I have a lifetime career in the trades and you got it right using ICF blocks and ridged foam for any and all pools. Because the thermal break between the ground and concrete is very important. especially for Spas. Great job sir!
I need to remember to hire you when im building our "retirement" cabin in a few years. I like your professionalism and the fact that you obviously know some engineering, including electrical knowledge
Aaron - I'm an ICF pool builder in central Texas that follows your channel on RUclips and have asked questions before :). I'm anxious to see how the Eco Finish is going to be applied to the ICF walls. I recall in one of your first RUclips post about the process that you were covering the wall with Duroc, a parge coat and then Eco Finish. Is that still the process you are doing? I know you mentioned you didn't "love" this process because it was so labor intensive. I have several pools on the boards here and a Eco Finish authorized installer anxious to work with us but wanted to see how you were doing it before we proceed. Thanks!
Aaron, man, that's how I'm going for my pool. Finally found a way that fits. Monopour man, I just had a big discussion with a leading concrete prefab company for my wood chips bunker, I want it monopoured on site with prefab walls, caus part of the outside walls of that bunker will be part of the front view of my home and I want roughly cut lumber surface like my custom retaining wall, hence the prefab, and monopour cause damp wood chips are a terrific waste. How ever they want to do it traditional with labyrinth stripes in the cold joints... No way, I'm going for mono, show the pros how to do it :-) I'm having monolithic rain cisterns since years, so much better than plastic cisterns, and so much better than building rhem from prefab with in-situ concrete... Thanks. Since I'm in Europe I can't hire you guys, such a shame. Cheers and keep em coming. And hey, ask Matt from Matt's offroad how to blure faces, he's doing it for his folks that don't want to be on the channel... Make your content so much better, seeing how it's actually done (right).
Man I love mono pours it just makes sense I've been in construction 47 years and I would instead of the normal framing of peirs and beam I would highly recommend this type of slab and walls and footers in one pour no cold joints
When pouring that footing mix, is the empty 12” block and bracing holding back the concrete fill? Why not use clear gravel? Risk of it moving during the pour or something?
Every step from when we put the clean rock in until the pour is done adds lateral pressure like a boa constrictor…. We’ve had it push the wall bracing enough to make a visible bow that had to be addressed, or worse, when using 12” forms the webs themselves would begin to flex…. This is a way to ensure we only have to worry about it for a couple of hours early on in the process!
Aaron, I've watched a bunch of your videos. They are really enjoyable and informative. I'm doing an icf pool at my home in VA. I'm going with plaster as the finish. I haven't seen much online about installing the lights. I'm thinking of going with LED light fixtures. Do i need install an enclosure or is the fixture designed as stand alone? Do you have a preferred light to use in a plaster pool? Thanks, Scott
Hello, thank you for your video. I was wondering how high is the pool wall at the deep end side - I assume approximately 2.5m (8.5 feet)? There are very little rebar rods on so high wall, I would hardly believe this wall will withstand the forces. Did you do the reinforcement calculations?
