Painting the Pool vs. Plastering the Pool

You’ve read of the new types of pool plaster options available, and had started looking into prices for resurfacing your plaster pool – when it hits you – what if I painted the pool? Painting pools has been an option even before pool plastering came around. Back in the day, all pools were painted; it was an annual pool opening tradition. When plaster for pools began to be used, pool owners appreciated the long lasting and durable surface and the smooth white finish. Should you paint the pool, or replaster the pool?

Longevity Factor:

Pool plaster will most certainly take this round. Pool plaster, when properly mixed, applied, cured and maintained – can last 15-20 years. Pool Paint? Depending on the type of paint used, as well as application and curing factors, 2-7 years of life can be expected from a pool paint job. Round 1 goes to the scrappy young fighter’s scorecard – pool plaster wins!

Durability Factor:

Paints used for pools, spas and fountains, are specifically made for underwater use, and are quite durable against poor water chemistry, temperature extremes and even rough treatment from pool equipment. Plaster however, with it’s usual 1/2 inch thickness, can handle more distress than the thin layer of pool paint. Plaster wins again!

Prep Work Factor:

TSP pool paint surface prep

Both pool paint and pool plaster require that the pool be drained properly and prepared for the new surface. To paint the pool, you’ll need to degrease the surface with TSP, then acid etch the plaster, followed by another washing and scrubbing with TSP. For acrylic pool paints, the pool can be painted damp, but for epoxy paints (the longest lasting pool paint), you’ll need to let the pool air dry for 3-5 days before painting. Tape off the parts you don’t want to paint, and you’re ready to begin.

Pool plaster requires a much more industrial prep process. After draining, the “cut-n-chip” crew arrives, and with tiny saws, they cut the plaster beneath the tile and around all of the wall and floor fittings. Another crew arrives to acid etch the pool, to roughen the plaster surface, which helps the bond of the new plaster coat. Some plaster companies will make a third trip to apply a “scratch coat” – a rough, textured bond coat that adheres tightly to the old plaster surface, while giving a good surface for the new plaster coat to bond to.

Application Factor:

Once a pool is prepped and ready for paint, the pool painting process is fairly simple. Mix up your pool paint thoroughly and start rolling it on the deep end wall with a 3/8″ nap roller, with a low nap. A 5-gallon bucket with a paint screen is best to move around with, as paint trays tend to spill. Using long, even strokes, apply the first coat, working from the deep end to the shallow end (don’t paint yourself in!). After 4-6 hours, a second coat can be applied, which will require about half of the paint needed on the first coat. Dry time will vary, depending on the paint and outside temperature. Two to five days later, you can fill up the pool.

pool paint

When pool plaster day arrives, a crew of 4-6 guys will arrive with a large plastering “rig”, or a truck specifically designed for this purpose. One guy remains on the rig, and he mixes up the plaster mix; a mixture of white portland cement and marble dust. Additives for strength or color can be added to the mix at this time.

When ready, the mixer pumps the plaster mix through a thick hose, and the hose man sprays the plaster. With spiked shoes and a bullnosed trowel in each hand, they begin the process of smoothing the plaster evenly over the surface. They need to be careful not to overtrowel the mixture or to delay too long before troweling it smooth.

After 3-4 hours (these guys are fast), your pool will be plastered and a sock is wrapped around a garden hose left in the deep end of the pool. With the hose turned on, the pool begins to fill, without stopping, until the pool is full. You will be left with instructions to care for the water chemistry, and asked to brush the pool twice daily for two weeks, or until the plaster dust is eliminated.

If for no other reason than it’s DIY, and pool owner friendly. Anyone can paint a pool. Pool plastering is not something that you should try at home, it is not DIY friendly.

Appearance Factor:

Both new plaster and new paint are looking good! Pool paint is shiny and reflective, and new plaster has a deep luster, like an eggshell. Of course, you can add colors and additives to plaster to create custom tones. You can do the same with paint, and could even paint a mural.

Plaster may look the best for longer, but at least initially, and for the first few years, the appearance of both is fairly equal. Plaster finishes, especially white plaster, can stain easily and look poorly after a few years. Painted pool surfaces wear-thin over time, and after 3, 4, 5 years, you can begin to see the sub-surface show through the thin spots.

Pebble plaster or plaster with quartzite flecks can help hide such stains. Colored plaster (black, grey, blue), where a tint is added, has a problem of highlighting calcium scale that deposits on the surface, which is nearly invisible on white plaster.

Cost Factor:

The cost of pool plastering starts at 4 thousand dollars, and can be much more if you choose strength additives and pebble or quartz surfaces. Price can be higher in some metro areas, and of course, for larger pools.

Pool paint is one of the most expensive paints I’ve seen, ranging from $50-90 per gallon. Depending on your size of pool, you may need 6-10 gallons, plus some painting supplies. If you paint the pool yourself, you will probably spend $800-900 on materials for the job.

But remember, pool plaster can last 3-4 times longer than pool paint! If paint lasts, say 5 years, and pool plaster lasts 20 years – they are almost equal in cost. In the long run, yes – but you can never be sure how long it will last.

Failure Factor:

Back when I was painting pools, we were very careful to prep pools properly and diligently. Nonetheless, about one out of ten paint jobs went bad. Soon after painting, we’d have blisters, or peeling and flaking paint. The result of a bad bond, or bad paint, or too much moisture in the air – never quite sure. But, the fact remains, not every paint job will be a success, and a few might even fail miserably.

Plaster jobs can fail too – small and big, there are lots of different problems that can occur with pool plaster. Spot etching – pits and pockmarks. Delaminations, where large sections fall off the wall, or lift up from the floor – bond failure. Depending on the mix ratios, application temperature and speed, curing, and chemical care after the plaster job – you may see variations in hue, streaking, or trowel burn. I have had almost an equal number (1 in 10) plaster jobs that have some serious defects, some to the point where we have had to re-plaster the pool, to keep the customer happy.

152 thoughts on “Painting the Pool vs. Plastering the Pool

  1. Hi, Up here in Boston I am patching a handful of delaminated areas–maybe 15 or 20, but none bigger than my head–in an old 20k-gal Anthony Pool. I will also chip out around the light, drain, etc. where there is mottling. I have two questions: 1) There are 5 or 6 small (3-5in radius) areas where the plaster has more or less worn away. Would I just chip out a wider radius around the flat spot and then fill it in, as if it were a crack or delaminating sitch, or can I just build up a layer of plaster and feather it? and 2) I will not be able to fill the pool directly, immediately. Will I be ok with plastic sheeting over the patches for 2-4 weeks? Thx!

    • Hi Dave, for the worn areas, it will bond best if you have a sharp edge to set the new plaster against, instead of feathering, which will flake off around the edges. Use a small grinder or chisel to get a 3/8″ minimum edge around the worn area, then fill-in. You can use the plastic sheeting, or use pieces of heavy fiber, like burlap, which are sprayed moist every few days. If you use plastic, place a small hole, the size of a pencil, every sq ft, to allow some moisture to escape, slowly.

  2. Tom Jordan

    Hi Dave, I have a 10×12 hot tub and a 12×12 splash pool. A design that was popular in the 70’s. Both have been reconditioned and plastered well but the surface is still very rough. Will an epoxy paint provide a thicker texture to smooth it out? If not, what would you recommend for a smoother surface?

    • Hi Tom, yes epoxy paint does give a smooth surface. Another method is to sand down the plaster, or possibly correct the water balance, if the roughness is due to calcium deposits, from high pH and high calcium levels.

      • Louis Lugo

        Hi Davey, our 1st inground pool is barely 4 yrs old. The plaster was to be evenly tinted “Gray” rather than blue. The day came when the plaster crew was on site ready to pour. Then just before they began the pour, I was asked to sign a waiver that stated in so many words, they cannot guarantee the outcome of the color. What? Just days later the pool started turning white in various areas. It really looked horrendous. Reminding me of the waiver I signed, the builder still attempted to please me. This was his remedy; first he drained the pool, followed by a acid wash,then refilled the pool once again- leaving instructions to sweep it several times each day for a month. To this day, the plaster is so discolored with white swatches and streaks that it looks like a pool that had not been maintained for 20+ yrs. What a joke. Please educate me Davey, is adding tints to pool plaster for a even and colorful look really that difficult? I’m currently undecided on my next move, paint the pool or hire a new company to replaster it.
        Thank you!

        • Hi Louis, mottling, streaking and ghosting are terms used to describe what calcium scale does to plaster that uses color tints. In some cases it can be worse than others, esp. in areas of known hard water. Brushing twice daily and using a sequestering agent for the first year will help. Acid washing will help restore original color by removing the calcium scale that deposits on top of the plaster. The alternative is to replaster the pool in white color, or use quartz crystal additives to impart a slight color. YOu can paint the pool, mixing white/black paint for a grey color, but it will need to be redone every 5-years or so. Every black or grey tinted pool will do this, to some degree. Perfectly normal, yes.

  3. We have an 8-year old, self-cleaning, salt-water pool in South Carolina. We’ll likely be either painting or re-plastering this winter. Are there any unique considerations (or “watch-outs) for a self-cleaning pool — particularly given the technology involved as well as the (~20) cleaning units at the bottom of the pool?

    • Hi Greg, when plastering, part of the prep process is to ‘cut & chip’ under the tile line, around the light, and around all the wall and floor fittings that exist in the pool. A saw is used to cut a line around each floor pop-up, a hole saw would be best, and the plaster is chipped away, to about 1/2″ depth. This is so the new plaster can ‘hook-in’ and anchor around the fitting, and so it can be feathered properly, so the new plaster coat is not too high around the fitting. So, they just have to be careful not to break the pop-ups or the PVC fitting they sit in. With painting, there is no cut & chip, but you can’t roll paint right over the pop-ups of course, so you cut-in with a brush first, and use a smaller roller around each pop-up, or carefully tape each one before painting.

