Mineral Water > Pool Surface

BenCasas · Postby **BenCasas** » Mon 07 Mar, 2011 15:02

Greetings,

I am going to do a renovation but I don't know what type of pool surface to use.
The water that I use to fill the pools is high in sulfur and arson. It is natural spring mineral water.

I have fiberglass now and I'm not convinced.
For the deck I have a rubbery turf which bubbles and decays.

Postby **czechmate** » Wed 09 Mar, 2011 14:28

The only prudent and reasonable way is to call pool builders to your backyard and let them give you ideas and estimates. Here you may get only chatter, some all the way from "down under". Nobody knows your situation better than you and professional will spell out the choices and prices to fit your budget and style.

Postby **czechmate** » Wed 09 Mar, 2011 17:51

I forgot to add, that you most likely meant arsenic, not arson.
I don't think it would be in levels to affect the color of the plaster, besides I believe it is a clear substance.
Happy hunting!

BenCasas · Postby **BenCasas** » Wed 09 Mar, 2011 23:30

I ment arsenic lol. That's what i'm going to have to do. Thank you very much.

DRWilliams · Postby **DRWilliams** » Fri 11 Mar, 2011 14:06

When the locally available water is unsuitable, the two most common recommendations are to have water trucked in or to filter the water on site. In addition to the sulfur and arsenic, spring water would contain high levels of minerals. Normal evaporative losses and the addition of makeup water will concentrate the minerals further. The result will be surface deposits and excessive wear and tear on the equipment.

"Fiberglass" can mean either a manufactured molded shell, or a fiberglass coating over an existing plaster pool. If the latter, it's possible to remove the fiberglass and renovate the plaster surface, but the extent of the job cannot be known until the fiberglass is removed and the underlying structure can be inspected.

"Rubbery turf which bubbles and decays" sounds like a thin elastomeric coating over an existing deck. The same caution applies: you don't know what's underneath until you remove it. Even the best coating will fail if the surface is not properly prepped or moisture infiltrates from under the slab.

If you do replaster, you have a wide spectrum of choices from traditional white plaster (aka marcite) to preblended pool finishes to site-mixed finishes containing colored quartz or pebble. Your choice will depend on your personal preference and local availability.

You have a number of difficult issues to deal with, so the best advice is to find a good local contractor, check their references, look at some of their work, and then listen closely to their advice.

BenCasas · Postby **BenCasas** » Sat 30 Apr, 2011 12:40

Thank you very much!

Postby **czechmate** » Sun 01 May, 2011 07:43

It may be beneficial to visit some local pool tile store, even if it is a wholesale outfit. There is usually display, not only of huge selection of tiles, but samples of finished plaster products which they sell.
Staff is usually very helpfull to a layman and in 15 minutes you gain information that would take you 3 days on the computer.
They will gladly give you some business cards of the contractors, that perform the job you looking for.
Still, make sure that you call or see their references.