@@all3pools : Thank you for your reply. I did a i simple calculation. The pressure of the water at the bottom of the 2.5m tall wall: p = 10 kN/m3 * 2.5m = 25 kN/m2 The load at the bottom of the wall would then be: M = 25 kN/m3 * (2.5m)^2 / 6 = 26 kNm / m_of_wall If you calculate the minimal required armature cross section for 12" thick wall (8" = 20cm core width, 2" = 5 concrete cover): Amin = 26 kNm / (20 cm - 5 cm) / 45 kN/cm2 = 3.85 cm2 / m_of_wall From the video it seems you have a #4 or #5 (no data, my estimation) rebar at 40" vertical spacing (this is what you told in the video and seems right). This means the your rebar cross section is: #4 rebar: A = 2.5 rebars/m * 1.25 cm2/rebar = 3.1 cm2 / m_of_wall ( not enough ) #5 rebar: A = 2.5 rebars/m * 2 cm2/rebar = 5 cm2 / m_of_wall ( very little safety factor ) Another thing i would consider - if you check the video image at 7:31: - the rebar overlapping should be at least 40D, which is 0.5m (20"). I think your overlapping is too short. - Also the rebar should run vertical to the bottom and than horizontally in line with the bottom slab armature, not in line with top slab armature like in your case. Regards
Really like you vids, Great bits of detail. I’m guessing an engineer specified the concrete and steel? Do you change the slump from 4” for floor and footings to a higher 6” to 8” for the walls? Merry Xmas all the best for the New year. Cheers from Oz
We usually keep the 4” in the walls snd try to concentrate on vibrating really good, too wet weakens the end result, we will wet up the flat portions of the floor a little bit but not much, if we need to runny to fill a tough to reach spot or the mono bag footers we usually use super plasticizer and take that 4 to a 7 for 30 min without adding water or sacrificing strength
Aaron! Do you guys not have flowfill? Basically it’s cheaper than concrete but flows out of the concrete truck like concrete and it doesn’t settle. It’s required in Utah under the major roads… maybe it would be a better solution for you? Just a thought
I have soooo many questions. I watch you build with Perfect Block and I have questions. If you don't answer me I understand. I am attaching my pool plans so you can refer to what I'm doing. I'm building a swimming pool jacuzzi love seat and tanning deck within a 22' X40' ICCF swimming pool that will be heated year around. 1. Can I just dig a rectangular hole in my ground and fill with rock to achieve my 3' 6' 3' play pool or does my ground need to match what depths I'm trying to achieve in a play pool flooring foundation? 2. I'm using 10" perfect Blocks for the perimeter walls of the pool. The back wall above the pool line will be a 5' wall above ground attached to the pool wall. For the perimeter walls foundation do I want to use Fab Form, Fast Foot, Foothold, or Form a Drain for my Foundation? The inert walls will be either 6" or 8" perfect Blocks or should I Gunite the interior with Rebar and Gunite? 3. I was originally going to use Amvic Icf form and litedeck for the pool flooring, now I want Perfect Blocks as they seem easier and built in the US. what icf can I use for the pool flooring as I was going to have radiant floor heating? 4. Can I use an high density insulation sheathing for the pool floor as this is where all the heat escapes? 5. I am doing most of the work myself, I'm on a budget and like to do DIY stuff. But this is a huge project and I'm frightened. LOL. 6. I will be using Pebble Tec for the pool finish. I hope you can help and look forward to your input.
I would use icf over perfect block iccf for sure…. You cannot get the same structural integrity out of a block with tubes of concrete that you will get out of a monolithic wall in an icf form, people spend a lot of time thinking about the finish and not enough timevv bc thinking about the structure!
Love your videos. Do you think you could run Radiant Heating on the slab to help heat the pool and do you think it would be a good idea? Thanks for all the information.
I’m thinking of doing it on my first training pool this spring! It will be a good case study, I think it would work well, especially with an auto cover to help hold more heat in from the top!
@@all3pools Makes sense, water leaking out of a pool is a definite call back. Never did a pool but did quite a few pool houses and have seen precast concrete pools, gunite, and fiberglass in my area.
@@all3pools I wasn't playing anything this is just a comment from a random guy on the internet. Congrats you actually did it right 100's of pools in America are done quick and dirty if what you say is true that should never crack. Hope its stainless!
Better than Gunite because you get a consistent thickness (no variation in thickness of walls and floor) Gunite/Shotcrete thickness depends on the skill set of the nozzle man, and how well the pool is excavated. If the nozzle man adds too much or not enough water , then the shell can be compromised. Shotcrete can plug up in the hoses, and on a hot day,it can be a nightmare to carve n shape.
Seriously overkill. I mean are you expecting the pool to survive a direct hit, then I understand. But MY GOD…. that’s just way overkill and economically not feasible to compete in a big market. Been pouring concrete around pools for 40 years. That is CRAZY!
