When the reflecting pool started peeling, Trump started looking for a villain. One maxim of Trumpism is never to admit a mistake under any circumstances. Always find an enemy to blame. Trump said the problem with the reflecting pool was vandals. Trump said someone with a knife or a box cutter got in the water and cut a 250-foot slash down the length of the pool. When tourists started picking up pieces of the peeling liner floating in the reflecting pool, Trump had them arrested as vandals.
While Trump has not and will not admit that the problem with the reflecting pool was shoddy workmanship performed by the inexperienced Trump pool guy, who got a $14.7 million no-bid contract, that appears to be the cause of the problem.
The Washington Post has investigated the Reflecting Pool issue, bringing in experts who often testify in court cases relating to disputes involving swimming pools. The Washington Post story looks at where the failures occurred, and experts explain why. This is a lengthy article and gets pretty detailed, but it is well worth reading for anyone who wants to understand what happened. Below are some excerpts from the article.
... Post reporters visited the Reflecting Pool on June 25 and identified seven locations where the lining — a waterproof membrane that was painted onto the concrete basin — had partially or entirely peeled away. The peeling occurred in irregularly shaped patches that stretched alongside the long edges of the pool. The pieces ranged in size from a few inches to as long as six feet. In one case, the concrete was visible underneath. ...
By comparing the seven locations with satellite imagery, photos and videos taken during the renovation process, the analysis found that all of the failures occurred at the seams — lines between two areas that were painted at different times.
... Four experts in waterproofing materials — who have decades of experience and have served as educators and expert witnesses in pool-related construction lawsuits — reviewed The Post’s findings and said the failure pattern strongly suggested errors in the application process. They said that while a precise cause cannot be determined without on-site examination and lab testing, such seams require careful attention and are especially prone to failure.
... In five of the spots, the dark blue Pipeliner 5000 coating had peeled off to reveal more of the same material. Experts said this appears consistent with an adhesion failure caused by an overlap of the dark blue over a dried layer of the same material at the seams. For any overlapping Pipeliner 5000 to adhere, the underlying layer would need to still be wet or, if not, steps would need to be taken to prepare the surface.
To read it all, follow this link.
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