  4. I had my pool painted last fall by the same people that did it in 2011. No problems with the 2011 job. Last fall they sanded. Washed with TSP and power washed clean. Waited 2 days to dry and applied the first coat of epoxy paint in the late afternoon. The high temperature that day was 92 degrees. The second coat was applied a couple of days later. I waited 5 days for the paint to dry before going in the pool. I noticed that the paint ran in some areas and was told this was because of heat. There were no blisters in the paint at this time, just extraneous matter in a few places. Then I filled the pool. When I began to use the pool this season I noticed blisters all over the walls and bottom of the pool. I was told that it was probably water seeping through the concrete causing the blisters since epoxy failure would have happened right after the paint was put on. The painter said if you scrape a blister off and see paint below it is a paint failure. If you scrape a blister off and don’t see paint it is a water problem. Painter’s proposal is drain the pool at end of season and have epoxy paint people and come and test the paint. If it is a paint failure then sand, clean, and repaint. If it is a water problem then sandblast and replaster the pool which will waterproof the pool and solve the water problem. Do you think I need to address this problem at the end of the season or can I wait until the current paint job wears out? Right now nothing is happening with the blisters (they are hard) even when I run the Dolphin pool cleaner. What tests would you expect the epoxy paint people run to determine what the problem is? Is there a way to test to see if there is a water problem around and under the pool? If there is a water problem, will replastering solve it?

    • Hi John, when epoxy paint blisters, it is usually either 1) unclean surface, oil/scale/dust that prevented a good bond, or 2) painting in the bright sun, very hot temps, or 3) moist areas (weepers and seepers) that allow small amounts of moisture to come out of the plaster and rest up against the underside of the paint. I doubt that it is a “Paint Problem”, or an issue of bad paint. And probably not the temperature either. I’d say either the pool was not dry before application, or that the pool was not really clean and some oil deposits were not removed fully, or something greasy in the air landed on the pool after cleaning. Or, you say that the second coat was applied a few days later? It is supposed to be applied within 2-6 hours usually, after which time, you should sand the entire pool, if you wait longer than 6-hours. So, perhaps that is the cause. I don’t know if I trust their ‘test’, I’m not sure that will be conclusive as to the cause. You can wait, no need to do anything now. when the bubbles pop on their own, and the pool starts to look bad (to you), then it’s time to repaint. You can do it yourself, or ask them to recoat the pool at that time, for a nice price, something less than what you paid originally.

      • Thanks for the quick response and good information!!!!!!!!!

  5. Ryan Pline

    Tons of good information here Davy! I need to resurface my pool which is currently a plaster surface but I am still not totally sure whether I want it replastered or have a go at an Epoxy paint (hence the entire reason youve started this blog!) I recognize the chances of having a paint failure so I am wondering: If I decide to put an Epoxy coating on my pool, can it ever be plastered again? If so, what implications await if I ever want to have the pool plastered?

    Thank You So Much!
    -Ryan

    • hi Ryan – that is a good question. If you want to re-plaster the pool down the road, or if another owner of your home wishes to… the paint will need to be entirely removed, either thru scarification or sand blasting, both tough chores, that will add a few thousand dollars to the plastering price.

  6. Hi Davy,

    If paint is peeling of and bubbles occur on the sides of the pool and on the bottom. Do I remove all paint, that means the entire pool. then re paint? What products do I use to remove the old paint and then do I repaint or do I use undercoats or bonding liquids? My apologies for so many questions

    • Hi Jaco, you should remove any loose or peeling paint, with scrapers and sanders, or pressure washer or by sand/bead blasting. Blistering and peeling paint can come from a dirty or oily surface, moisture trapped under the surface, or painting in bright, hot sun, or from painting with incompatible paints (epoxy over rubber, for instance). After removal of everything that is not bonded, sand the edges of any paint that remains, and then prep the pool in the usual way to remove any oils (TSP wash) and scale (acid wash). Allow pool to dry. If you do not know what type of paint was used previously, then you can either a) remove ALL of the existing paint, every bit and speck, or b) place a paint chip in epoxy solvent and rubber based solvent, and see which one dissolves the paint (slightly), then you know which it is – you can also send paint chips samples to Ramuc, for analysis. Or you can paint first with Advance Conversion Paint, and then paint with Epoxy paint.

  7. Mr Sandy Berris

    Hello and thank you for your blog! I live in Key West and am fortunate to have a 12’ x 30’ pool which goes from 3.5’ to 7pm deep. It’s been 22 years since it was built and has not been refinished since that time for a variety of reasons. It’s definitely in need of refinishing and today I was wondering about painting it and came across your blog. My first concern is that there is no way to avoid the direct sun as the pool is in full sun all day! Happy to hear any thoughts that you have. Thank you!

    • Hi Sandy – you could paint it at night? With lights? Or use tarpaulins to shade the pool and paint in early morning? It would only take about 2 hours to paint each coat on the pool.

  8. Elizabeth V Hawkins

    I live in the Sacramento area and have called multiple pool companies, none of which paints pools.

    Do you have a suggestion for me. I would be very appreciative

    916 764 2947

    • Hi Elizabeth, you could hire a painter to paint your pool, or even some neighborhood college kids home on break, or a handyman, or out of work neighbor… The prep and painting process is not difficult, but the pool must be cleaned well to remove any grease and scale, and it must be dry (if using Epoxy, can be wet with Acrylic pool paint), and should be painted in early morning or evening, when not too hot, and not in the direct sun. Other than that, almost anyone can paint a pool, we have many blog posts on the topic, and the paint cans also have detailed instructions.

  9. Susan Diaz

    Hi Davy,
    I have a 20 x 40 gunnite pool that was painted by a man and his crew in 2012. I had him remove the tiles as they were falling off prior to painting. Soon after he completed the job, I noticed small bubbles under the paint.I didn’t contact him because to put it bluntly, he was a jerk and I didn’t want to deal with him, but I couldn’t find anyone else willing to do the job. Anyways, is it necessary to have tile? Do I need to protect the pool from rain in between each of the steps? Is it necessary to do an acid wash if there aren’t any stains? I apologize for asking so many questions. I just want to try to do this right as it is such a big job.T
    Thank you:)

    • Hi, the bubbles could be from moisture on the pool surface or embedded in the plaster, or from painting in hot weather, or in direct sun. It could also be from incompatible paints. Painting Epoxy over Rubber based for example. Pool perimeter tile is used to provide an easy way to clean the scum-line at the water level. Without tile, you will get a hard to clean black smudge at the water level. For paint prep the acid wash is not to remove stains, but to remove scale and etch the surface, both which help improve the bond. It is important, but maybe a small bit less important than washing with TSP to remove grease/oil. Not grease that you can see – you cannot see it, but it will prevent a good bond for the new paint (just like painting a wall, paint won’t stick to greasy kitchen ceilings for instance).

  10. ALICIA ANN KING

    Hi Dave, I just finished guniting my new inground pool and wanted to know the cheapest way to finish it. The bottom is right and hurt my feet at this point. If you recommend painting instead of plaster will it be smooth to the touch and not hurt this much. Also how thick will the paint be once completed. Will I have to smooth out the gunite surface first? Lots of questions. Hope you can answer.

    • Alicia, paint is definately cheaper than plaster, and it will be somewhat smooth, but not perfectly. Gunite is very pock-marked, for lack of a better word, and this will create holes where dirt will get trapped, and algae will form, even after painting. And, paint will only last 5-7 years at best and then must be re-done. So although it is cheaper, in the long run, on a gunite pool with no plaster, it will not be. I would prefer that the pool be plastered. The title of this article is misleading, it actually should read “Painting vs RE-Plastering”. Paint is also not thick, maybe 1 mm thick, and it will wear thin, and gunite is not necessarily waterproof. The Plaster is the waterproofing membrane, that without it, the pool would ooze right thru the semi-porous gunite. More reasons, that I think you should bite the bullet and pay the plaster man. If you can’t swing it this year, let the pool sit this winter, and get it done early next spring.

  11. john schroeder

    Davy… WOW, its great to see that this post is recent and you are replying to comments. Good on you sir!

    Im in FL, and its humid, hot and now the seasonal daily rain is upon us… and with the Covid situation, 3 kids at home all the time, and my pool is a mess.

    The plaster is turning to a sand like material and the bottom of my pool is basically a beach. And wherever you step you can easily dig a little into the finish.

    So, im tight on loot and I need to get the pool fixed or my kids are going to drive me crazy. So, thinking i drain it, powerwash it, scrub it with a stiff broom/brush, powerwash it again, let it dry, and then paint it… but i think i will need to coat it with something first to flatten out the finish. I saw some type of paintable plaster product… Whatever i do i just need to get 2 or 3 years out of it and then ill get it replastered completely.

    Any advice here?

    • Hi John, plaster is the waterproofing layer over top of the gunite/shotcrete. It is not structural, but is important to have a smooth finish and to keep water from seeping thru the gunite shell (which won’t necessarily happen, even if there is a bare plaster spot, exposing gunite). So one option is to do nothing, but it is odd that you ‘can dig into the finish’, that is very unusual, not sure what’s up with that. Painting could be a good idea for a few years, as a waterproofing, and a smooth finish, and for appearance. But any loose material, paint will not bond to. But if that can be fixed with a pressure washer, then you can paint, with pool paint, or the Diamond brite type of paintable plaster. Either one however, will have to be completely removed before you can replaster. That is gonna cost more money, and may involve sand blasting (ugh), which is messy and costly. If you can do nothing, just drain and clean and refill, that may be the best option for your situation.