You have no idea what you are talking about…. None…. We compete(and typically beat) Gunite prices and we use ecofinish which is far superior to plasters and paints…. Plus the big benefit we are thermally broken making our pools way easier to heat and cool…. Pouring concrete (around) pools doesn’t mean you know the economics of the pool biz, I’ve trained nearly 100 new builders in the past 18 months and consult from coast to coast, I have a pretty good idea of the market…. This pool was priced pre pandemic and pre inflation at 115k, find me a Gunite guy who could do that, in fact adjust it to 140k for all the material increases and find me someone, 20x40, 36’ infinity edge, gas heat, I’ll wait
I have a lifetime career in the trades and you got it right using ICF blocks and ridged foam for any and all pools. Because the thermal break between the ground and concrete is very important. especially for Spas. Great job sir!
Thanks!
wrote a comment early on when you started doing vids. just came back to see a few. great addition of the "details that matter" - super. Thanks!
I'm looking forward to a detailed video on EcoFinish.
I need to remember to hire you when im building our "retirement" cabin in a few years. I like your professionalism and the fact that you obviously know some engineering, including electrical knowledge
Lol thanks
Aaron - I'm an ICF pool builder in central Texas that follows your channel on RUclips and have asked questions before :). I'm anxious to see how the Eco Finish is going to be applied to the ICF walls. I recall in one of your first RUclips post about the process that you were covering the wall with Duroc, a parge coat and then Eco Finish. Is that still the process you are doing? I know you mentioned you didn't "love" this process because it was so labor intensive. I have several pools on the boards here and a Eco Finish authorized installer anxious to work with us but wanted to see how you were doing it before we proceed. Thanks!
Aaron, man, that's how I'm going for my pool. Finally found a way that fits. Monopour man, I just had a big discussion with a leading concrete prefab company for my wood chips bunker, I want it monopoured on site with prefab walls, caus part of the outside walls of that bunker will be part of the front view of my home and I want roughly cut lumber surface like my custom retaining wall, hence the prefab, and monopour cause damp wood chips are a terrific waste. How ever they want to do it traditional with labyrinth stripes in the cold joints... No way, I'm going for mono, show the pros how to do it :-) I'm having monolithic rain cisterns since years, so much better than plastic cisterns, and so much better than building rhem from prefab with in-situ concrete... Thanks. Since I'm in Europe I can't hire you guys, such a shame. Cheers and keep em coming. And hey, ask Matt from Matt's offroad how to blure faces, he's doing it for his folks that don't want to be on the channel... Make your content so much better, seeing how it's actually done (right).
Man I love mono pours it just makes sense I've been in construction 47 years and I would instead of the normal framing of peirs and beam I would highly recommend this type of slab and walls and footers in one pour no cold joints
Isn't shotcrete or gunite monolithic too? No cold joints
I hope your available when it's my turn, do you guys do whole homes?
I love your work.
When pouring that footing mix, is the empty 12” block and bracing holding back the concrete fill? Why not use clear gravel? Risk of it moving during the pour or something?
Every step from when we put the clean rock in until the pour is done adds lateral pressure like a boa constrictor…. We’ve had it push the wall bracing enough to make a visible bow that had to be addressed, or worse, when using 12” forms the webs themselves would begin to flex…. This is a way to ensure we only have to worry about it for a couple of hours early on in the process!
Aaron, I've watched a bunch of your videos. They are really enjoyable and informative. I'm doing an icf pool at my home in VA. I'm going with plaster as the finish. I haven't seen much online about installing the lights. I'm thinking of going with LED light fixtures. Do i need install an enclosure or is the fixture designed as stand alone? Do you have a preferred light to use in a plaster pool? Thanks, Scott
Hello, thank you for your video.
I was wondering how high is the pool wall at the deep end side - I assume approximately 2.5m (8.5 feet)? There are very little rebar rods on so high wall, I would hardly believe this wall will withstand the forces. Did you do the reinforcement calculations?
Yes it’s engineered, and there’s rebar vertically every 8” horizontally every 16, not sure what I mean very little?
@@all3pools : Thank you for your reply.
