Diamond Brite Color Combinations
- STEEL BLUE 8 Bags Tahoe Blue + 2 Bags Onyx
- AEGEAN SEA 4 Bags Tahoe Blue + 6 Bags French Gray
- OCEAN BLUE 4 Bags Midnight Blue + 4 Bags French Gray + 2 Bags Onyx
- ISLA VERDE 4 Bags Verde + 3 Bags Midnight Blue + 3 Bags French Gray
- GRECIAN SLATE 5 Bags French Gray + 3 Bags Verde + 2 Bags Onyx
- TAHITI BLUE 8 Bags Super Blue + 2 Bags Tahoe Blue
- COOL QUARTZ 5 Bags Blue + 5 Bags Blue Quartz
- BAHAMA BREEZE 9 Bags Tahoe Blue + 1 Bags Onyx
- COBALT 6 Bags Midnight Blue + 4 Bags Onyx
Swimming Pool Plaster & Remodeling
C& R Pool Plastering has been serving the Greater Sacramento community since 1983 and specializes in pool plastering, specialty pool and spa surfaces, pool tile, decking and water features. We take pride in quality workmanship and a long history of referral and repeat customers. When your swimming pool is looking a little worn or faded, or you just want to upgrade, give us a call. We would love an opportunity to discuss your vision and find a way to make it happen.
We love to make pools beautiful.
Buildcrete Pool Plaster Benefits
- Provides a hard, durable finish. A single 3/16-inch thick coat applied on the bottom of the pool and 3/8-inch on the sides, directly over EPS delivers 3500+ PSI compressive strength.
- Highly resistant to mold and mildew growth.
- Impact and abrasion-resistant.
BuildCrete Stucco is a true one-coat stucco designed to adhere directly to any EPS foam, CMU block, DensGlass, Securock, concrete, and other building materials. BuildCrete has been used on ICF construction for its durability, strength, and ease of application. It allows contractors to be green without complexity, compromising performance, or high cost.
Xavier High School, New Founders HallPhoenix, AZ
BuildCrete Stucco exterior wall finish coating performs beyond any conventional exterior stucco on the market today and features: excellent water resistance, impact and abrasion resistance, and resistance to mold and mildew.
It is the perfect choice for exterior applications including as a bonding agent and mortar for manufactured stone facings. The 3/16 one coat application has over 3,500 PSI compressive strength. BuildCrete is designed to be environmentally responsible, utilizing natural limestone sand and zero portland type cements. It is sustainable and emits no pollutants.
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Issues With Pool Plaster
This compound is quite porous and is significantly affected by the water’s chemistry, which leads to certain upkeep issues. Because it is porous, it’s easier for bacteria and algae to live in the plaster, causing staining and sliminess. Staining can also be caused by high levels of copper, iron or other minerals in the water. These chemical issues and the presence of lifeforms degrades plaster quicker.
The acidity of the water also affects the plaster. Alkaline water causes calcium deposits to form on the plaster this is called scaling, and it discolors the plaster. The pool will then need to be de-scaled. Acidic water, on the other hand, can etch the plaster. This creates a rougher surface that can house more bacteria, become pitted and degrade quicker. It can also be unpleasant or even injurious for swimmers’ feet and can rough up or tear swimwear.
Overall, a plaster finish that is perfectly cared for can last as long as 20 years, but a more common life span is closer to seven to 10 years, according to Willsha Pools.
How To Clean Pool Plaster
One of the most common pool finishes is plaster. Plaster is cheaper compared to other pool interiors and offers a few features that exceed its notoriety in affordability. As we have briefly covered above, pool plaster is the thin layer that separates the pool water and the concrete below creating a watertight seal. And although it can be had in a variety of colors, plaster often comes in white. On that note, without proper care and maintenance, pool plaster easily succumbs to a wide variety of problems both structurally and aesthetically.
Here are a few things you can do to clean your pool plaster.
