STP - Residential Construction and Pools

STP is rebranding to a larger portfolio of services. Still very much in the outdoor living space, but STP now provides full service Residential Construction in addition to pools and outdoor structures. If you have a construction, design, or remodeling need in your home, STP can get the job the done. See some pics of the various types of jobs from past work and ongoing projects.

Happy Halloween friends! Have fun and be safe!

Pool Construction 101 Series:

5 of 8 – Gunite Day

Everybody loves gunite day. It's a joy to watch even if you've seen it a few times. The wood forms have been set to keep everything in bounds. Rebar has been carefully laid and bent to hug the outline of the currently dirt lined hole. Careful attention is paid to make sure the rebar is elevated off the dirt floor and walls so it will stay inside the gunite shell about to be sprayed. The plumber has been out and run all of his piping. Unless you're building a tiny plunge pool, you can expect multiple trucks to show up in succession. The workers spread and smooth the gunite to conform to the shapes already created by the rebar crew and to create flat surfaces for the tile and stone crew to do their jobs shortly after.

If you're not familiar with gunite, the most simple explanation is that gunite is dry concrete mix with only small particles that is sprayed out of a gun. Your typical concrete ready mix contains small particles as well as larger particles such as river rock. Concrete is poured rather than sprayed. It's not too hard to see that gunite is far superior in ease of installation. Not usually relevant to residential pools, but in very large pools gunite wins out easily for it's ability to be completed over a number of days. You can stop the gunite application and pick up where you left off without leaving a weak spot in the pool shell.

Something to be aware of during this phase of construction is the outdoor temperature the day of and expected temperatures over the next few days. Anything below 40* F is a risk taking endeavor when spraying a gunite pool. If temperatures drop enough to cause the water in the shell to freeze, the entire structure will be compromised as far as strength goes. Cold temps slow the curing process. Extremely hot temperatures like we see in the summer in the Houston area can cause the pool to cure too fast. It's recommended to water the gunite with a hose or sprinkler if it is setting up in these conditions.

It is also typical at this stage to create the equipment pad via spraying some gunite in there and leveling. What is done with gunite versus natural stones, rock, etc is up to the pool builder and homeowner. Some pools are made completely with gunite, including the coping. Artificial boulders, rock, water slides, etc can also be formed from the gunite itself. Some love it. Some prefer the natural look.

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