  12. Hi Davy,
    I am looking at purchasing a home that has a large indoor diving pool. The indoor pool is the main reason we want the house. The realtor stated that the pool has been empty since “the 90’s and has a crack.” Can an inground concrete pool that has been empty that long be refurbished? I’m assuming I would need to have the crack repaired, plaster the pool, and replace the equipment (we want to convert to salt water). Are there concerns with the pool having been empty that long even though it is inside? It does get sunlight through multiple skylights and the pool area gets hot since no one was using it and keeping a/c on. If we can refurbish the pool for $15-20k, it would make the house perfect!

    • Hi Jeff, sure thing, don’t let a little crack scare you, even large cracks across the center of the pool can be fixed (see my related blog post) https://blog.intheswim.com/how-to-fix-swimming-pool-cracks/ And yes, probably you want new plaster and updated equipment. $15-20 sounds like enough money to do it, with some leftover. Pool guys are busy right now, but you might have one or two come out and give a close look, if not done already. The pipes underground are probably fine, but pressure testing them might be a good idea, to be sure there’s no problems there.

  13. Bill Armstrong

    Hello Davy,
    I was wondering if there were any natural stole tiles that could be used as the pool floor? I like the idea of granite tiles as they can be installed almost seamless, have low porosity, and are generally hard to hurt. In theory they would not offer algae any place to grow so would require less chemicals and not need an acid treatment every 4-5 years like plaster. I assume they would be slippery unless the surface was roughed up. However, I am not an expert so likely there are issues I have not thought of.

    Thanks,

    • Hi Bill, I’ve seen it done a few times, not often done as it has a dark color, unless you used a white marble or tan granite. But you can do a dark color too, sure. Your pool shape needs to be very square, without the common curved shapes for plaster pools, so very much needs to be like a shoe box, although the floor can slope, or could have a vinyl liner hopper style design. Yes you can do natural stone, in the same way as one would install stone floor tiles.

  14. SARA DECKER

    Hi Davy, I live in Chandler, Arizona. We built our plaster diving pool in 97. It’s been empty for 5 yrs due to filter problems and it constantly turning green no matter how many chemicals it has. We now want it back up and running but are low on funds. Trying to debate whether to paint, plaster or pebbles. Will painting stop some of the problems with black & green algae or would plaster be a better way to go?

    • Hi Sara, yes paint will stop the algae problems. And the prep for paint, or plaster/pebble involves a lot of cleaning, so you will get rid of all the algae, and then re-coat the pool. You should also clean behind the pool lights, and flush out the pipes, fill with chlorine, flush out again. And of course get a nice big filter, the Waterway DE and Cartridge filters are a great value. Painting should cost only about $1200, versus $5000 for plaster/pebble. Of course it doesn’t last as long either, only 5-years or so, whereas plaster/pebble can last for 20 years. In the long run, they are close in price, over a 20 year span, assuming the plaster lasts 20 years, and paint lasts 5…

  15. I’m looking for a deep dark blue epoxy and I’d like to paint using your product. But reading some of the reviews, it seems it’s not as dark as may be hoped. Would mixing 1:1 black and dark blue work out and have you seen folks take this approach?

    • Hi Sam, yes, our Dark blue is more like a dark royal blue. You could certainly mix black paint, might not need to be 1:1, maybe 1/2 black to full can of blue. Or if you want to get artsy, you could paint black with splatter/scatter of blue on top, or vice-versa. I’ve done it before, looks really cool.

  16. Hi Davy.
    I had a small concrete pool built last year by some guys who had never built a pool before. They did a great job except for 2 things. The mason didnt put a fine finish on the plaster, so the painters decided to face it up with a cement based skim coat compound. They then painted with an epoxy primer and two top coats of Marine exopy paint.
    Now the paint has blistered everywhere and in places flaked off the primer and the cement based skim coat compound has also come loose in many places 1st bubleing in 2 to 3 inch areas then eventually fally off. I want to drain and repair, repaint. But im on an extremely tight budget with Covid 19. What sould you suggest to try and sort the problem DIY and at as low a cost as possible

    • Hi Paul, drain and scrape and pressure wash and sand – then refill and enjoy. That would be the cheapest, if you don’t mind the appearance. The skim coat delaminating has me concerned however. I fear that you may need to sandblast it completely off, or some other method to remove it, before you paint again. Might even wait a year to paint, again if you can stand the appearance this summer.

  17. Brianna Nicholas

    I really appreciate that you shared this amazing post with us, thanks for sharing and keep up the amazing work.

  18. Andrew Moyce

    Hi, Davy,
    I want to paint a small mural – a six foot dolphin- on the side of a newly resurfaced fiberglass pool. The installer tells me he will finish with a polyester gel which should take epoxy paint after roughing wi sandpaper.
    I have water base epoxy primer and white super poxy paint. I plan to mix small amounts of the poxy at a time and tint with standard paint tint. How long will the paint be usable after mixing with catalyst? What else do I need to know?

    Andy

    • Andy, I believe that the paint can will provide guidelines on pot life after mixing with the catalyst. I do not have the paint can label in front of me, but it sounds like you have purchased the paint already? For your second question, the proportion of paint to catalyst, when mixing smaller batches, will be exactly… proportional.

  19. Tina Foster

    Hi Davy,
    First, thank you for your time and expertise answering all of our questions!
    I bought a home in Orange County California last summer. The pool looked “fine” but now not so good. It has rust spots that are growing larger and the discoloration gets worse by the week and the in last few weeks algae is starting to grow – a lot . My pool guy is charging me $80 extra per month to clean out my filter system. He says this is because the paint is coming off. I’ve been reading and watching many videos on how to fix this myself. I’m good there. My dilemma lies in the temperature. One video I watched stated that a plaster pool can’t handle being dry in temperatures over 80 degrees due to it blistering. This causes a problem for my drying time in between “washes” and patching. What can I do? It’s going to be 80-90 degrees here for the next 8 months. Do I turn off the pool and wait till November or is it safe to proceed with the use of a tarp to keep the direct light off of the pool? What are your thoughts on this? Again, Thanks for your insights! ~Tina

    • Hi Tina, no worries, no harm will come to the plaster, unless you keep it drained for months on end. No need to block the sun. I would recommend painting the pool in the early morning, or in the evening, when it’s cool, so it won’t dry too fast. also watch the weather for rain, if that ever happens in OC. 🙂

  20. Trish Ingram

    I have no idea what type of paint was used previously on my painted gunite pool. I have drained the pool, power washed it, muractic acid washed it, power washed it again. Now what do I do? Primer? Paint? I want to paint it bc of cost but not sure which paint bc I have no idea what was on it before.

    • Hi Trish, it’s not so easy to determine actually, but can be done. We sell epoxy solvent and rubber based solvent, for which you can drop a chip of paint into, and see which solvent will dissolve the paint chip. It won’t dissolve it completely, but you can see it beginning to soften and will come off on your fingers. An easier, faster and cheaper method would be to go to a paint store and ask them to do it for you, which should be (?) possible. THird, you can mail a paint chip to Ramuc, who will test it for you, and send back results.

  21. Dave can you tell us in your opinion what paint is the best for gunite pools?

    • Hi Bill, absolutely Epoxy pool paint. The other paints are 20% cheaper, but only last 20% of the length of time that epoxy does. Plus, epoxy wears thin over time, without the annoying peeling and flaking of rubber paint. A good paint job with a hi-build epoxy can last 5-7 years.

  22. Donna Currey Barnes

    I am in a dilemma. My pool has not be covered or used in three years. I have had so many different opinions, I don’t know what to do! My inground, gunite pool has small cracks overall. I have had it sandblasted; thereafter, a muratic wash. I was disappointed in both. Even a chunk of plaster came off below the tile line. I have been told to remove ALL of the plaster and start over, paint a “plaster bond” material over the old plaster and blow new plaster over the old, put a vinyl liner, or just fill it up and see “what you get, it may leak”. I have been told one cannot patch plaster without it coming off. My 10,000 gallon pool was built in 1983, and was in good shape until I had different people work on it. I have also been told “Rubber Paint” is the best, but is only good for a couple of years. Please help me. I dont have a lot of money to put into this pool. I am 70 years old and single, so my funds are limited, but i want to fix the pool for grandchildren and greats. Please give me advice. Thank you,Donna

    • Hi Donna, you can patch plaster successfully, not a problem. We sell a plaster mix called EZ Patch 1, very inexpensive, and easy to apply, just add water and smooth it on, and it will be permanent repair. The small cracks overall may not be a problem, other than the appearance, small cracks often do not leak water. Small cracks can also be cut-open a bit or widened, and filled with plaster patch mix, or with an epoxy putty or with a caulking. The best looking option would be to replaster the pool, which can cost $3-4,000, and would fill-in the small cracks, divots and other surface irregularities. Painting will also fill small cracks and create a smooth surface, stain-free. Rubber paint has a short lifespan, and would need to be repainted nearly every year. Epoxy pool paint is the longest lasting, 5-7 years, until it wears thin and looks bad. Acrylic paint is in-between and can last 3 seasons, and also is easiest to work with, because it is water based and can be applied to a damp surface, where rubber/epoxy require several days of drying before painting can begin. Painting a pool is much cheaper than plastering, you can paint a 10K gal pool for under $500 in materials, and it is very DIY friendly, no special tools or knowledge required. Plastering on the other hand, is not DIY friendly, except for small patching, but to do an entire pool is not something I recommend.

  23. Hello Davy,

    I have a plaster pool that has plaster pieces chipping away in a bunch of little spots and then also the stairs have become pretty rough/porous.

    I’m thinking I’m going to DIY with pool epoxy paint and have read up on your Super Poxy product.

    My question is, should I power wash the plaster to chip away any other loose plaster and then fill in the areas that the plaster has chipped away with a “pool patch” before going through the painting process? Or other suggestion?

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!!

    • Hi Keith, very definitely yes. You want to get rid of anything that is not bonded, or delaminated. Pressure washing is a good way to do that, and also when pressure washing, if you listen carefully, you can hear hollow spots, as you pass over. Hopefully you won’t find much of that, and if you found large areas that sound hollow, maybe don’t chip it up, or maybe plaster instead of paint. Hopefully you find just some small areas around the existing areas. Yes, remove all loose material, and then patch with a plaster mix EZ Patch #1. Cover with wet burlap for a week, then dry for 7 more days uncovered, before prepping the pool (acid wash, TSP wash), drying and painting. It will delay the project by a few weeks, but the result will be better. Be sure to open up hydrostats in the pool floor. For rough/pitted areas, you can sand/grind with orbital disks/stones to smooth these areas out before cleaning and painting.

  24. Jay H Click

    I have a fiberglass swimming pool that has been empty for 2 years. The walls have bubbled out in areas and the Floor also. What kind of paint should I use to repaint the pool is the pressure of the water will push these bubbles back in. Thank you.

    • Hi Jay, the bubbles are caused from gas underneath the layers, likely expanding in the heat of the direct sun, directly on the surface. The weight of the water won’t push them back down, you can feel they are fairly solid, and worst case, some floor bubbles could crack or fracture under the water weight, which can be repaired if needed, but not without draining the pool again. Since you don’t want to repaint again soon, use Epoxy pool paint, or our Super Poxy product. To prep a fiberglass pool, do the usual acid wash – tsp wash – acid wash, designed to remove both scale and grease (very important for paint bond), empty the waste water and when dry, begin sanding the surface with a power sander / belt sander, with a light grit, over the entire surface; walls, steps, floor. Clean-up any debris or sanding grit. For best results, use our Epoxy Primer product as a first coat, then Super Poxy as a second coat. Check the weather before painting, to give several days of warm dry-time, before any rain.

  25. Hi Davy,
    We are in a 70”s rental and have a tired, big concrete painted pool in the yard. The paint seems to be bubbling and peeling off in places. Do you know if there are any long term health risks in letting the kids swim in this for a couple of years til we finish building our own home? Not our home so not keen on repainting etc. Thanks

    • Hi Maria, no I don’t think so – it’s certainly not lead paint. Paint itself is not non-toxic, but as long as they are not eating the paint chips, which they are likely not, but you know kids – you may have to remind them… It should be safe for swimming, even with the paint peeling and blistering. You could ask the landlord to fix the issue, or ask for a rent reduction! 🙂

  26. Should the surface of my epoxy painted pool be smooth or are drips and bumps sticking out 1/4 to 1/2 inch normal?

    • Hi Barbara, it should be smooth, in my opinion. I’ve painted a lot of pools, and drips will occur while painting, but can be touched up before moving on. Drips and bumps of paint could cause problems, as they are easy targets for peeling up, if hit by pool cleaners, brushes, nets, etc. Sounds to me like the painter was in a hurry to finish…

  27. Thanks tons Dave. I had asked around and was told different things but you are “spot on” about the spots. I snorkled into the deep with a brillo pad and did a sample scrub on one the spots. It was indeed a calcium type build-up that scrubbed out with a little elbow grease with no discoloration to the Tahoe blue plaster. It will take some more effort to rid all the build-up but PROBLEM SOLVED and now won’t have to hire a contractor to re-do the area. I appreciate your help & expertise. Happy summer.

  28. Hi Dave. I bought a 50 year old duplex with a pool on one just side..a true find as am told they are not too common. My first project was to hire a contractor to sand blast and re-plaster the pool, retile, and repaint the coping. They did a great job and I choose Tahoe Blue colored plaster. After 3 years I foolishly added muriatic acid without diluting or brushing and sure enough the deep end now has white splotchy acid stains. Question: Can a pool contractor drain the pool and just re-color the stained area or would the whole pool need replastering? The rest of the pool still looks great. Thanks.

    • Hi Ken, well that shouldn’t happen from muriatic acid, white blotchy stains? sounds like scale formation, or some type of calcium deposit, which could have been precipitated (out of solution). If you have colored plaster, the color is through and through, not just on the surface. So the probably solution, ironically, is to use acid to remove the deposit on top of your plaster, to remove the white deposit, and restore the blue color beneath. You can drain and acid wash the [entire] pool, or try a product called a Stain Master, to deliver acid underwater to the area. You can also test the acid idea by using a long PVC pipe or plastic tube, held against the floor tightly, while muriatic acid is poured into the tube.

  29. Is it possible to have only one hydro static release valve in my pool? I did not see any other. I suppose the one is in the drain at bottom?
    Thanks,

    • Hi Ray, that is possible just one in the drain pot, or maybe others were plastered over completely, so the plastic is no longer visible

  30. Lynette A Beiser

    Wellll. I am married to one of those, “I can do it myself kind of guys” He is a farmer and very tight with his money when it comes to homes or accessories to homes. Of course, it’s perfectly fine to spend $300K on a combine that sits in a barn for 9 months out of the year. So he built me this concrete pool 4″ thick walls x 20 x 40. half of pool is 36″ and other half is about 7 ft. I have to paint this mf every single year. First i have to empty all the water, then pressure wash residue, then scrap any bubbling areas, then grinder and fether those areas down, then pressure wash again and empty again. I am a fit 62 year old but this is getting ridiculous. That’s where farmers don’t know everything. We bought the sider pro stuff but they used a spray gun to apply and not a trowl or a roller. I told them but of course my husband and son know everything it ended up a mess so we hired guys to grind it all off. From then on I have the job to prepare and I mean patch it myself and then paint every single year. Like i said Im 62 but probably fit as much as a 38 year old. There are divets in the concrete which I would love to be smoother. I use a chlorinated rubber based paint on the pool every year. Used to use epoxy 2 part but found it was soooo expensive and sooo messy. Still had to paint the faded pool every year. BTW. We had tile on the top but living in Ohio, it all poppped off, so I stencil it. Help me please.

    • Hi Lynette, sounds like there is a lot of movement in the walls. Could be from being only 4″ thick, perhaps why tile didn’t stay stuck. Could have the walls tiled down to the floor, might have better luck. The pool could be plastered by a plastering company, but that could be $4000 or so. Divots can be filled with plaster mix, or any concrete, but the underlying surface must be very clean and rough. I hope at least you get to swim in this pool!

  31. Igor Kliakhandler

    Dear Davy, I painted my pool about 5 years ago.
    I see small paint bubbles in a number of places – as if paint is not in full adhesion with plaster in those spots. I am thinking about repainting. I guess – I better take off those spots without good adhesion, clean surface, etc. Is there anything specific I should or should not do ? With thanks in advance for your time and expert knowledge.

    • Hello, yes, scrape off those spots, and sand down the edges. Try to find all bubbles, and scrape off any loose areas. A good pressure washer can help. Then do the normal prep process, TSP wash (to remove oils), Acid Wash (to remove scales), TSP wash again, (to neutralize acid), allow to dry for 3-5 days. Then paint again. 5-years is a good run 🙂

  32. Dave Paprocki

    Hi Davy – this post is SO helpful, so thank you for all the great insight. I have a kidney bean shaped pool with a concrete bottom and fiberglass walls. My brother in law is a professional painter and has painted pools before, but never done the entire drain/acid wash/paint process. My pool is generally (knock on wood) in great shape and I have it 1/2 drained and then stumbled upon some horror stories regarding draining your pool, etc and leaving it empty, etc. I was going to work on prepping it for paint this Saturday but stopped with the water 1/2 way filled in the pool until I could find some sound advice. If I drain the pool the rest of the way, open the bottom valve and begin prepping and cleaning the pool, do I run a major risk of the walls collapsing and the pool rising up? I’m in Ohio if that affects your input. Most of everything we feel confident/comfortable doing, it’s just those few stories out there. What are your thoughts? We’ll be using Epoxy paint.

    Thanks so much!

    • Hi Dave, very little risk actually. it usually only happens when pools are empty and 100-year flood events occur, in very low areas, topographically, with high water table. The water has to have no where else to go also, so very rare. Go ahead and drain it, and open up one or two of the hydrostatic relief caps. Should be A-OK!

  33. Karen OConnor

    Hi, I have an older kidney shaped diving pool that’s around 40 x 24; about half the pool is too deep to stand in. Is there a good way to figure the square footage for a painting quote? I was quoted $1600 for painting or $7000 for replastering, and just wanted to confirm those are good prices. Thank you!

    • Hi Karen, those prices sound about right… actually, maybe the painting might be a tad low, and the plaster might be a tad high, but it varies by region and season and company, etc. To figure square footage of wall and floor of a pool, you add the floor measurement 40×24=960 SF, to the wall measurement, which will be estimated, but if your pool is 3.5 ft shallow and 7.5 deep, the average is 5.5 ft, so 5.5×128 = 704 SF, total 1664 SF

  34. Hello,
    If you paint a pool with acrylic pool paint, could you then apply a chlorine-resistant concrete sealer to extend its life? Thank you.

    • HI – interesting question. I am not sure, but I think that sealers can be used over painted surfaces, like a pool deck or pool. I would check with a paint manufacturer however for recommendations. We do have a concrete deck sealer product, but I don’t think it’s meant to be used underwater, and I don’t know if it is meant to be used over painted concrete…

  35. I live in Phoenix AZ. My pool surface is like Swiss cheese. My equipment is very old too, could be 30 years old. Haven’t replaced sand in a long time. Pool gets green in August or September, and we drain it then. It is a diving pool and someone told me that the pump is actually too small for it. I have been told that my bad plaster might be keeping me from balancing the chemistry. Here is my question, do I need to replace the plaster to keep a clean pool, or if I just replaced the equipment would the pool water stay clear?

    • Hi Michael, I would focus on the equipment before the surface. a rough and pockmarked surfaces does harbor dirt and makes it (slightly) easier for algae to gain a foothold, but… Your pump could be too small for the pool, but more importantly is the filter too small? A ‘Diving pool’ may have 30,000 gallons of water or more, and needs a big filter, and good water balance and constant and consistent chlorine levels… to stay clear. If it was me, I would put on a large cartridge filter like the Hayward C420 or C520 filter, or a Hayward C6020 60SF DE filter, with a push-pull filter valve, and a variable speed pump! And all new 2″ plumbing above ground, with new valves. Also plan to redo the electrical on the pad also, timeclock, conduit and wiring for the pump. The surface plaster is more aesthetic than anything else, and smooth does feel nicer than rough, especially if the pool is used a lot – can give you a case of ‘pool toe’. 😉 good luck!

  36. Ian Tate

    Hi Dave, I’m guessing the pool is 30-40yrs old. When I bought the house the paint was already flaking and bubbling. I power washed the entire thing (which is 18×32 deep end 10ft shallow is 4) and under the old paint it seems to be in bad shape. I had to fill the pool back up with water and it sat over the winter and now spring is almost here again. I’m about to drain again to do another light power wash, fix cracks, and repair some smaller chunks that were blown out from the pressure washer. I’ll then prep and paint, at least that’s the plan. Can I paint over a part that seems like there isn’t even plaster left on the wall? There’s a few cracks I will be dovetailing with grinder and then using hydro cement. Should I not worry about the hairline cracks b/c the paint will fill them in? Also, should I even risk acid washing and just do the tsp rinse? I’m afraid the acid will do further damage to some areas on the walls that were exposed after the pressure washing…idk exactly what it should even look like but some spots look worn away but I’m thinking a good thick paint will cover that up…? What prep should I do before and/or after using the hydrostatic cement? Lastly, I’m afraid of having the pool empty for any amount of time due to risk of it “popping”. Thanks

    • Hi, lots of questions! That’s good – let’s go… you can paint over parts that have no plaster, yes. No worries about hairline cracks, yes, no extra prep needed. Yes do the acid wash, important to remove scale deposits and roughen the surface, no worries about further damage. The pool will need to sit empty for a few weeks, to let the concrete fully cure. Wait until a week or so after crack repair, to do the TSP/ACid prep process, and be sure to have 3-5 days of good drying before painting. Just be sure to open up a few of the floor caps, the hydrostatic caps. Chip out the plaster and use straight pliers to unthread out of the pool floor. Replace with new SP1022B, if they get mangled when removing. We have a product called epoxy patch, and we have plaster patch (EZ Patch #1) that can be used to fix the larger divots or pop-off areas. Also done first, to allow cure time.

  37. Andre Boydens

    Hi Dave,Thank you for sharing your expertise, we bought this home 3 years ago it had 2 rust spots in the shallow end of a diving pool from I suppose the rebar and now has 5 spots all in one area, we want to Epoxy Paint the Pool, how should I go about Repairing those spots? And what time of year and Temp is best to Epoxy Paint.

    • Hi Andre, if the rusty spots are coming from the inside out, and you are sure they are rust (if you remove with acid poured into a tube, and it comes back, it’s rust). So if rust, it is either a crack that has allowed water to contact re-bar, or it can be tie-wires for the re-bars, twisted, but not knocked down before gunite and plaster. In either case, you will want to remove the rusted steel from the pool, to correct the problem. That is not so easy on a concrete pool, but can be done with a 7″ concrete saw, and a small jackhammer. Cut right thru the rebar, epoxy seal the cut, then pack full of hydraulic cement, and after that cures for a few weeks, top with a pool plaster mix, and after that cures in a few more weeks, top with a coat of pain. Best time of year to paint is temps 50-80, no rain in forecast, low winds, sunny and dry is best

  38. I think the durability of pool plaster makes it the winner, hands down. It’s definitely worth investing in the initial cost of application if it lasts so much longer than paint. Thanks for the info!

  39. Hi Davy,
    I’m about to build my own pool using breeze/cinder/cement blocks. I intend to then layer/render a cement layer to cover the block lines and curve the corners, then paint. The epoxy paint I have looked at says it is OK with going onto cement. Do you see a problem with this method? Would you recommend a different method?

    Many thanks

    Duncan

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Duncan, yes this could be a reasonable building method, I’ve seen it done many times. I would build the walls on top of a solid poured concrete floor and footers, built with steel rebar, running perpendicular, on 12-15″ centers. Also important is to overexcavate, and put in drainage to carry water away from the pool. You can also pour a concrete ‘collar’ around the outside of the pool, for more support, backfill and tamp very well, using stratified layers. For the curved corners, use steel mesh, for forming and strength. All of these suggestions are to prevent cracking and to provide permanence to the pool. Epoxy paint would be a fine finish. You may want to use a plaster mix as your final coat on the pool, which is white marble dust and white Portland cement. Also consider a tile line around the top of the wall, to prevent staining from waterline scum.

  40. Kim Martin

    I live in Fl we had our pool resurfaced with plaster we are on 3rd year and the plaster has lift all over like3-4 inch spots when I had the pool company come out they told me my PH was off and that is why the finish has broken down this is the whole pool HELP don’t know what to do any suggestions thanks for your time

    • Hi Kim – sounds like what we call ‘delamination’ or ‘pop-offs’ – which are most likely attributed to poor prep practices – dirty/oily/scaly surfaces. Did they use a ‘scratch coat’, or a pre-applied rough texture layer before plastering? If not, did they acid etch the pool surface heavily with straight acid? If not, did they score or scarify the surface to produce a rough and CLEAN surface for which to bond to? Poor pool pH care can lead to very tiny etching effects, an erosion of soft ‘cream’ of plaster, but that could also be somewhat attributed to the mix and application practices. If the new plaster coat is coming up in layers (which should be 1/4″ thick at least), in my book – that is the responsibility of the plastering company – however, after 3-years, their warranty may not cover? You could sue them, in small claims court, and they would have to show themselves to be not at fault. Good luck.

  41. Hi Dave. I hope you can help me. I have a 20ish year old pool that I painted 3 years ago with an epoxy paint. It is already looking bad. I would like to paint again with a paint but want to swirl or get a sponge paint look. Is this possible? Also, do I have to use an epoxy paint again? I thought the epoxy paint would last longer but since it hasn’t, I’m good with repainting every couple years.

    • Hi Norma, yes you can swirl or sponge paint, or scatter paint – tons of fun options. Anything you can do to a wall you can do to the pool, with a more limited color selection. I would stick with epoxy though, otherwise you will need to get every speck of epoxy off, before painting with rubber or acrylic. And, this time maybe you can get the surfaces completely free of oils and scale, and applied with perfect temp and humidity, and dried long enough before filling with warm days, and it will last longer than 3 years 😉 When everything comes together, you can get 7 or 8 years from a thick coat of epoxy, but I suppose the average is probably more like 5.5 yrs, or something less than optimum.

  42. christopher

    Hi Dave, We have a old plaster pool with lot’s of plaster chipped. It is an old pool so it is hard to identify old paint or if the plaster was just colered.
    The budget is to drain, patch and paint. So many products and processes out their that it is confusing to settle on one. Can you shed some light on what what clearing process you recommend, what patch product we should be using, should we use a grind on all the plaster (say 24 count) only or should we use acid to etch (and if so when do you recommend etching before or after the fixing of plaster) and most importantly what paint do you recommend for a budget job. We follow you and decided you are the first person to ask.

    • Hi Christopher, A very rough finish, pitted with some large divots perhaps. The TSP, acid wash, TSP wash (again) process should be done first, before any patching. Pressure washing also a good idea, before and after the TSP/ACID/TSP. The TSP removes grease and oil, and the acid removes scale, (not so much to ‘etch’ the surface), and both steps are important. For small pits and pock marks of 1/8″ or so, the primer and paint will fill in mostly. For deeper divots, cracks and other larger problems, I like to use Epoxy Patch for cracks, and pool plaster mix for deep divots or delaminations (previous plaster coat coming up). For shallow rough patches, it would be best to grind them down smooth (with a light touch), using a 7″ or 9″ grinder with a concrete disk, which can be rented for a day. With some practice and experience with the grinder (practice on the sidewalk first, to level misaligned slabs), one can smooth pitted areas, such as steps and around drains, very effectively, but be careful to not goof-up and dig a deep groove by accident. The best paint would be to apply one coat of Epoxy Primer, followed by Poxy Shield epoxy pool paint. This can give you 7-8 years of use. You can save some money by using two coats of rubber based paint, but then the lifespan is only 2-3 years. Coverage is greater with rubber paint too, so rubber can altogether be nearly 50% less than painting with epoxy, up to you, but I prefer Epoxy pool paint.

  43. Hi Davy- I’m a pool virgin and just bought a house in Florida with a pool. I haven’t moved yet (still in CT) and hired a pool company to do all the cleaning, chemicals, etc. They called me today very concerned that the pool had been painted by the previous owner. From reading this blog, it sounds like that’s not a big deal and is pretty common. Is there anything I should be concerned about once I move in a couple of weeks? The pool company said the paint will probably last 2-3 years but that there is a little flaking already. What should I be looking for when I get there? The previous owner bought and flipped the house quickly. Thanks.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Sonny, yes common with a house flip – a quick and cheap way to refresh pool appearance, by painting. If it is flaking already, it may need attention next spring – repainting. Be sure to keep well balanced water (Ph, alkalinity, calcium levels), and that will prevent more damage. Paint is fine as a surface, but needs to be redone every 5-7 years for epoxy, and 2-3 years for other pool paints, like rubber and acrylic. The alternative to that ongoing maintenance is to sandblast the paint off, and replaster the pool, which can cost $5K – whereas repainting can be done for under $1K (DIY), or at least twice that amount for hiring a painter or pool guy do it.

  44. arya zam

    Is it dangerous to swim in the pool if the paint is getting old and starting to get chalky and making the water cloudy when people are swimming?

    • Hi Arya, I don’t think it would be dangerous, it’s not lead paint or anything. Check your alkalinity and pH levels, best to run a bit higher than normal, pH 7.6 and alkalinity 120-140 ppm, which can help reduce or even eliminate the paint chalking.

  45. Do you have any thoughts/insight on sani tred or aquaguard type products that say they prevent cracking due to the waterproof layer? I have a structural crack in our pool that probably needs staples and am worried that once the crack is fixed, another crack will form somewhere else

    • Hi Juan, I’m not aware of any ‘layer’ that can be put on a pool to prevent cracking, just not possible in this world. I’m a fan of stapling any large cracks, and some new staples made of carbon fiber are the best available. Generally with large cracks, the pool settles once and it’s done. If on a hillside with creep however, or in an area of expansive soils, that’s a different story and new cracks may appear, but in most cases not. Hope not. 🙂

  46. Bob Smith

    I have a 50 year old pool that has probably always been painted. The last time I painted it, I probably did not do a proper job of preparing the surface. The paint is now flaking badly. My thinking is that the pool needs to be sandblasted and acid washed. I’m then considering repainting the pool, or possibly going with a marcite finish. Is a painted surface any easier to care for than a plastered surface? The pool has always been prone to water quality problems and seems to turn green in the blink of an eye.

    • Hi Bob, paint is not easier to maintain in terms of water quality. Algae and other water problems are likely more a result of sanitation, filtration and circulation, with not much being attributed to surface issues. Paint may be a little less resistant to certain types of algae, because of the slick surface, but… To replaster, you would need to sandblast/beadblast the pool to remove all paint first. The advantage of paint is that you can DIY it every 5 years for $1000 in materials and your time, but a plaster job will cost 4-5x that much – but, it can also last 4-5x as long, so a little bit of 6 or 1/2 dozen.

  47. Chris Freeman

    Hey Davy! The plaster pool in the house we bought is probably 15-25 years old (not really sure). A few summers ago we weren’t using the pool and we let the water evaporate down, exposing the top step. Being exposed to air for a summer, parts of the plaster began to bubble up and crack and chip away, leaving holes to the rougher cement below. At the time, for a quick repair, I bought a do-it-yourself pool plaster patch kit, mixed it up, and patched up the spots. It obviously doesn’t match and sticks out like a sore thumb.

    I like the idea of draining the pool and painting as you described, but I’m worried that after draining and a week of the bottom of the pool and walls being exposed to air, ill get a lot more of the same bubbling and cracking as I walk on it and while I prep and paint. Should I be concerned? If that does happen, do I just prep and paint over these spots? Or do I have to patch them all up as I go. Suggestions?

    • Hi Chris, no worries about being empty for a week or two, the plaster should retain moisture long enough to not cause a problem. Now, as part of the paint prep, you can possibly find more areas of plaster delamination – hollow spots that can be heard when water is sprayed over the area, or by dragging a chain around the floor, or by tapping with a broom handle. If you find hollow spots, it may be advisable to chip out and patch them first, allowing them a few days to dry before painting over.

  48. Travis Kinard

    Who would I call to paint it?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Travis, any painter could paint a pool, but so could any handyman, just following the label instructions on the can, (or reading some of our pool painting blog posts!). Pool companies – service companies, also paint pools. It’s not overly complicated or difficult, but the prep, drying and painting process must be followed closely – for best results!

  49. Cathy Pool

    Hi Dave, I have a 10 yr old round pool, 27 ft in diameter and 4 ft deep. The plaster is pitted and black stuff grows in it inspite of testing the water and adding the chemicals has recommended on the labels. My question is, it is possible to drain the pool and Paint over the plaster, rather than replaster it. I was quoted $7700 to replaster it and I and cannot afford that. Thanks for your advice.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Cathy, that’s a high price, they are mighty proud of their plaster, must be the only game in town? Should be $3-4K, in my mind, but I’m not a plasterer… Anyway, yes you can paint over plaster. Pits and crevices will fill in somewhat, and make a hard ceramic like surface that is hard for algae and grit to grow in. Rough surfaces require a primer, and sometimes two coats, before the epoxy pool paint is used. If you have black algae, prep should include a chlorine wash and pressure wash, and a TSP wash, followed by an acid wash and another TSP wash. Then let the pool dry out for a solid week before painting. Wouldn’t want any black algae to poke thru the new paint (not sure if it could/would, but…). You could paint your pool with less than $1000 in paint and materials. Only problem is, with paint, it won’t last so long as plaster, and will need to be redone every 5-7 years. Repainting a pool is less expensive and less work than the initial first time job, however.

  50. Dustin Mccormick

    have a ignite pool that has been plastered a few times. It’s pretty old (40 plus). I think it was abandoned for some time and there is a lot of scaling (1/8 think buds or spikes). I’ve never owned a pool…
    I drained it and started scraping the scale off but am wondering if I can just paint over it.
    Average days here are 50-60 degrees. The pool is indoors (a pole shed).

    Can just treat it and paint or do I need to remove the scaling?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Dustin, if you paint it, you also need to remove the scale, as part of pool painting prep processes. Scale makes a poor base for paint. Continue scraping, if it’s real bad, an orbital sander or belt sander can be used, pressure washers can help remove some scale. Acid washing as a final step too, to roughen the surface, or to improve appearance if you do not paint.

  51. I don’t see any comments or a section on resurfacing with plaster vs fiberglass…have you blogged on that ?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi! I love it when someone suggests a blog idea ~ thank you! No we haven’t blogged on that, but we do have some firsthand experience with one of our bloggers having his fiberglass walls/concrete floor pool resurfaced completely in fiberglass, walls and floor, with a gelcoat finish. Well, he got a few good years out of it until it began to crack and come up in spots, which he is now patching with pool putty, poor guy. In defense of fiberglass pool resurfacers, his pool is subject to some movement or expansive soils or something out of the ordinary, but it did not go well. In some regions of the country, ‘fiberglassing’ a pool is a common option, especially in Florida, but in other regions of the US it is not very common. My personal feeling on it is that if you have a solid surface, and an experienced applicator with long community track record, it would likely be a good result. Will have to do some more research on the topic, but it sounds like a good future blog post idea, so thanks!

  52. I hope to be doing some re-tile work before before painting. As a DIYer, this may take a little time. Should there be any concern about the integrity of the pool once it has been drained and has no water pressure pushing out against the walls. I’ve heard that it’s possible for the pressure of the ground / water table to either push in on the walls or even lift the pool a little if its empty long enough.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi John – great question – and yes, a valid concern, without the weight of the water, a pool with a LOT of hydrostatic pressure underneath, from a high water table, could lift or ‘pop’ out of the ground! Not much concern with wall problems however. Popped pools are very rare, but it can happen. To prevent the problem, open the hydrostatic relief caps in the floor of the pool and in the main drain. No need usually to open them all (most pools have 3-5), but 2-3 is sufficient. When the caps are removed water pressure is relieved, as water will flow into the pool. But in most cases, no water will flow into the pool.

  53. Lisa Benton

    Hi, I have learned quite a bit from your blogs, but I’m not seeing anything that addresses my particular type of pool. There are no disclosures when I bought grpm HUD two years ago. And the two pool companies I had come out were intetestesd in selling monthly service, not educating owners. So I am guessing at the materials, but believe the walls of my pool are fiberglass panels and the bottom is concrete. Both the fiberglass and concrete are a very light blue, almost white. The bottom has a couple of stains and quite a bit of discoloration with large areas of white, gray and some green which looks like algae, but no amount of scrubbing will remove. I have not found any cracks or chips in the concrete, but the surface is a bit rough and hard on bare feet. The fiberglass panels have a raised bubble pattern in the body and a raised tile pattern around the top. The panels are dull and have a lot of hairline cracks or crazing. I am looking for the most economical method to improve the look and feel of my pool that will have at least 5 year longevity. I found epoxy coatings that fit my needs, but it almost seems too simple a solution for my mix of materials and issues. Am I on the right track?.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Lisa, Epoxy pool paint is a good solution for improving the appearance and smoothness of the pool. The only other option is to put a new gelcoat over the fiberglass walls, and on the floor too, which may not always bond correctly and long term, especially on the cement/plaster floor. The most expensive option is to regelcoat the walls and replaster the floor – could be $4-6K depending on size…? I like the paint option. YOu can DIY it for under $1000, and it will look great and last for 5 years, perhaps longer. To prep a fiberglass pool for paint drain and TSP scrub it well, and afterwards, sand the fiberglass walls and steps with a light grit sandpaper to scratch up the surface a bit. Be sure the surface is very dry before painting.

  54. Michael McLaughlin

    I have an old glass tile pool, the tiles are all falling off, I wanted to switch to paint or plaster. If I remove all the tile and thinset, grind the gunite and smooth it, can I then use the paint on the gunite, or does it have to have a layer of plaster to adhere to? I just want to know what options I have as I can’t really afford to get it plastered.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Michael, pity about the tiles, I’ll bet it was quite nice at one point. But to your question – yes, you can paint over gunite. Gunite is not technically waterproof, although functionally it is waterproof, but a layer is needed to protect the steel in the shell, and prevent leaking as well thru a fissure. You may have a layer of plaster under the tile anyway, or maybe not. A rough surface will use more paint than smooth, so if you grind as you say, less paint will be needed, and the finish will have a nicer feel. After grinding, you can step the TSP step if there is no work delays, as the surface is likely not greasy or dirty any longer, but I would do the acid etching step, followed by heavy rinsing, and a final pressure washing to remove any loose material. Patch any holes or divots or cracks with Pool Patch. After drying for 3-5 warm dry days, tape off areas not to be painted, and roll-on the Gunite Primer paint, and then a good Epoxy pool paint, two coats. After drying for another 3-5 days, fill the pool, start the filter and balance water chemistry. Our epoxy pool paint can last up to 8 yrs, but if you have no plaster coat underneath, I would plan on recoating every 5 years, to maintain a hard and thick finish.

