Resurfacing

[jeffs]

My pool is chalking badly an tiles are falling off so i need to belly up and resurface. I know i do not want to paint and have heard a lot about products like marcite and fiberglass. what have you all found to be effective and long-lasting. i want to do it right the first time. pool is about 25-30 years old and is concrete. Thanks

[Guest]

With plaster that old you will have to chip out all the plaster and replaster. Fiberglass is out of the question as it is only as good as the base you put it on. Also from what I've seen fiberglass installers don't do the necessary preparation for a good bond. Your options for resurfacing are plaster, colorquartz, pebble tech. Plaster being the cheapest, then colorquartz, pebble fina (similar to color quartz) pebble tech and pebble sheen which is the gold standard of pool finishes. Just like anything else you get what you pay for. Those are listed in order of price and durability. Chances are your skimmer is going to need a replacement along with your equipment, tile and coping. $$$$$$$$ Good Luck.

[Larry]

I would also consider retiling. Tiles are extremely durable and resist the chemicals used in pool water better than almost any other surface finish. Tiling also cuts down on the area that algae can "lock" onto.

There are many good anti-bacterial grouts available and in the event of wear or discoloration, the grouting can be easily renewed (acid wash followed by grout).

The tiled finish is not a flat color (due to the grouting) and so also shows up less of the dirt in the pool, meaning you won't have to vacuum as frequently.