that it is perfectly smooth and clean.
• Next, cut your glass mat to a size 5 cm larger than the crack. Coat the surface to be renovated with a mixture of resin and catalyst then apply the first layer of mat. Allow approximately 1 liter of resin for 1m 2 of glass mat.
• Remove air bubbles from the glass mat using a de-bubbler roller, then add a second layer of resin .
• Lay down another layer of mat before repeating the operation with the de-bulleter.
• Let the whole thing harden for half a day (minimum 4 hours) then sand the area again to smooth the repaired surface.
• To hide the operation, use a waterproof finishing resin in the color of your hull to repaint the repaired surface.

2. Repair the shell of your swimming pool with the help of a pool professional

If you don't have the soul of a handyman, it is better to call a professional. Thanks to his expertise and know-how, he will be better able to renovate the polyester shell of your pool . And to prevent new cracks from appearing, he will also be able to examine your coating and identify the cause(s) of these.

Once the inventory has been carried out, your pool professional will be able to proceed with the repairs. To do this, the pool will need to be drained. Before doing so, the expert will need to remove the cover of the decompression well to check whether there is water at the bottom of the well.

Thanks to state-of-the-art equipment, the draining can then be carried out quickly by your pool professional. From then on, the professional can begin the renovation of your pool , taking care to respect the necessary safety rules to protect against any harmful dust caused by the repair of the gelcoat .

As you will have understood; technicality, equipment and safety are essential to obtain an aesthetic and durable result. Do not hesitate to contact the Aboral teams to repair your pool and enjoy a refurbished shell!