How to Put Bolts Into Cement for a Standard Diving Board

Do not use a diving board as a seat.

Recently, diving boards have gotten a bad reputation due to irresponsible use by the people who owned them. In fact, diving boards can actually make your pool safer by showing swimmers where it is safe to dive and ensuring that they do not take a plunge into an area that is too shallow. However, because several pool companies have lost lawsuits related to diving board incidents, many refuse to install them. You can purchase and install a diving board yourself, if it is important to you to have one.

Things You'll Need

• Brightly colored chalk
• Cordless drill with heavy-duty drill bit
• Fine misting spray bottle full of water
• Diving board with bolt fasteners kit
• Electric screwdriver with large bit (optional)
• Prepared cement (optional)

Instructions

1. Decide where your diving board should go and carefully mark the location for the bolt fasteners directly on the cement with brightly colored chalk.

2. Make sure that you choose a drill bit that is the appropriate size to make the hole needed for the bolt fasteners that come with your particular diving board. Attach the bit to the cordless drill.

3. With one hand, place the bit of the drill in the center of your first chalk mark. Hold the spray bottle in your other hand. Begin drilling slowly, then speed it up, still choosing a speed that you can control well. If you feel the bit becoming overheated, lightly mist the bit and cement with water from the spray bottle.

4. Drill the second hole in the same way as you did the first.

5. Sink the diving board bolt fasteners into the holes you have made. Most bolt fasteners can be sunk into their holes with an electric screwdriver. Fill the area around the fasteners with prepared cement, if necessary. Follow the included instructions to complete the installation of your diving board.

References

• Diving Boards and Slides in Residential Swimming Pools
• Woodweb: Drilling Into Hard Concrete