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Todd Burch
06-08-2012, 8:10 PM
My pool, chlorine (not salt), 11 years old, has flagstone coping and perimeter tiling (above the plaster, below the coping) and has a pretty good coat of efflorescence. I've been thinking about how to remove it the last couple months, and I had an idea that worked, but requires too much elbow grease.

I used a grinding wheel dresser, by hand, rolling it back and forth across a couple pieces of stone. It worked, but I probably spent about 5-10 minutes per stone, and used a lot of energy in the process. It "worked" by crushing a top thin layer of the flagstone, thus taking the efflorescence with it, but worked well enough.

After that, I put my mind to work on a more automated solution. A needle scaler. Anyone ever used a needle scaler on flagstone? I suspect it too would remove a thin layer of the stone.

Ideas? Suggestions?

Kevin Bourque
06-08-2012, 8:24 PM
Have you tried power washing it? a wire brush or muriatic acid also works.

Todd Burch
06-08-2012, 10:28 PM
Wire brushing won't work - this stuff is impregnated into the stone. Not the white fluffy stuff - but the hard-as-rock version.

I have not tried muriatic acid - I supposed I would have to drain the pool to do that.

Phil Thien
06-08-2012, 10:30 PM
I do know there are some forums dedicated to pools. I wonder if somoene at one of those forums would have a suggestion.

Greg R Bradley
06-08-2012, 11:21 PM
www.troublefreepools.com (http://www.troublefreepools.com)

Lots of good info particularly in understanding the chemistry of a pool. After spending some time there, I probably spend one third maintaining my pool as I did before. Not one third LESS - one third the expense.

Todd Burch
06-11-2012, 10:03 AM
Air needle scaler is working great. By the time I'm done, I'll have spent about 4 hours on it. Harbour Freight, 90 PSI, 4 CFM, inline scaler. Scaler, a pack of extra needles and a $6 1-year replacement warranty - out the door - <$70.

Todd Willhoit
06-13-2012, 10:47 AM
Todd,
I have the same problem and have been looking for the solution. Looks like you found it. Got any before/after pics?

Todd

Todd Burch
06-13-2012, 11:23 AM
Hi Todd. I didn't take any (specific) before pics, but I did finish up last night. It looks real good.

Unfortunately, the needle scaler found a few places the mortar was only surface deep, so I have some mortar work to do as a follow up. Will probably let the plaster boys do that when I get it replastered.

The needle scaler won't work on tiles - it would bust them right up. It worked for me since I have flagstone as my water-line, perimeter stone. The top layer of stone came off, as expected. Here are some before and after pics.

These are various before pictures. (some take in summer, some in winter - one after a big rain)

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And here are some pictures I took this AM. On the close up taken inside the hot tub, you can see some of the texture left by the scaler. The amount of texture left was dependent on several factors - how long I spent on one spot, the denseness of the particular piece of stone, and whether the stone's outer surface was loose or tight when I started. If loose, usually a large flat chunk would come off and no marks were left. Now, the stone is consistent throughout the pool for how the stone feels and looks.

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Jason Roehl
06-13-2012, 7:12 PM
Geez, thanks, Todd. I had never heard of a needle scaler before...I'm sure I'll need one someday...better to have it on hand, just in case...

Todd Willhoit
06-18-2012, 7:49 PM
Looks great! HF here I come.

phil harold
06-19-2012, 7:51 AM
I have not tried muriatic acid - I supposed I would have to drain the pool to do that.

No need to drain the pool for that you will just have to use some baking soda to adjust the ph of the pool afterwards

We used muriatic acid to adjust ph, when we had our pool