Hey all. We have a early to mid 80's plaster over gunite. We had the main drain replaced last year and I noticed some hollow sounding spots in the plaster. I don't have any chips but I do have a few vertical streaks in it. Just curious on the life expectancy of plaster. Ball park cost on a re surface and what the hollow sound was. De- laminating plaster?? We are in southern NH so we close and freeze every winter.
Life expectancy of plaster
- Thread starter Rurak
- Start date
I wish I could find that thread with the explanation of what you are experiencing. The hollow spots are from delamination of the plaster from the gunite structure. The streaks are probably calcium deposits caused by water entering the void.
Plaster life varies, but 5-10 years is fairly common depending on how it was cared for in the past.
I went back with a premium surface, and my pool is twice the size of yours, but my replaster cost a little over $10,000. But don't think yours will be half, there are a lot of variables that can cause the price to go up.
Plaster life varies, but 5-10 years is fairly common depending on how it was cared for in the past.
I went back with a premium surface, and my pool is twice the size of yours, but my replaster cost a little over $10,000. But don't think yours will be half, there are a lot of variables that can cause the price to go up.
If it is anywhere close to 10k I will turn it into grass!!!! I like the pool but not that much
It won't be cheap. Even if you look at half you are still looking at $5k.
The delamination isn't a problem. Mine had many other issues. Mine was from the 80s also.
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I don't know if you can tell, but I was getting areas where the plaster had gotten very rough and pocked. And no matter how hard I worked at keeping FC correct, I would get black algae in those areas.
The delamination isn't a problem. Mine had many other issues. Mine was from the 80s also.
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I don't know if you can tell, but I was getting areas where the plaster had gotten very rough and pocked. And no matter how hard I worked at keeping FC correct, I would get black algae in those areas.
borjis
LifeTime Supporter
Seems to be priced regionally too. Where I live a 23,000 gallon replaster was quoted at $ 3,500 for plain white plaster.
I've seen that in one of my customers pools (in an electrician). His is an original 70's pool and it is massive with in ground cleaning jets. The shallow end must be 20x20 at least and all his plaster looks like that thankfully none of mine looks like that so maybe it isn't original to the pool. I have no records and can't find any
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I could live with 3500 ish, just not 10k
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I could live with 3500 ish, just not 10k
Part of me having a 44,000 gallon pool and wanting top of the line finish. It hurt handing over that cash!
I can imagine!! When we bought this house last fall we replaced the original single pane windows ...... 20k .....it felt awful
I did that at my last house. Luckily in this house the previous owner had already replaced them.
Of course we had to have triple pane windows. I will admit that our highest gas bill was 239 this winter and that's not too bad at all for Southern NH. I just realized you said 44,000 gallon pool. That must have an enormous footprint. How do you like that variable speed pump? I found a variable speed replacement motor for mine for 399. I almost pulled the trigger on it but I'm not crazy about the integrated electronics on it.
They are neat, but really if your electricity is cheap, it's cheaper to go with a 2 speed pump. But if you found a VS for $399, that would be hard to pass up.
That price was for the motor and keypad only. I've read that impellers are good for life usually do I could swap my motor and shaft seal and wouldn't have to re-plumb anything.
Is this the thread you are looking for?
Diagnosing Pool Plaster Problems
Properly applied and reasonably well cared for
Plaster is good for 10-15 years
Quartz 15-20
Pebble 25+
With excellent water chemistry management and maintaining CSI -0.3 to +0.3 you can add a decade to that.
With poor water chemistry management you can subtract a decade from that. High PH, low PH, scaling, etching, poor CSI management, etc
Diagnosing Pool Plaster Problems
Properly applied and reasonably well cared for
Plaster is good for 10-15 years
Quartz 15-20
Pebble 25+
With excellent water chemistry management and maintaining CSI -0.3 to +0.3 you can add a decade to that.
With poor water chemistry management you can subtract a decade from that. High PH, low PH, scaling, etching, poor CSI management, etc
Poolmath will calculate the CSI score after you enter your test results. Keep it between -0.3 and +0.3 to prevent scaling and etching (pitting due to calcium leaching from the plaster into the water).
More here, Pool School - Calcium Scaling
More here, Pool School - Calcium Scaling