Pool remodel - Old tile versus new tile in size

[PBAKINBITZ]

Our pool is 18 years and some of the tiles have popped off. The kooldeck also is coming off in chunks so we have been getting prices for a total remodel. We've been told by two companies that we don't "need" to redo the diamond brite yet so we are leaning toward doing the retile and the acrylic deck for now. My question is I understand the old tile is approximately 1/8 inch thick compared to the newer tiles that are 1/2 inch thick. One company said they will flare the surface with new diamond brite to meet the new tile which will stick out further than the old tile because of the new size. Has anybody dealt with this before?
I am guessing the new surface will take awhile to fade and will be under the water line along with the bottom of the tile. The old tile was done with three 2" tiles where this would be done with 1 6" tile. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

I've never seen either of those tiles thicknesses. I would expect 1/2" thick tiles wouldn't stick to vertical surface due to its weight. I would expect sag.

When not doing plaster but doing the tile, there will always be a color mismatch at the bottom of the tile line. Always.

Scott

 

[JimM01]

Just had our kidney-shaped pool retiled and replastered. Replaced the old 3x3 tile with thicker 6x6 Pebble Tec Shorline Newport Blue tile. Very happy with the results. There is a slight flaring of the plaster along the bottom edge of the tile to accommodate the additional thickness, but since we replastered the entire pool, I suspect the flaring is not as pronounced as it might be in your case since you are keeping your existing plaster. The biggest impact of the thicker tile was in reducing the amount of overhang in my brick coping, especially in tight corners. In order to tile around two 90 degree turns, they had to cut the tile into 2x6 vertical strips. The additional thickness of the tile was most evident in these corners, but there was still enough overhang that I don't think it poses an esthetic problem.