Which quartz plaster brand is best? Plaster subs needed. New pool build Arizona

[Millty]

Can anyone recommend a good quartz plaster pool finish brand? We are looking at Pebble Fina (plaster), Diamondbrite, and Quartzscape but are open to other brands. We do not like the feel of any of the pebble finishes at all, so plaster is our only option. I know they are not nearly as durable as the pebble finishes but worth it to for something that feels good to us. I know that we should go with a light color because the darker dyes in the plaster finish can cause more mottling than the lighter colors, so we are picking a lighter color but still want some speckles for some color. I read that Diamondbrite comes pre-mixed so helps reduce mixing mistakes at the site--I like that idea. Also, since the PebbleTec company is picky about only letting a few companies be licensed to apply their product, I thought that might be a positive for going with Pebble Fina, but can't find anything about the subs that do Pebble Fina. I heard there are only 2 subs that can do Pebble Tec products in the valley: Prado and Sons, and Cal Plastering. Is that true? Does that mean they are the only ones that do Pebble Fina. I also read that using a Pebble Tec company product helps home resale value, since Pebble Fina is Pebble Tec seems a plus for going with Pebble Fina. I also read that Pebble Fina is very smooth which I like, someone said Quartzscape and some other brand that escapes me now, felt like an emory board, I don't like that.

Reading about the plaster startup process is a bit overwhelming, seems like it is real easy to mess it up. And also the experience of the sub-contractor seems paramount for a successful end result. I read that you have to brush down the new plaster at least twice a day for the first 2-4 weeks to get the best finish and prevent issues like mottling. This seems like a crazy amount of work, but maybe brushing down a pool is easier than I thought?? Will all the loose plaster powder that gets brushed up, cause problems if we go with a cartridge filter?

Also, can anyone recommend a good plaster sub-contractor in the Phoenix area, as it looks like we may DIY the pool build. So far I have Prado and Sons, but the person that recommended them had PebbleSheen, so not sure they would be good for a plaster quartz finish. This seems like one of the trickiest parts of the pool build or at least the most apt to go awry?

Any suggestions other than a pebble product are welcome.

Thanks,
Millty

 

[JasonLion]

The brand rarely has any effect on the final result. By far the largest factor in how it will look and how long it will last is the skill of the team applying the plaster.

PebbleTec is one of the few companies that vets their installers, resulting in much better than average results. However, they tend to charge a significant premium because of this.

You really ought to be brushing twice a day for the first week, and daily for the rest of the first month (unless the installer says different). The plaster dust is annoying and work to clean up, but will not damage anything.

 

[JayBauman]

Wet Edge Technologies (started by some ex-PebbleTec guys) offers a product called Primera Stone. It's basically one of their typical pebble finishes that gets grinded smooth after application.

Seems to be the best of both worlds....durability of pebble with the tactile characteristics of plaster. Ilove it, but didn't want to pay for it.

 

[Divin Dave]

I think the pebble product is likely to produce the best results, for exactly the reason JasonLion says.
It all comes down to the quality awareness and experience of the install guys.

If you can find a really good installation team that are experts at what they are doing, then any of the plaster products should turn out beautifully.

 

[PoolESQ]

I purchased the Quartzscapes which should be applied in the next few days. I'll post back and let you know how it feels.

 

[texasgal]

We used Wet Edge's Primera Stone in Sky Blue Treasure. We also are not fans of the Pebbletec feel and were looking for an alternative. We were originally quoted their Luna Quartz product, but after seeing the sample of Primera Stone knew it was what we wanted. We weren't sure it was going to be in the budget and were very surprised it was only a $500 upgrade for us. It was well worth the money. It is a white plaster with blue and brown glass spread throughout. I believe it's hand spread so it isn't completely consistent, but our installers did a great job and you really have to hunt for areas of heavier or lighter mix. It is buffed smooth the second day of installation. There is very little plaster dust to deal with because of how much is removed by the buffing. We did still brush the pool, but saw more dirt from around the pool than white plaster dust.

We did not have any mottling. The only area that I wasn't 100% happy with was around one of the main drains. Something was done at installation that caused a faint ring around the drain. The installer wasn't sure why it happened. You can see it in the day one photos, and we thought it would buff out after the second day, but it did not. They offered to come back and acid wash around the drain to expose more of the glass, but we felt it might cause more problems than it was worth. During the day in full sun you can not see it at all. It only becomes visible at dusk.

In our area there are certified Wet Edge installers.