Recommended Reading: Too Much Iron In Pool Water
Other Costs To Consider
No matter what type of installation you decide on, you may still have costs for a variety of other items associated with the project. Here are the rough costs for some of these:
- Automatic Pool Cover $5000 $13,000
- Heat Pump $3,500 $6,000, not including hookup
- Lights $700 $2,000
- Salt Chlorine Generator $1,000 $2,500
- Security Cover $1,300 $3,000
- Waterline/Perimeter Tile $1,500 $3,000
Other extras that are often overlooked include custom work such as pavers or sprayed finishes on your deck and accessories such as ladders, diving boards, pool vacuums and tools.
As mentioned earlier, now is not the time to go cheap, a fiberglass pool is significantly more expensive than an above ground pool. You want a quality pool with a good warranty and you want it installed properly. Sometimes it is worthwhile to pay a little more to get the job done right, but ultimately its up to you to decide how much time and energy you want to dedicate to the project. Contact Elitepools.ca for an estimate.
How To Clean Pool Plaster Stains
If the stain is caused by dirt or leaves, a treatment of chlorine and some brushing will often do the trick. However, if it was caused by metal, you need to identify the type of metal before you can deploy your plan to remove the stain.
Pro tip: Use a stain test kit to find out whats causing the stains in your pool.
Stubborn stains can also be removed with regular acid washing. Just keep in mind that your pool can only be acid washed so many times before the plaster needs to be completely refinished.
You can always call in a professional who specializes in swimming pool plaster repair and stain removal to handle the situation. This can save you some time and help you resolve the issue faster. If youre up for the challenge of tackling the stains yourself, you can check out this extensive pool stain guide next.
Exhibit D: Stains on the bottom of a swimming pool
Also Check: Metal In Pool Water
How To Repair Plaster In Your Pool
If youve ever spackled some holes in the drywall before moving out of an apartment you already have the skills necessary to repair the plaster in your pool.
But even if youve never had to patch drywall holes, youve come to the right place. Well walk you through it step by step.
Lets start by gathering all the materials and equipment youll need to get the job done. If you dont have some of these items, make sure to grab them before you start the project.
Is There An Alternative To Replastering A Pool
If replastering your pool sounds like a big project, you might be wondering if there is a way to avoid doing it. The short answer is that you have several other options. Unfortunately, most are temporary fixes or even more expensive. Lets go over each one.
Patching. As mentioned above, you could patch your pool when you notice rough areas or places where the plaster has worn through. However, this is not only a very temporary solution, its downright unsightly, because the patch materials will never match the plaster.
Acid wash. This is a quick fix that works for stains, but not so much for plaster thats wearing away. In fact, it actually makes your plaster wear away faster because it essentially takes off the top, stained layer. Use an acide wash only if aesthetics are really that important to you.
Tile. Want a solution thats incredibly durable and striking in appearance? Not worried about cost?
Tiling a pool can be a great decision. Compared to the other choices, tile basically lasts forever, as long as you maintain it. Even better, it looks absolutely gorgeous, and you can create pretty much any design that you imagine.
The downside is that tile is really, really expensive. How much are we talking about? Typically anywhere from $75-$100 per square foot. If you wanted to tile your entire pool surface, that would get very expensive very quickly.
So why dont more people use paint today?
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How To Patch Pool Finish Plaster
I get a lot of questions about how to patch areas of the finish plaster.The need may arise from flaws in the original application or from damagethat happens later. Sometimes there is a small area or two of theplaster needing replacement some years before the whole job must be done.
Several aspects make patching difficult. Some professionals will tellyou it can’t be done with good results at all, or they may tell you itcan’t be done properly by the do-it-yourselfer. In fact, you can do ityourself with good results, if you are willing to invest in the righttools and spend some time learning the techniques.
