Why are loose rubber granules appearing in my pool filtration system?

Rubberizing a pool deck has several advantages:

• The surface is cooler to walk on.
• The surface is slip resistant.
• The rubber surface does not crack like concrete.
• Provides some fall cushion.
• You can introduce colors and designs that are hard to achieve with other surfaces.

When done right and using the right binders, a rubberized pool deck can offer years of enjoyment if it is properly maintained. If you are seeing loose granules all over the surface, in the pool water, and in your filtration system, this simply means you haven't Rebinded your surface. 

Let's first talk about why your surface will granulate. When the poured surface (and the technical name here is Poured in place rubber) was installed, it was done by mixing EPDM (Sometimes TPV) granules with a binder or resin. Around a pool, these binders are often called Aliphatic binders. This class of polyurethane binders has great binding properties and elasticity. But these binders have one weakness: susceptibility to UV rays. This means that they degrade under the effect of the sun over the years. When that happens, the granules they used to old become loose. This typically happens starting year two to year five from the date of the install, depending on how much sun your pool deck gets. 

What happens if you don't rebind when you see loose granules? Your surface will just wear off to the concrete substrate. Most pool deck poured in installs are done at a half inch thickness, some a bit thicker. So it won't take long for the granulation process to eaty up your surface. Ideally you should have caught the granulation early enough by shuffling your feet on the surface vigorously. If you can dislodge granules by doing so, then it's time to rebind the surface. 

Rebinding is done using a product called the Rebinder. The application is very simple and straight forward. Once you get the pail of the rebinder you mix it throughly within the pail and you roll it on your surface or spray it on using an airless sprayer. The key is to make sure the surface is 100% dry and you are not expecting a rainy day. It typically takes about 24 for the Rebinder to do its job and cure. So make sure no one uses the pool during that period. Here is a video that shows the entire rebinding process: