New plaster mottling - light acid wash?

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LisaDLu

Well-known member
Nov 14, 2014
149
Palm Desert, CA
We had our pool replastered in January and the mottling is throughout the pool (walls and sides). We kept thinking it would fade as the plaster cured but it has not. The plasterer said he would come over Monday and take a look. He said it was probably the start up (the guy who did the start up was erratic at best but I didn't tell the plasterer that). Anyway, the plasterer said we may be able to drain the pool and do a light acid wash. My questions are:

*I live in the desert and we are averaging high 80's and low 90's at the moment. How long can the plaster safely be exposed? I'm assuming the whole process could be completed in a few days from drain, acid wash to refill.

*I've read that you may not need to drain the pool for an acid wash but I'm assuming doing it the way the plasterer suggests is better. Opinions on types of acid washes?

*After refilling the pool do we need to wait on adding salt, etc? Or just start balancing the water immediately?

*Anybody have this same situation and did the acid wash really help? If it's not really going to help I'm thinking of seeing if he will give me a credit instead of going through the hassle of this if it's not going to look any better. We are also in a drought so I feel guilty about draining the pool twice in the last several months.

When the sun is shining on the pool you don't notice the mottling and it looks sparkling and wonderful but when there are shadows and the water is still you can clearly see it throughout. I know mottling is inherent in plaster but mine doesn't look like fresh plaster, it looks much older. I've gone to a few open houses with freshly plastered pools and I can see the difference.
 
Draining should be fine for at least a week, probably more, at this time of year. Mid-summer would be much more of an issue.

A full drain and acid wash gives them the most control over how things turn out. A no drain acid was is much more hit or miss.

There is no need to wait on adding chemicals after a refill now that the plaster is no longer freshly applied.

What color is your plaster? Darker colors of plaster always have more obvious mottling.
 
Plasterer never showed up, I'm definitely not high on his priorities since he has done this to me multiple times. My question is our temperatures have topped 100 for the last few days and I've read you don't want the temperature to be above 80 to drain the pool. I'm still going to keep calling my plasterer to come by to look but now I'm thinking I probably need to wait until after summer to get him to acid wash. I know that seems crazy since we are only in March but I live in the desert and we get HOT. Even if I can get the plasterer to show up I'm not sure when he would do the acid wash and the days are getting hotter as we go along.
 
Draining a re-plaster job is not advisable and should be avoided if possible, especially in the heat as you have stated and are right about that. There is a strong chance that the new plaster coat will lose its' bond to the old surface and become a serious problem afterwards.

Also, severe mottling discoloration is not caused by a bad start-up. Don't let anyone convince you of that. The plasterer should do something to make it right for you.
 
How long after a re-plaster is it "safe" to drain and acid wash? If it's best to wait a year, I can do that. He's given me a 3 year warranty, which at the moment seems to be no good since he won't show up to even look at it. He has promised to come by at least six times and has no showed every time without even a phone call.
 
It is never completely safe to drain a re-plaster pool. But I suggest waiting at least 3 months if that is what the plasterer wants to do to rectify the discoloration problem.
That way he stays involved and responsible for the final outcome - as he should. Wintertime would be the best time to drain if necessary.
 
Your answer has made me think of something. Can you re-plaster a gunite pool over and over during it's lifespan or does that weaken the gunite? I wasn't sure if one or two re-plasters were all a pool could take, or if it could go on indefinitely. With my plaster not going correctly I guess I'm already thinking of my next re-plaster with Pebble Tec! LOL.
 
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