Mystic Pools
Senior Member
- Location
- Park Ridge, NJ
- Occupation
- Swimming Pool Contractor
Hey all. I'm writing and article for one of my pool trade magazines about the differences and pros and cons of fiberglass rebar from Owens-Corning for swimming pools.
I know there were posts concerning bonding fiberglass but didn't really get into the weeds.
I'm a gunite/shotcrete builder so I don't deal with vinyl pool construction (anymore) and no fiberglass pools. I believe there are changes coming, or are here, for steel wall vinyl lined pools and fiberglass pools bonding requirements. Copper grids required under the structure I recall seeing???
At least one of OC's case studies I'm aware of, a pool builder used a combination of both fiberglass and steel rebar. Because there are limitations with the fiberglass rebar, bars were used only where there were no bends needed. Essentially the floor and some horizontal and vertical bars were fiberglass. Steel bar was used at the top for 90-degree bends and probably other points within the structure as well such as steps or benches.
My questions are:
If the entire floor is fiberglass, what is required to meet 680?
What if the entire pool is fiberglass bar?
Is a copper grid/mat needed to bridge a gap from steel to fiberglass?
Our rebar spacing is typically 12" OC. so does a mat or a #8 wire have to follow spacing?
I'm aware if epoxy rebar is used for a pool, the entire structure will need a complete grid. I'm guessing the fiberglass bar is along the same lines?
An engineer at OC that deals with their fiberglass rebar was not entirely sure what the case study did to meet NEC 680. He recalled perimeter steel bars installed at the top and bottom of the wall were bonded together. Not sure about how they dealt with the floor. I did not contact him primarily about 680 but was a question amongst the others I had about their product.
Any help would be much appreciated.
I know there were posts concerning bonding fiberglass but didn't really get into the weeds.
I'm a gunite/shotcrete builder so I don't deal with vinyl pool construction (anymore) and no fiberglass pools. I believe there are changes coming, or are here, for steel wall vinyl lined pools and fiberglass pools bonding requirements. Copper grids required under the structure I recall seeing???
At least one of OC's case studies I'm aware of, a pool builder used a combination of both fiberglass and steel rebar. Because there are limitations with the fiberglass rebar, bars were used only where there were no bends needed. Essentially the floor and some horizontal and vertical bars were fiberglass. Steel bar was used at the top for 90-degree bends and probably other points within the structure as well such as steps or benches.
My questions are:
If the entire floor is fiberglass, what is required to meet 680?
What if the entire pool is fiberglass bar?
Is a copper grid/mat needed to bridge a gap from steel to fiberglass?
Our rebar spacing is typically 12" OC. so does a mat or a #8 wire have to follow spacing?
I'm aware if epoxy rebar is used for a pool, the entire structure will need a complete grid. I'm guessing the fiberglass bar is along the same lines?
An engineer at OC that deals with their fiberglass rebar was not entirely sure what the case study did to meet NEC 680. He recalled perimeter steel bars installed at the top and bottom of the wall were bonded together. Not sure about how they dealt with the floor. I did not contact him primarily about 680 but was a question amongst the others I had about their product.
Any help would be much appreciated.