# Forum Home Renovation Pools, Spa & Water Features  Raising level of slab to tile at same level as fibreglass pool shell

## Mikkaat

Hi all, 
I posted this under the Tiling thread, but i think it is in the wrong place. Hoping someone can help.  My wife and I are currently building a new home with Wisdom Homes, which is going well. Before Wisdom took over the site, we had a fibreglass pool put in and about a 1m concrete slab poured around each side of the pool. I would like to lay tiles on the slab which will but up to the fibreglass shell.  My issue is that the fibreglass shell sits about 2 inches above the level of the concrete slab, and i would like to install tiles (not pavers) up against and at the same level as the pool shell.  I have done some research and discovered that i can lay HarieFlex fibre cement sheet onto the concrete to raise its level, and then lay the tiles on top.  Can someone give me any advise as to: - Will the idea of laying HardieFlex onto the concrete and then tiles ontop work? - Can i lay HardieFlex ontop of HardieFlex to increase the level? (i can only find HardieFlex to a max of 6mm) Is there anything else i can use which is thicker? - How can i ensure the HardieFlex stays in its position? Screw/nail into conrete, adhesive...  Any other ideas?  Thanks for your help in advance.  m

----------


## barney118

Why tiles not pavers? Can you get tile copers? Coping pavers have rounded edges to the pool do the tiles have this? I have pavers that sit on crusher dust 50mm and silastic to the pool fiberglass and overhang by 20mm Into the pool.  
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Mikkaat

Hi barney118,  
Thanks for the prompt response. Basically i like the look of clean finish of the tile edge. Also the tile that i will use is the same as the tile i am using on the alfresco which is only 3m away from the concrete which surrounds the pool. 
Can you please let me know, when your pavers were put in, did you have to compact the crusherdust with a compacting machine? Can you then use a bonding agent (adhesive/tile glue/paver glue) to bond the pavers to the crusherdust? 
Thanks 
Michael

----------


## barney118

Yes crusher dust compacted but the coping paver is only stuck to the fiberglass with silastic so it's holding on by a 150 -200 mm section of fiberglass. The copers are 300x300. I suppose you could do it with tile but you would probably lay a sand cement base and then tile glue not crusher dust.  
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Mikkaat

> Yes crusher dust compacted but the coping paver is only stuck to the fiberglass with silastic so it's holding on by a 150 -200 mm section of fiberglass. The copers are 300x300. I suppose you could do it with tile but you would probably lay a sand cement base and then tile glue not crusher dust.  
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  So just to understand, there is no way of sticking (for lack of a better word) the tile or in your instance paver onto the crusher dust. Because the depth of the addition would be around 20/30mm would i be better off going with the Sand/Cement mix or just getting a minimix truck to supply 1m3 (i've calculated the area required) 
Thanks

----------


## barney118

Your in a bit of a dilemma, if it were me I would use bondcrete more steel and top up the slab to required height.  
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------


## Mikkaat

Yes, it looks like i am in a dilemma. I think it may just be easier to locate pavers of the same texture/colour and lay those on a mortar base onto the concrete. I am trying to stay away from adding additional concrete ontop of the existing (wife is going to say i stuffed it up again, so i dont want to give her the excuse). Thanks for your assistance. 
If anyone else thinks of anything else i can do to lay tiles onto concrete but also raise the level by about 30mm, id appreciate some comments. 
Thanks again.

----------


## r3nov8or

I find both of these pool installs a little curious. Standard installation (that is, the Australia Standard for fibreglass pools) is that the concrete beam is poured under the lip and finished level with the fibreglass shell, and to be paved over to protect the top of the shell.  Beams may range from 470mm to 600mm measured from the outside of the beam to the inside edge of the pool. 
Here we have one pool that has the concrete beam 2 inches lower and an intention not to cover the top of the pool shell, and another where there is no beam at all, just crusher dust.  
Mikkaat, your situation is easily recovered without the wife's finger waving, as it is very common to lay a concrete mud bed (with boncrete) to lay the pavers for the pool coping. A 2 cm bed is more common than 2 inches, but no issue really. If you have a warranty on the pool shell check whether it is conditional on coping covering the top.

----------


## Mikkaat

> I find both of these pool installs a little curious. Standard installation (that is, the Australia Standard for fibreglass pools) is that the concrete beam is poured under the lip and finished level with the fibreglass shell, and to be paved over to protect the top of the shell.  Beams may range from 470mm to 600mm measured from the outside of the beam to the inside edge of the pool. 
> Here we have one pool that has the concrete beam 2 inches lower and an intention not to cover the top of the pool shell, and another where there is no beam at all, just crusher dust.  
> Mikkaat, your situation is easily recovered without the wife's finger waving, as it is very common to lay a concrete mud bed (with boncrete) to lay the pavers for the pool coping. A 2 cm bed is more common than 2 inches, but no issue really. If you have a warranty on the pool shell check whether it is conditional on coping covering the top.

  Hi and thanks for the reply. 
Just to clarify, the concrete beam has been installed by the pool vendor. 
My issue is that i want to lay normal outdoor porcelain floor tiles (about 1cm thickness) around the pool and not pavers which are a lot thicker. To do this, i would need to raise the level of the existing concrete slab approx 1" in order to have the tile either butt up against the fibreblass shell at its finish level, OR glue the tile ontop of the shell using appropriate adhesive. I have attached an image for a better understanding of my situation. 
I was thinking, would compacted crusherdust work as a base for tiles? or should i just lay some type of concrete mud bed or screed ontop of the existing concrete, then glue the tile ontop. Just looking for the cheapest option for a DYI.   
Thanks for the help in advance 
M

----------


## r3nov8or

You should use more concrete to the level you need. Whether that is 'bondcreted' from the start so you can commence laying tiles as you go, or stop a little low then stick them later is up to you. Also IMHO you should cover the top of the pool which will enable you to achieve a sharp modern look - but pavers are best for this, 30mm thick minimum.

----------


## Mikkaat

> You should use more concrete to the level you need. Whether that is 'bondcreted' from the start so you can commence laying tiles as you go, or stop a little low then stick them later is up to you. Also IMHO you should cover the top of the pool which will enable you to achieve a sharp modern look - but pavers are best for this, 30mm thick minimum.

  Thanks for the feedback. I want to achieve that sharp modern look and was hoping to do that with the same tile that we are installing on the alfresco, which is only 3m away from the edge of the concrete (uniform look and all). One last question for you if i could. So my understanding is, wither way (tiles or pavers) i am going to have to raise the level with concrete, correct? 
Thanks 
m

----------


## r3nov8or

> I want to achieve that sharp modern look and was hoping to do that with  the same tile that we are installing on the alfresco, which is only 3m  away from the edge of the concrete (uniform look and all)

  That's all good, and it will be sharpest if you cover the top of the pool, but you don't really want to use a 10mm tile as pool coping. This is great example of a very sharp look. > http://www.renovateforum.com/f180/ow...23/#post926910   

> ... i am going to have to raise the level with concrete, correct? 
> Thanks 
> m

  Correct. That's the only way I would do it.

----------


## Pulse

I agree, you need to put down a sand cement screed, level with top of pool. Then either direct stick tile or paver with cement powder /slurry on damp screed or let it cure and use tile adhesive. 
Porcelain tiles probably need professional advice from a tiler or adhesive manufacturer.  
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

----------