I did a i simple calculation. The pressure of the water at the bottom of the 2.5m tall wall:
p = 10 kN/m3 * 2.5m = 25 kN/m2
The load at the bottom of the wall would then be:
M = 25 kN/m3 * (2.5m)^2 / 6 = 26 kNm / m_of_wall
If you calculate the minimal required armature cross section for 12" thick wall (8" = 20cm core width, 2" = 5 concrete cover):
Amin = 26 kNm / (20 cm - 5 cm) / 45 kN/cm2 = 3.85 cm2 / m_of_wall
From the video it seems you have a #4 or #5 (no data, my estimation) rebar at 40" vertical spacing (this is what you told in the video and seems right). This means the your rebar cross section is:
#4 rebar: A = 2.5 rebars/m * 1.25 cm2/rebar = 3.1 cm2 / m_of_wall ( not enough )
#5 rebar: A = 2.5 rebars/m * 2 cm2/rebar = 5 cm2 / m_of_wall ( very little safety factor )
Another thing i would consider - if you check the video image at 7:31:
- the rebar overlapping should be at least 40D, which is 0.5m (20"). I think your overlapping is too short.
- Also the rebar should run vertical to the bottom and than horizontally in line with the bottom slab armature, not in line with top slab armature like in your case.
Regards
Really like you vids,
Great bits of detail.
I’m guessing an engineer specified the concrete and steel?
Do you change the slump from 4” for floor and footings to a higher 6” to 8” for the walls?
Merry Xmas all the best for the New year.
Cheers from Oz
We usually keep the 4” in the walls snd try to concentrate on vibrating really good, too wet weakens the end result, we will wet up the flat portions of the floor a little bit but not much, if we need to runny to fill a tough to reach spot or the mono bag footers we usually use super plasticizer and take that 4 to a 7 for 30 min without adding water or sacrificing strength
Aaron! Do you guys not have flowfill? Basically it’s cheaper than concrete but flows out of the concrete truck like concrete and it doesn’t settle. It’s required in Utah under the major roads… maybe it would be a better solution for you? Just a thought
We do not have flowable fill, my plant claims it’s no cheaper than super crappy l2000 footing mix in our market so they don’t carry it…
Very cool work!
I have soooo many questions.
I watch you build with Perfect Block and I have questions. If you don't answer me I understand. I am attaching my pool plans so you can refer to what I'm doing.
I'm building a swimming pool jacuzzi love seat and tanning deck within a 22' X40' ICCF swimming pool that will be heated year around.
1. Can I just dig a rectangular hole in my ground and fill with rock to achieve my 3' 6' 3' play pool or does my ground need to match what depths I'm trying to achieve in a play pool flooring foundation?
2. I'm using 10" perfect Blocks for the perimeter walls of the pool. The back wall above the pool line will be a 5' wall above ground attached to the pool wall. For the perimeter walls foundation do I want to use Fab Form, Fast Foot, Foothold, or Form a Drain for my Foundation?
The inert walls will be either 6" or 8" perfect Blocks or should I Gunite the interior with Rebar and Gunite?
3. I was originally going to use Amvic Icf form and litedeck for the pool flooring, now I want Perfect Blocks as they seem easier and built in the US. what icf can I use for the pool flooring as I was going to have radiant floor heating?
4. Can I use an high density insulation sheathing for the pool floor as this is where all the heat escapes?
5. I am doing most of the work myself, I'm on a budget and like to do DIY stuff. But this is a huge project and I'm frightened. LOL.
6. I will be using Pebble Tec for the pool finish.
I hope you can help and look forward to your input.
I would use icf over perfect block iccf for sure…. You cannot get the same structural integrity out of a block with tubes of concrete that you will get out of a monolithic wall in an icf form, people spend a lot of time thinking about the finish and not enough timevv bc thinking about the structure!
Why is it poured so thick? 12” of concrete for a pool crazy to me.