Patching is only practical if you have a small portion of the surfacethat is flawed, which is surrounded by a thick, sound layer. If youdropped something heavy into the pool and took out a chunk of plaster,or if you had a “bubble” of plaster that debonded , thenpatching is appropriate. If half the pool has gotten rough and thin,then patching is not practical. Like weeds in your lawn, it doesn’ttake a high proportion before the cure is tantamount to a total re-do.
When you trowel all-new plaster the surfacebecomes smooth because the trowel pushes the sand down into the bulkof the material, and a thin layer of fine cement “cream” then “floats”to the top. Sand is a necessary aggregate in plaster, because a plasterof pure cement only would crack and check from shrinking over a patch of any size. The sandis what aggregates in the cement to avoid shrinkage during curing.
The Replaster Pool Process
Convinced that you need to replaster your pool, but wondering what is involved? Before we get into step-by-step instructions, lets cover the basics.
First, youll want to gather all your needed materials, which is no small task. You will probably have some of the tools youll need, but you will probably be making trips to multiple stores to get the rest. Then, youll need to drain your pool and remove any bubbling or loose plaster. Then youll need to sand down all the rough edges.
After you have a nice, uniform surface all along your pool, youll need to apply an acid wash and then a bond coat, allowing time between each coat to dry. Then youll need to mix and apply two layers of plaster to the pool bottom and walls. Youll need to apply a few layers of pool paint, let that dry and then refill your pool.
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Stanton Pools Pool Plastering
If youve decided that its time you give your pool the proper treatment, make sure to call the best in the business.
The projects we worked on in our Hidden Hills pool remodeling and West Hills pool service prove our commitment to a superior quality pool plastering. When beginning a pool plaster project by carefully chipping out the old plaster, we set your pool up for success. This is done by using precision tools like pneumatic tools and jackhammers. Dont worry, well protect your backyard the same way we do the concrete below the plaster. Rest assured that your property is safe when you do business with Stanton Pools.
When applying the plaster, we may try a different approach depending on the structure of the pool. Otherwise, we will generally start at the deep end of the pool carefully working our way up until we reach the deck of your pool. When conducting our Canoga Park pool maintenance, we see to it that we apply the proper amount of plastering to ensure longevity and the overall structural quality of the pool. Likewise, when we conduct our Tarzana pool service, we ensure that the materials we use to maintain the pools in this area are of the best quality and the procedure taken to apply them is taken with utmost care.
Learn more, read another helpful article:
Cut Out The Broken Bits
After you get the obvious spots, take a piece of wood or the wooden handle of your hammer and tap around the area of the obviously-damaged plaster. If you hear a different hollow sound, then chances are youre going to have to dig out the plaster there too. Thats an indication that there are some air bubbles where the plaster has failed and become disconnected.
Youre going to have to knock and chisel these areas as well.
If your plaster looks a little worse for wear, you may have to cut out the deteriorating parts. If you have to do this, you can cut into the plaster at an angle to create a clean spot to patch.
Recommended Reading: How To Patch A Hole In Above Ground Pool
Pool Plaster Etching And Scaling
You might have a problem with etching if your pool surface becomes excessively rough. Etching happens when lines and dents are literally carved into your pool plaster over time. This is caused by improperly balanced pool chemistry, particularly low pH, alkalinity, or calcium, and it’s one of the reasons why we emphasize the importance of taking care of your pool correctly.
Scaling is another problem and can occur as a result of high pH, alkalinity, or calcium. This can lead to a buildup of calcium and other minerals in your pool. Not pretty.
Heres how to avoid scaling in your pool:
- Brush the pool walls regularly
- Pre-dilute acid before you add it to the water
- Dont add salt within 30 days of replastering your pool
- Never allow salt to sit on fresh plaster
The most important takeaway: make sure your pool is clean and your water chemistry is balanced. Regular and consistent maintenance goes a long way and can preserve your plaster longer.
Picking The Right Plaster For Every Pool
The most elegant pools require the most elegant finishes, and when it comes to plaster, you have TOO MANY options. But one of our jobs is to simplify the complex.
