Anchor’s For Paver Applications

Anchor’s For Paver Applications

Anchor installation is not as easy as drilling holes in your deck and setting anchors with epoxy.   To provide the safest installation possible, Aqua Creek has recommended footing requirements for each of our lifts that have been reviewed and certified by an independent Engineer to meet certain pull out and turn over requirements.  For your convenience, these recommended footing dimensions and requirements are outlined in our lift manuals.  In most applications, pool decks will require little modification or in worst case scenarios may require you to saw cut a portion of your existing deck out and pouring a new footing that meets the pool lift manufacturers recommendations.

Pavers pose a unique problem.  Many pool decks that have pavers do not have a concrete footing under the pavers so you will probably have to remove pavers, dig into the earth underneath the pavers, and pour a footing according to the written instructions we supply with the lift.  By providing longer anchor inserts for our products, it is possible to pour a footing that allows the pavers to be placed on top of it so that the installation does not disrupt the overall aesthetics of the pool area.

To pour a footing underneath your pavers you will need to:

  1. Measure the thickness of your pavers so the pavers can be laid down on top of the new footing and still be flush with the other surrounding pavers.
  2. Remove enough pavers to allow you to dig the recommended footing for the lift.  Keep in mind that the anchors will need to be bonded according to your local code requirements and additional excavation/construction may be required to achieve this depending on your particular situation.  (See “IMPORTANT NOTE” below).
  3. Follow the anchor installation instructions with the manual.  The one exception you will have to make is to leave the anchors protruding above the new footing the same height as your pavers depth.  Make sure you leave enough of the anchor in the footing as required with the normal installation, in other words, if four inches of the standard anchor needs to be installed in the footing, make sure at least that amount of the longer anchor(s) is installed in your new footing.
  4. Once the footing has cured, you can place your pavers back into place on top of your new footing.  You may need to drill holes into your pavers or cut and/or modify your pavers to fit around the anchors.
  5. Grout your pavers to match the rest of the pavers on your deck.
  6. Bolt the lift into place and you are done!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Installation of pool lift anchors typically requires bonding of the anchors according to your local code requirements.  According to the NEC (National Electric Code), bonding is required of any metallic product within 5 feet horizontally and 12 feet vertically of the pools edge and is designed to protect users by equally dispersing any stray electrical charge(s) throughout the entire pool area that may occur either naturally or by human cause.  This is often referred to as equipotential bonding and is intended to even out any electrical charge so that a person does not come into contact with different voltages within the pool area creating an electrical shock hazard.