Way overkill
Do you have a video or will you make one in the future of pouring the coping for a perimeter overflow pool? Also, have you ever done a knife edge pool
Yes there’s a video from about 16 months ago, called gfrc counter tops or coping I think
Love your videos. Do you think you could run Radiant Heating on the slab to help heat the pool and do you think it would be a good idea? Thanks for all the information.
I’m thinking of doing it on my first training pool this spring! It will be a good case study, I think it would work well, especially with an auto cover to help hold more heat in from the top!
Would you please share details on the linear drains from the catch basin?
We sell them at rost icf and supply, email me at support@icfguru.com
Would it be possible to just pour a footing then walls then floor or bottom.
Yes but cold joints worry me if you don’t use a liner
@@all3pools Makes sense, water leaking out of a pool is a definite call back. Never did a pool but did quite a few pool houses and have seen precast concrete pools, gunite, and fiberglass in my area.
how do you set your rebar like that on the floor? how do you keep it at specific heights?
Continuous chairs, they come in 2” and 3” height
Great Channel! Where do you recommend getting beginner
training for ICF?
We may do some basic wall training in addition to our icf pool training this summer
@@all3pools awesome! I'm actually interested for the purpose of pools so I'd be in for that. Is there a link for more info? Thanks 😊
Stay tuned, I’ll be launch the site this month! Web designer says they’re putting finishing touches on some of the functionality
@@all3pools Will do!
Can you ever get away with a 6” block and go heavy on the rebar?
Probably not on an 8’ tall infinity edge but if buried we do 6” routinely
Doesn’t look like the catch basin outside wall was connected to the floor?
Ya it’s all one pour and all connected
Looks like they did a 12 inch grid instead of an 8. Hope that doesn't crack....
It’s 2 layers 16” on center offset by 8” but thanks for playing
@@all3pools I wasn't playing anything this is just a comment from a random guy on the internet. Congrats you actually did it right 100's of pools in America are done quick and dirty if what you say is true that should never crack. Hope its stainless!
How is this man not president?
Lol
Better than Gunite because you get a consistent thickness (no variation in thickness of walls and floor) Gunite/Shotcrete thickness depends on the skill set of the nozzle man, and how well the pool is excavated. If the nozzle man adds too much or not enough water , then the shell can be compromised. Shotcrete can plug up in the hoses, and on a hot day,it can be a nightmare to carve n shape.
Makes me wonder if they are legal if they wont be on camera.
They are Amish douche, it’s a fervently held belief they hold that it is vane to be on camera, to each their own!
Do you typically install foundation drains on your pools?
Depends on wether it can be daylighted on the property or not
@@all3pools thank you for the quick response. My project cannot daylight. I would have to pump it if I wanted it. Would that be worth the hassle?
How can you be contacted to discuss an ICF home build?
Aaron.cuttingedgehomes@gmail.com
12 inch floor??
8-12 ya
Notta dingleberry 🍇 😂😂
Seriously overkill. I mean are you expecting the pool to survive a direct hit, then I understand. But MY GOD…. that’s just way overkill and economically not feasible to compete in a big market. Been pouring concrete around pools for 40 years. That is CRAZY!
You have no idea what you are talking about…. None…. We compete(and typically beat) Gunite prices and we use ecofinish which is far superior to plasters and paints…. Plus the big benefit we are thermally broken making our pools way easier to heat and cool…. Pouring concrete (around) pools doesn’t mean you know the economics of the pool biz, I’ve trained nearly 100 new builders in the past 18 months and consult from coast to coast, I have a pretty good idea of the market…. This pool was priced pre pandemic and pre inflation at 115k, find me a Gunite guy who could do that, in fact adjust it to 140k for all the material increases and find me someone, 20x40, 36’ infinity edge, gas heat, I’ll wait
Stop using #3 steel tied 12 and 6 on center. I honestly have no idea what is happening there... people build differently i guess...
that will be 250k sir
Lol should have been, true story that pool at that time was 110k, 140+ now
Def not better than gunite
In every way;)
That things a piece of garbage
What size rebar is that?
#4