In short, there are four main types of plaster that Absolute Pools uses to waterproof your pool, each of which has many variations. They are marcite, Diamond Brite, Hydrazzo and PebbleTec. Hydrazzo is by far our most common and popular plaster, and we typically use Hatteras Gray and French Gray.
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When Applied To Pool Plaster Aggregates Decks Or Masonry Microglass Will:
Minimize surface etching, spalling, plaster dust, calcium nodules and color-loss.
Dramatically increase the hardness and color-fastness of existing plaster.
Minimize interactions between plaster and chemicals in the water.
Minimize / stop efflorescence on plaster, decks, pavers and more.
Greatly simplify and reduce post-plaster start-up labor and chemical demands.
Pool Finishes And The Cost To Refinish A Pool
A relatively recent innovation in pool plaster is adding aggregates, such as pebbles and rougher-grained quartz. This is often called a “pebble finish.” The plaster and aggregate mix is applied to the pool’s cement surface and then partially blasted or polished away. This reveals more of the aggregate.
An exposed aggregate finish has the pebbles exposed and provides a bumpy surface. Depending on the type of aggregate, this surface can be more or less pleasant to walk upon. A polished aggregate finish provides a totally smooth surface.
Both exposed and polished aggregates come in a large variety of looks depending on the size and color of the aggregate, giving a broad range of aesthetic options for the pool’s final look. Many homeowners love the more natural look of exposed aggregate, though it is often darker than a standard pool plaster finish. A pool plaster aggregate finish is nonporous and lasts longer, with a typical life span of 15 years.
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What Users Say About Microglass
I’ve used the MicroGlass product on our new pools since 2002. We’ve done hundreds of pools this way, and never had to go back and redo the plaster.
David Palmer
We had thousands of nodules on our pool. It felt like sandpaper on your feet! The plaster company would sand them off, but then they would come back three weeks later. Then they applied MicroGlass, and now we dont have any. Problem solved!
Brian K.
I like that the dusting and microcracking after applying new plaster has virtually gone away. But what I REALLY like is that after 30 years, we finally found a cure for those annoying calcium nodules. When we apply MicroGlass, we don’t have to fight those nodules anymore.
Loren Granstrom
We plaster thousands of pools every year. So naturally, we’ve had our fair share of challenges with etching, spalling, nodules, color loss, and even start-up water chemistry. Fortunately whenever we use MicroGlass, those problems are GONE!
Alan Smith
MicroGlass is a total game changer – especially for the service industry. You ask any pool professional who’s tried it , and they swear it’s a night and day difference. I see a day soon when MicroGlass will be the standard for all new pool plaster, all replasters, and every acid-wash going forward.
Randy Beard
The Plaster Thickness Game: Thicker Is Not Necessarily Better
One question which usually comes up in pool refinishing is how thickthe new plaster should be. Some contractors will try to manipulatethe sales process using thickness as a measure of quality.
Thickness alone is a misleading specification. 1/4 inch is the thinnestpractice, 3/8 inch is more typical, and 1/2 inch is a bit overdone.The only purposes of having thickness at all is to have a veneer layerstrong enough to hold itself together, which means at least about threetimes the diameter of the largest aggregate in the mix , and to maintain this strengthas long than the troweled surfacefinish will last. An extra-thick, extra-strong, well-bonded layer ofplaster is not economical if its surface ages into a rough condition longbefore the structure starts to fail. Vice versa, a thin layer that startsto fragment while the surface is still smooth is likewise not economical.The best economy is achieved by a balanced aging design.
Ideally, all the inevitable age-related failure modes should occurat the same number of years out. Extra durability in only certaincharacteristics is of no practical value. The same can be saidabout a balanced design for house paint or for an automobile .
I suspect one reason why the contractors like the wet-cure process isthat it prevents you from inspecting the job closely! From a distanceand under water, it always looks great at the end of the day.
Recommended Reading: Build Your Own Inground Pool Kit