  55. I have decided to take on a big task myself with my pool, but i need to pick some brains. I have 6 x 6 tiles and another 2″ piece of tile above that. I decided I needed new tile, so I have began the process of chipping all the old tile away. Occasionally while chipping, tiny pieces of the plaster will come off too. I have checked my plaster and nothing sounds loose, so that isn’t the issue. I need to know how to stick the new tiles on, because they are partially underwater, and what to use to smooth the plaster right below the tiles that I accidently chipped. Also, I have many divots on the steps that I would like to smooth out, but I am concerned that if I just do the top of the steps, it may flake up later. Is that going to be an issue?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Debbie, the first step on pool tile repair, or pool tile replacement is usually to make a cut on the top and bottom, using a 4″ rotary grinder with a diamond blade. This avoids any (most) chipping below and above the tile, and also creates a ledge to set the new tile onto. Nonetheless, to proceed from here, chip away any loose material on the tile bed area with a chisel, or the wall where the tile will go. You need some sort of small ledge of 1/8″ to 1/4″ on the bottom, to hold the tile, so you may need to cut or chisel in some areas. Next is to fill in the divots or low spots in the tile bed area, to make a very flat and even bed to place the tile on. First clean the area well, wash it, scrub it with soap or TSp to degreaser, then acid wash if to roughen, if possible. With a moist surface, apply pool plaster mix to fill in any divots in the tile bed, to replace the cement that came off on the backs of tiles, and allow to harden for a few hours to a few days, drape wet towels over the pool edge to slow drying. Then, apply the new tile with a white thin set mortar that you can get at any home or hardware store, we used to sell EZ patch #5… Mix with water and applied with a raked trowel, a trowel with a thick serrated edge. Apply the mixed thinset mortar directly to the wall area with the raked trowel, (not too dry, not too wet of a mix, between applesauce and peanut butter) to a depth of 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick, and then push on the tile pieces firmly with your hands and a small rubber mallet if needed. Move around the pool doing 1-2 ft areas at a time – apply thinset, press tiles, then make any fine adjustments for spacing. If any pieces fall off, scrape off the thinset and apply again, Duct tape can be used to hold a few pieces where there is no ledge. After a day or two of curing, apply tile grout, to fill in the areas between the tile. You can use pool plaster, or EZ Patch #1 effectively, and use it above, below and between the tiles. You can also use EZ Patch 4 tile grout. Then fill the pool immediately, brush away any droppings on the pool floor, and wipe off the haze from the tile after a few hours of grout dry time.

  56. Christopher Sheehan

    I think you do a great job answering questions!! I have a old plaster pool with many wide (but not deep) plaster chips all about the size of a normal paper plate. Currently, I am considering epoxy painting. My question is about patching the large chips.Should I plaster and if so what product and process. If no then is there any new or special prep work for these areas or is it the same for the entire pool?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Christopher, you could just paint over them, since it’s also plaster, just the previous layer of plaster. We call these areas ‘delaminations’ or ‘pop-offs’, and they are places where the new plaster did not bond well to the old plaster, due to sloppy replaster prep practices, or mix and application problems, or curing problems. And since you have some, you probably have more. And some of the area around the existing pop-offs may also be delaminated, and could pop off after painting, which you want to avoid of course. If you pressure wash the pool with a 2 500 psi machine, you can likely break loose any other hollow spots, and will be able to hear hollow spots when you pass over with water. Another method is to drag a pole or chain around the floor to listen for hollow spots. So, to answer your question, the prep would be the same, but put effort into locating additional spots before prepping for paint. If you want to fill them, it’s not hard, just mix water, bonding additive (like Acryl 60) and Pool Plaster mix, like our EZ Patch 1 product, to a creamy consistency and spread it with a trowel. Then, since you are not refilling it right away with water, you would want to cover the areas with wet burlap, kept wet for several weeks, to allow the plaster to cure without shrinking and cracking, also need some good temps, 45-85 degrees, to get a good setup. So you couldn’t just patch with plaster and then paint, the plaster will need to cure for 1-3 weeks, depending on temperatures.

  57. is it possible to not use plaster but to mix a portland cement and a sand mixture to stucco the concrete in the pool. I am building one in Nicaragua and it is pretty expensive to use plaster.
    thoughts. I was thinking of the cement sand mix and paint that.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Matt, a cement/sand mix is often used beneath vinyl liner pools. It can be very strong, but doesn’t have the same waterproofing properties as a pozzolon modified plaster. But even basic plaster is just white portland cement and marble dust, which is a form of silica, so not so far from grey portland cement and (fine) sand. I suppose you could do it, and if you plan to paint anyway, it doesn’t matter the color or aggregate used I suppose.

  58. Is there a difference in the terminology of ‘gunnite’ and plaster? Based on the fact that my pool has been painted in the past, I am going to opt to paint again. The painting part seems simple enough, but the prep work seems a little daunting. Can you give more specific instructions and tips/cure times on TSP, Acid Etch, and then another round of TSP? Also, what should I look for in terms of doing some plaster patch? If I am down to the concrete in certain areas, can I just paint over that, or should I lay down some plaster? Thanks-

    • Davy Merino

      HI Scott, most concrete pools are formed with a shell of Gunite, or Shotcrete, same thing. The waterproof coating on the top is called plaster or whitecoat, or marcite, all same thing. So a plaster and gunite pool is also… same thing. To prep a plaster pool, start with mixing 1 lb of TSP into 4-5 gallons of hot water, pour onto the walls using a flower watering can, and scrub well, especially around water line areas. Pour onto the floor and also scrub. Do it well on steps and around the drain and shallow floor. TSP is a degreaser, and that’s the goal, to remove oils and greasy deposits. Hose it all clean, very well, and pump out all water (Tip: always start around the main drain first, because it quickly fills with water). Then mix a 50:50 acid/water mix (always add acid to water, not water to acid), in your flower watering can, and after pouring the drain area, lightly scrubbing then rinsing heavily, pour the steps, scrub and rinse heavily, pour the walls, scrub lightly and hose heavily, then the floor. Do sections at a time, as much as you can do in one minute. Rinse before 60 seconds is up, to not overburn the plaster. After acid washing everything, rinse again well, and pump out all waste water, after neutralizing with 1.5 lbs of pH up for each gallon of acid used. Then, to neutralize acid and make sure all grease is gone, including new grease just blown in, or tracked in, TSP wash the pool again, rinse well, and pump dry. You can do each step back to back, no dry time in between. Then let the pool sit dry for 3-5 days. If it rains, get down there and pump out any water. Try to keep the pool clean and dry. Then after checking the weather for 3-5 clear days ahead, paint the pool, 2 coats, in the morning while it’s cool. Use masking tape to tape off the tile line and anything else you don’t want painted 😉 – You can patch the plaster first, but it should be cured for at least a week, underwater, if not 30 days, so there is no trapped moisture there.

    • Thanks! Just to confirm, if I do plaster repair, cure it underwater for 1-4 weeks before moving forward with cleaning and painting? Bad idea just to paint over thinner areas where just cement might be exposed?

      • Davy Merino

        Hi Scott, not a bad idea to paint over thin areas, the paint will smooth over any rough spots, and become a waterproof coating, to protect the (not necessarily waterproof) gunite shell. Actually, it may be better not to patch the plaster, because, if the patch doesn’t stick hard and fast, it may pop-off in the future. Plaster should be at least 3/8″ thick to stick well. Now I’m thinking, if the areas we are speaking of are thin and small, maybe it’s better just to paint over them. If they are deep and wide, and trap dirt and algae, or look awful, then patching could be done. either way…

    • So my guy wants to use Poxolon 2, but says first coat would be the ‘primer’ coat’. In other words, not using any other product as a base or prime layer. Any thoughts on that or that product? He also mentioned ‘Aquabrite’, which is 3 times the cost, but is supposedly more durable. Similar to plaster in that they will have to remove all the old paint before application. Any experience with it?

      • Davy Merino

        Hi Scott, Poxolon 2 is a good quality paint, but Olympic recommends “using the same type coating to recoat a previously finished pool. This assures the best possible adhesion between old and new. ” He may have some prep secret that will ensure a good bond, but I don’t know of one. I think I would ask for a guarantee against any ‘bond failure’ on those areas for 5 years, if I was you. Or sandblast the rest of it, or buy a can of the conversion stuff, and ask him to use it first, before the primer coat. Aquabrite is like a very thin plaster coating. I don’t think it is worth the extra cost in my mind, and for that you definitely would need to sandblast. It’s only like 1/16″ thick, so it’s almost like paint, and subject to delamination or bond failure, just the same.

  59. Doug Schall

    Hi Davy. Thanks for the great information. We are having our pool replastered, and the man doing said it is fine to do it now, at the end of the season (mid-September), as long as we maintain the pH and brush the pool for two weeks, then close it properly. In the meantime, somebody working at a pool store said this is the absolute worst time to replaster, and we would have etching when we open it in the spring. So now I’m wondering, should we hold off until spring? The pool is already empty, so we’ll need to refill it either way, but I still have time to delay this until spring if that will be much better. Thanks for your help!

