Swimming Pool Resurfacing

W

e offer three major interior finishes when resurfacing your pool, the choices vary from price texture and color. 

Standard Plaster – Exposed Quartz – PebbleTec & PebbleSheen

Any of the products and surface options listed here can provide years of reliable performance and dazzling beauty in a well-made and well-maintained pool or spa. The key to enjoying that success, and avoiding unexpected frustration, is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each, and to choose wisely.


White Plaster 
Resurfacing with plaster is the most economical, but generally does not last as long as aggregate or quartz surfaces.  Standard white plaster is the tried and true pool and spa surface finish. White plaster has been around as long as people have been building swimming pools and it remains a popular choice in spite of the myriad of choices that have come into the market in recent years. Its simple combination of white cement, white marble aggregate and water make for an economical choice that will give you that classic swimming pool look.

Strengths: When filled with water, pools and spas surfaced in white plaster create a brilliant, clean, light blue appearance that is very smooth to the touch. A long-time favorite for many customers, it remains the most affordable pool finish product on the market today. Standard white plaster is a reliable product when installed by a quality contractor and properly maintained.

Concerns: It's important to know that white plaster is susceptible to all water conditions especially from attacks of improperly maintained or fluctuating chemical conditions. Therefore, it is only reasonable to expect that during the life of the product, it will change in appearance. These changes may be subtle or minor, perhaps slight shading or scaling, or far more dramatic in the form of pronounced staining, etching, cracking, or delaminating in extreme cases.

There are a great many variables in play when it comes to determining the exact cause of such changes in appearance and one could spend a lifetime exploring the complex chemical phenomena at the heart of these concerns. For the purpose of selecting standard white plaster it's critical to be fully aware that it is a relatively "soft" finish compared to other options and one that is more susceptible to the effects of water chemistry than some newer innovative products. 

The Swimming Pool Plaster Process:
 

Important Note on Colored Plaster
By its nature, colored plaster will accentuate all of the characteristics normally found in white plaster. Mottling, for example, can be more pronounced in colored plaster than in white. Colored plaster may also exhibit pigment stains, streaks, unevenness of color and more noticeable checking and crazing. Also, variations of shade will exist between color sample chips and mixed plaster. Over time, the color may fade completely or grow gradually lighter and will often not be the precise shade that was anticipated. It's important to note that none of these conditions are considered a deficiency of the product.

RPM Additive To White Plaster
Because many customers want the economy of standard plaster surfaces, but would also like to avoid some of the problems listed above, material suppliers have developed highly innovated chemical additives that can be used in the mixing and application of plaster. These products alter the physical and chemical composition of the plaster surface increasing its strength and durability - without sacrificing beauty or the smooth texture!

These products contain chemicals known as "pozzalans" that essentially take the weakest element in plaster (calcium hydroxide) and "lock it up" so that it is less susceptible to chemical attacks. We offer a  Pozzolan  based products called RPM that has  been proven to reduce etching, cracking, mottling and other problems, as well.   

Strengths: The advantages to such innovative products are obvious. Without disrupting the natural beauty and smoothness of standard white or colored plaster, these admixtures increase the surface's ability to resist the effects of fluctuating water chemistry.

Concerns: The primary concern with admixtures is that they do increase the cost of the pool or spa finish. And, it is important to note that while these products have been proven to help prevent surface problems, they are not fool-proof and in some cases you may still see changes in the surface's appearance, although most likely to a far lesser degree. 

A Note on Colored Plaster
By its nature, colored plaster will accentuate all of the characteristics normally found in white plaster. Mottling, for example, can be more pronounced in colored plaster than in white. Colored plaster may also exhibit pigment stains, streaks, unevenness of color and more noticeable checking and crazing. Also, variations of shade will exist between color sample chips and mixed plaster. Over time, the color may fade completely or grow gradually lighter and will often not be the precise shade that was anticipated. It's important to note that none of these conditions are considered a deficiency of the product.

Exposed Quartz Finishes
QuartzScapes create a brilliant and enduring appearance for your pool and spa with QuartzScapes finishes. A premium blend of crushed quartz, white cement and color tints, QuartzScapes merges beauty and strength for an incomparable finish that will last. One of the world’s strongest minerals, our quartz crystals are bonded with a ceramic color coating for reliable beauty – a beauty that will last for years without fading or abrasion.

http://www.nptgonline.com/nptg_national/quartzscapes_main.html


Diamond Brite: Naturally Beautiful
A great pool finish is comfortable, durable, easy to maintain and pleasing to the eye.  Diamond Brite from SGM is all of that and more.  Diamond Brite has at it’s heart beautiful natural quartz, one of purest and hardest minerals.  SGM combines these quartz aggregates with polymer-modified cement and non-fading Diamond Quartz to create a spectacular array of colors.  

The strength and splendor of diamonds
Diamond Brite stands up to the harshest pool chemicals and the roughest weather conditions.  The pure clear colors won’t fade, rust or rub off.  Diamond Brite is comfortable and slip resistant too.  SGM has made Diamond Brite pools easy care.  The strength of the natural quartz resists stains and etching.  And unlike plaster pools, Diamond Brite pools can be drained without being damaged. Diamond Brite comes in 17 different colors.  Each one reflects the water, sky and surroundings in a unique way.

http://sgm.swimmingpool.com/diamondbrite

PebbleTec & PebbleSheen
The Longest Lasting Most Durable Pool Interior Available
Naturally tumbled pebbles and a specifically formulated cement are combined with water and additives, then pneumatically applied to the interior of the pool. Using a unique method, the mix is then hand troweled and "exposed" with precise timing to reveal the top layer of pebbles. After the finish has thoroughly hardened, (normally within 24 hours) it is cleaned with a solution to enhance the brightness and luster of the natural pebbles. 

Training
To maintain the highest possible level of quality, Pebble Tec is only available through licensed contractors who have been carefully selected, trained and authorized by Pebble Tec. Each craftsman receives extensive field training. Education continues with regional in-field training. 

Not only is Pebble Tec a substantially stronger, longer lasting material, it blends waterfall and boulders naturally with the pool's interior. The natural pebble finish creates an unrefined beauty and produces a spectrum of colors as the sunlight changes throughout the day -- "natural iridescence." 
A perfect choice for the backyard swimming pool is also an excellent surface for a community pool. Durable (rock hard finish)... resilient... non-porous (easily cleaned).

Some commercial projects include: The Gaylord Texan, nrh2o Waterpark & The City Of Hurst

Also ideal for refinishing existing pools... the myriad of Pebble Tec & PebbleSheen colors allow you to create an elegant new look for your swimming pool as it changes the ordinary into the extraordinary.

The Pebbles used are finely screened and naturally tumbled which means that even though the surface is bumpy, it is non-abrasive.

What happens when algae grows on the Pebble Tec finish? Algae will grow on anything, but because the pebbles are non-porous, the algae will not bond as readily to Pebble Tec as it does to plaster or quartz surfaces. That means it can be easily cleaned without damage to the surface.

Does the surface color vary? Because Pebble Tec is a natural product and hand finished, variations in color and exposure are to be expected. The variations throughout a Pebble Tec pool create a distinctly unique.

Benefits: