Is my new Quartzscape too blotchy?

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ZonieInCa

0
Apr 29, 2016
28
Encinitas, CA
Hi again,

I'm trying to wrap up my pool build and am looking for feedback on our Quartzscape install and what I need to press my PB to correct or improve upon. The Quartzscape (Aruba Sky Reflections Series) has a couple issues that just don't seem right to me, but I'm not sure if I'm being too picky or if this is just a sloppy install.

Problems include:

1. Blotchy (white spots/areas) throughout the quartzscape. While hard to photograph, this is especially apparent around all the radius's and where they were stroking down with a brush/sponge. You can still basically see the tool/brush/sponge marks in the Quartzscape. Is this normal?

2. Very rough. Most of the pool is as I expected, but parts, especially vertical areas of steps/seats are EXTREMELY rough. I'd say equivalent to 50 grit sand paper. While most areas feel like fairly smooth 220-400 grit paper (like the samples in the store). If you rub bare skin on these rough areas you are going to get cut/a rash. And there areas of the bottom that are rough, but mainly the vertical surfaces.

3. Some of the pool returns & spa jets were cut short and have a chamfered/counter sunk appearance. Is this just sloppy and unsightly, or could it cause problems in the future and should be corrected now? And I'm not sure how they'd even correct this...

Thanks for any tips!

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This photo captures the blotchiness on the floor pretty well:

BEVkAGj.jpg


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Tool marks/blotchiness along radius (left side):

n7Mus1R.jpg


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This is strange as there is a distinct darker ring all along the bottom of the deep end. The bottom 18" of the pool or so. No idea how this happened. It's like something was added at this point when filling the pool...

ex4xEd0.jpg


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Can also see spots on the dolphin seat above.

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Tool marks on radius:

yMcqoDe.jpg


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More tool marks:

IqPCpm0.jpg


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Counter-sunk return (most are flush):

8QYtTqC.jpg


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Another:

PvohLDA.jpg
 
I've contacted the PB and plaster company, and both basically say "oh no problem, that's all normal". The PB has been pretty bad to work with through the whole process and I don't entirely trust them.

That's why I posted here - these issues don't seem normal to me so I'm looking for a second opinion. Good suggestion on trying NPT - I'll give them a call.
 
Looks like a typical quartz install to me. Several plasterers near me won't install dark colored quartz and plaster finishes for the very reason you are experiencing.

The returns can not be fixed without chipping out the plaster in an 18" radius around them and redoing the plaster. The chances of a color match are nearly impossible.

Their solution is going to be either an acid bath (first choice) or a drain and acid wash. Neither are great options as they will drastically shorten the life of your plaster and have a slim chance of resolving the issue.

The problem with your finish is poor workmanship (trowel marks), poor plaster mix (calcium and excess water added) in addition to lack of attention during the initial acid wash to expose the quartz. Nearly all pools that get an acid wash end up with some sort of bowl shaped ring in the deep end from where the highly acidic water sat before being drawn into the pump to be recirculated on the surface.

While it won't help your issue, take a look at this experiment I did to show how plaster defects happen:

Plaster and Aquabright Comparison
 
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An acid wash will not drastically shorten the life of your plaster, and may completely resolve your issue. Depending on the applicator some will acid wash the next day like a pebble, some expose the quartz during the plaster application, and others will smooth trowel and do neither. The finished look and smoothness vary depending on method. Yes I do think it is to blotchy but should be easily fixed.

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It looks like it was acid washed to me. You can see where the water ran down to the deep end and the OP also described a ring in the deep end where I assume the aggressive water sat during the wash.

All the quartz finishes I've seen near me get acid washed the following day.
 
In addition to the white blotchy appearance, I would be concerned about the "50-grit roughness" on the sides of the steps, and perhaps the deep-end bowl is also rough since it is dark in color. That indicates a very aggressive acid wash was performed. If indeed it is that rough and etched, that cannot be considered "normal" and needs to be rectified. Some serious polishing and sanding will be needed. Acid washing again is not the solution.

The blotchy appearance will worsen in time, as opposed to improving, and therefore, now is the time to address it.
 

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> Some serious polishing and sanding will be needed.

That's what I'm thinking. Is that done with water in the pool or ?

Thanks for the info. Pool Builder, plaster company, and a rep for Quartzscape is coming out on Friday morning - I'll keep you all posted.

Yes, the more I research this, the roughness really does not seem normal. Parts of the pool - I'd say about 20% - feel great and what I expect. There are some 2'x2' areas that are smooth and what I expected Quartzscape to feel like. But some areas are brutal and you really need to be careful around them.

And just FYI here is the original build thread for those that are curious:

New build in San Diego, CA
 
Polishing is not done on Quartzscapes, it is an exposed aggregate and does not feel smooth. The only time Quartzscapes is smooth is when hard trowled and filled. Many distributors have multiple sets of samples, exposed ones and ones left unexposed, ask which samples you were shown and what if any exposure method was used.

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Here is a set of the samples, the larger one is smooth and had no acid wash done, the smaller was exposed using high concentration of acid. The smaller is substantially rougher a close to a 120 grit sandpaper.

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lasvegaspools said:
Here is a set of the samples, the larger one is smooth and had no acid wash done, the smaller was exposed using high concentration of acid. The smaller is substantially rougher a close to a 120 grit sandpaper.

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Click to expand...

Yup, thanks. That sample is what the good parts of my pool look like (and I imagine feel like). It's not perfectly smooth, but you also aren't going to get cut running your hand across it quickly.

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Hi all. Again, thanks for the feedback.

I met with the PB, the plaster company that did the work, and a Quartzscape rep from the supplier they buy from this morning. In summary: they said everything looks normal and great.

The summary of their claims and explanation of things.

- Quartzscape roughness: this is normal and just needs to be sanded down. The plaster company normally just sands down the flat surfaces (steps, spa seats, etc) which are ok now (I guess they were already sanded), and you usually just let time/chemical reactions smooth out the rest of the pool. The plaster company guy did get some sand paper and demonstrate that some in water sanding can smooth out an area. This surprises me and also seems like *A TON* of work to sand almost the entire pool. The plaster company will be back on Tuesday to sand the rough areas and make the pool smooth.

- The white streaks and blotchiness are normal and "within spec". These may dissipate with time.

- The ring in the deep end also just happens sometimes and is normal and will go away with time.

- The countersunk pool returns are normal because those particular pool returns are angled towards the skimmer and that was done on purpose to have the water flow correctly.

- The acid wash of the concrete decking (to clean up the spilled acid from the plaster) did not (and does not) change the color or the concrete or the cracks of the concrete. The concrete is just really clean now and that is why it looks different.

I'm not sure if I believe all (or any) of this, but given my experience with the PB to date my Baloney Sandwich-meter is going off. Any thoughts? Does any of this make sense? The angled pool return claims seems especially strange to me, but then again I'm not a pool builder...
 

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