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, I think I would also wait, unless given a discount incentive to do it now, and some guarantees that certain problems like etching, or more specifically scaling will not result. New plaster always has a rising pH for about 4-6 months. If it was closed just a month after plaster, and the pH is not monitored thru the winter, it could become very high, which could cause minerals to drop out of solution and scale on the surface, in crystals, esp. if calcium hardness levels were high or if the plaster was still shedding ‘dust’. Your plasterer may do an acid start procedure, or do winter checks, or have some other method to maintain proper pH during winter, and if so – then it would be ok to do it now, perhaps even preferable to leaving unplastered gunite filled all winter. But if he says ‘naah, don’t worry about all that stuff, it’ll be fine!’ – run for the hills! 🙂

  60. Jacques Imbeau

    You forgot to mention one advantage of paint…. the ability to change the color of the pool at a reasonable cost as a DIY job….

    That is one more point for PAINT making it the winner over plaster.

  61. hi Davy:

    I am using a cold water power washer to clean my empty pool. I bought TSP before I realized it cannot be used w/the power washer I bought. Can you recommend a cleaning agent that will not hurt the PW or my sump pump?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Tom, I think Simple Green might be a good choice.

  62. I found after emptying my pool that there is about a 4 by 2-inch hole about one 16th inch deep where the plaster is missing. I got a pool plaster repair kit and also some epoxy. Which is the best to use?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Tom, that sounds like a plaster delamination, or ‘pop-off’, Clean the area well to remove grease and oil, then acid wash the surface, and then rinse very well. then mix the plaster mix and cover it smooth. Place some wet burlap over it for curing, unless you can fill the pool quickly again. Test around the delam area, by tapping, more may be hollow – and the pop off may be larger than it currently is. Best to remove all loose material, even if your patch ends up being 3x the size.

  63. I need help! I just had my 12x 24 inground pool supposedly destained by a pool company! They used muriatic acid and power washed the entire pool, yes, they did empty it first. It was supposed to make it look ” like new” again, NOT! The surface of the pool is quartz, would I still be able to have it painted over that? Also, do I need to have it acid washed again or just use TSP as recommended and then paint? There are no defects but it looks ugly which brings me to the reason I would like it done. Can you help me, what would an approximate cost be and are there any recommendations?

    • Hi Kathy, An acid wash is supposed to remove a thin layer of the plaster coating, exposing fresh, unstained plaster beneath the surface. Just 1-2 mm of plaster is usually removed. Now, if they did not do it right, with a weak mix, or lack of process, they may not get the results promised. I wonder what their response would be – maybe they can try again? for Free? Or offer some explanation why the appearance did not improve. An opposite problem can occur if a pool is acid washed much too aggressively, which can etch and roughen the surface, and expose gunite (concrete) beneath the pool plaster. Now for painting, if you wanted to paint, that is not without it’s own set of problems (only lasts 5-7 years at best, and can sometimes fail, if prep, mix, application, drying, weather and other stuff is not planned properly). But, yes it can be painted, and you could skip the acid wash part, which is meant to roughen the surface and remove scaling (assuming they did it correctly). The TSP part of paint prep is to degrease the surface, very important step – use hot water with TSP and scrub every inch of the pool, and then hose completely and thoroughly. Then allow the pool to dry, following paint can instructions, before painting (on a cool morning, 60-80 degrees, with no rain in the forecast).

  64. how do i know if my pool is a plaster or painted pool? it’s made of concrete and has a very thin chipping layer so i assumed painted. i want to paint it and was just thinking of power washing it prior would this work?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Yazad, if you can peel off or chip off paint chips, as opposed to chunks of cementitious plaster – then it’s painted. I suppose it can be hard to tell, but look closely, perhaps under a microscope (if you have one), and it should be evident, if a 1 mm layer of paint is covering the plaster, or bare concrete. Power washing would be a good idea to remove loose paint, but a TSP wash and Acid wash is also needed, to degrease and etch the surfaces, respectively. The paint can labels have good instructions on exact prep and application. Follow those instructions, and with good dry weather, you should be golden (good).

  65. Peggy Coleman

    Does it matter whether you paint a gunite pool at the end of the season rather than the beginning?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Peggy, no it doesn’t matter, but most people do paint in the spring, but end of season may be less stormy, less rain. I’d do it before leaves start to fall, and when daily high temps are 65-80 degrees F. Cool, dry mornings are best. Worst time of year to paint a pool is during very wet periods, or very hot (or very cold) periods.

  66. My pool painted approximately 9 years ago with (epoxy paint)
    Now I would like to renovate my pool with plaster change coping and place tile. The contractor said in order to remove old epoxy paint they need to use wet sand blast. I know this is expensive will cost me almost $3000. Should I go with sand blast or there is another way how to remove old epoxy paint.
    Please advise.
    Thanks Victor.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Victor, that is correct that is the only suitable way to remove the old paint, which must be completely removed before the pool can be replastered. One of the drawbacks of painted pools, is exactly this, if you want to ever revert back to plaster, and stop painting the pool, you will need to sandblast, beadblast, or in some cases a very strong pressure washing, followed by a strong acid washing may do the job.

  67. Peter Casano

    If you epoxy paint a gunnite plaster unpainted pool, is it possible to replaster at a later date.

    • Hi Peter, yes you can replaster a painted pool, but not first without sandblasting the old paint off completely. This can be done, it just costs more, maybe $3000 more than a regular plaster job…

  68. TImothy M Bishop

    What’s the best pool plaster mix? I’ve looked at Diamond Brite and wonder if it’s really any better than other pool plasters?

    • Diamond Brite is made from quartz aggregate and polymer modified cements, it is very strong, but much of the strength and durability has more to do with how good the plasterers are, and how thick they apply the plaster, and the quality of the mix, application temperatures, etc. I’ve seen a few DB jobs that were not done right, and failed, due to poor practices or lack of training. A good crew should do any plaster coat correctly, I don’t mean to scare you. Anyway, I would give Diamond Brite a try – if it was not more than 20% of a regular plaster coat. In many cases, it may not be more than 20% more durable than regular plaster – but in others it could be.

  69. I have a very old pool (fiberglass) and the paint in certain areas is gone.
    Can I powerwash, sand it, apply primer (poolpoxy) and then paint?
    I had 2 pool people come out and they both told me not to acid wash, since it would be detrimental for the fiberglass.
    Don’t know what to do.
    Please help!

    • Hi Alex, the purpose of an acid wash is to roughen the surface (very slightly) and to remove scale deposits. But sanding will accomplish the same thing, so yes sanding is an approximation for acid washing, in paint prep. You still should do a TSP wash or other surface degreaser, after sanding

  70. Ken Potuznik

    If painting, what do you do with the areas of the pool where the plaster has chipped away? Can you replace the tile features that are embedded in the plaster?

    • Hi, for holes, cracks or divots, you can patch with our Epoxy Patch product, or with plaster patch material, before painting (but after drying/curing of the patch). For the embedded tile, I usually tape over the tile strip, and do not try to paint the grout joints between the small tile pieces. If you have patience however, you can tape over the trim tile, and then come back after the pool paint is dry, and with a small artists brush, paint the grout joints between the trim tile.

  71. does my pool need to be smooth before I paint with epoxy paint? (indoor in ground pool 7yreas old)

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Vicky, No worries, Rough surfaces will use more paint for coverage, but it’s not a problem. First time paint jobs also take more paint than recoats, because it soaks in just a bit. Painting a rough surface will also serve to smooth the surfaces, as it fills in some of the pitted areas, and softens edges.

  72. My pool needs painting what is best paint out thier for the job thanks

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, the longest lasting paint is definitely Epoxy pool paint, lifespan up to 7 years. However, if your pool was painted before, it must have been with Epoxy paint. Painting over acrylic or rubber based with epoxy, and it won’t bond properly, chemically speaking, and give you problems. If it has never been painted, no problem, go ahead with epoxy, but if it is a painted pool, find out which type of paint you have rubber, acrylic or epoxy. If you have rubber paint currently, you can use advance conversion paint to convert to epoxy. If Acrylic, like our Aquacoat, then you must use acrylic again, or sand blast it all off – ugh!

  73. Cara Silva

    Hi, we are looking to we surface our pool. We are looking for the best bang for out buck. The company that came out stated that plaster only lasts about 10 years and should go with granite finish, almost twice as much, that will last 20 years. From reading your blog, it seems plaster should be lasting much longer, shouldn’t it? Or is the granite finish the better pick?

    • Granite finish is also plaster, but has added granite aggregate (very small like sand) added to increase durability. However, it is still susceptible to damage from incorrect mix, application or water chemistry. It probably will be more durable, but wont’ necessarily last twice as long. The key to plaster life is good water chemistry (and a good initial plaster mix, and application, and curing, etc). Plaster can last 20 years, sure – but many replace it sooner – for aesthetic reasons, although an acid wash can improve appearance. Plaster is the waterproof coating over the gunite/concrete – it takes decades before it wears thin enough to expose the gunite, and actually NEEDS to be replaced.

  74. Gordon Walton

    This artical was a great hlep. Questuion I use a polaris 3 wheeled pool sweep If i chooes pait will that be a problem?

    • Hi Gordon, that’s a good question. My first reaction is that using any automatic pool cleaner may have an effect on the paint, wearing it thin over time. However, if the cleaner is not overused, and limited to say, 1 hour per day of operation, the effect will probably not be noticeable. I’ve painted many pools with auto cleaners of all types, including pressure Polaris cleaners, and never noticed any undue wear. Proper chemistry will also help, as painted pools with acidic water conditions, (low pH and alkalinity) can begin to “chalk”, and an auto cleaner will only accelerate the issue.

  75. […] Painted pool surfaces are almost ceramic like to the touch, and a lot less expensive than re-plastering the pool. Come to think of it, we did another blog post on just that question ~ Pool Plaster vs. Paint. […]

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