Epoxy lasts 1.5 years vs 3 to 5

[average_joe]

So we got our pool painted in July of 2021 for $5300. Zeron Epoxy paint. Was fine for the first year, we put the winter cover on September of 2022 but when I opened the pool in May 2023, there were chunks of paint falling off. So it lasted somewhere between 15 and 22 months. I realize paint doesn't last forever, but everything I've read says Epoxy paint should last 5-7 years... I'd be happy to get 3 or 4.
Its faded, there are bubbles below the surface, chunks falling off and we get blue on our hands and feet when we swim. There's no difference above vs below the waterline, even for the 8 months the pool is covered and untouched.

Is this bad prep? Bad paint mixture? Or does paint really only last a year?

 

[1poolman1]

So we got our pool painted in July of 2021 for $5300. Zeron Epoxy paint. Was fine for the first year, we put the winter cover on September of 2022 but when I opened the pool in May 2023, there were chunks of paint falling off. So it lasted somewhere between 15 and 22 months. I realize paint doesn't last forever, but everything I've read says Epoxy paint should last 5-7 years... I'd be happy to get 3 or 4.
Its faded, there are bubbles below the surface, chunks falling off and we get blue on our hands and feet when we swim. There's no difference above vs below the waterline, even for the 8 months the pool is covered and untouched.

Is this bad prep? Bad paint mixture? Or does paint really only last a year?

Could be any or all of the reasons mentioned.
Paint, or epoxy, is something you do when leaving a pool. Not sure how the painter expected the epoxy to stick to tile. For close to that kind of money you may have been able to get the pool re-plastered.

 

[Newdude]

The paints/epoxys lost durability in favor of the environment about 5 years ago. Since then, we've seen many reports similar to yours, that what used to last a reasonable amount of time no longer does. At least, not for the effort (DIY) or costs (hiring someone).

Of course, improper prep or application will only make it worse.


@Household6 has had luck the last I knew so maybe they have thoughts.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

There is no paint formulation on the market today that can be guaranteed to work in a submerged environment. I bet if you read the exact language of the warranty on that product that there’s probably a hundred paragraphs of ultra-fine print legalese that stipulates all the conditions and restrictions of use such that the loophole created is big enough to drive a Mack truck through.

Paint does not last, period. This is why TFP consistently warns against it and when users come here asking about painted pools, the best we can do is wish them luck.

Sorry you had a bad experience and that the product is failing you. It sucks to lose that much money.

 

[1poolman1]

So we got our pool painted in July of 2021 for $5300. Zeron Epoxy paint. Was fine for the first year, we put the winter cover on September of 2022 but when I opened the pool in May 2023, there were chunks of paint falling off. So it lasted somewhere between 15 and 22 months. I realize paint doesn't last forever, but everything I've read says Epoxy paint should last 5-7 years... I'd be happy to get 3 or 4.
Its faded, there are bubbles below the surface, chunks falling off and we get blue on our hands and feet when we swim. There's no difference above vs below the waterline, even for the 8 months the pool is covered and untouched.

Is this bad prep? Bad paint mixture? Or does paint really only last a year?


View attachment 513259View attachment 513260

When all paints had to have "smog control" (VOC standards), the quality went away.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The polymer materials (solids) that old paints used were such that they needed very strong solvents to dissolve in. These were solvents like xylene and toluene. Very very bad stuff to breath in. The epoxies also required certain organometallic based catalysts to initiate the curing reactions and some of these compounds were lead based. Again, terrible stuff to expose people and the environment to. I don’t blame them getting banned or phased out

 

[JamesW]

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-11/documents/aim_coatings_detailed_factsheet.pdf

 

[JamesW]

I don’t blame them getting banned or phased out.

I disagree.

The paint worked and it was not that big of a deal to paint a pool.

In any case, the current paint is completely worthless and it should not be used by anyone.

It is a huge waste of time and money to paint a pool because the paint has a lifetime of basically 0 seconds before it fails.

Then, you have to sandblast it off and that is a huge mess.

Either make it right or don't make it at all.

 

[Household6]

The paints/epoxys lost durability in favor of the environment about 5 years ago. Since then, we've seen many reports similar to yours, that what used to last a reasonable amount of time no longer does. At least, not for the effort (DIY) or costs (hiring someone).

Of course, improper prep or application will only make it worse.


@Household6 has had luck the last I knew so maybe they have thoughts.

What those photos show me are two things:
Rain at some point before it cured (the light lines) and improper prep (the bubbles) and/or probably didn’t look close enough before and after the second coat. Easy to get it too thick and not realize air bubbles. All you have to do is press the air out, but nobody is going to be as vigilant as you are.

The fading below the water line is a result of use of chlorine/bleach, probably from SLAMS.

After we were quoted $30k’ish by 2 or 3 companies to replaster our pool, we had no choice but to DIY it! (Not like we could have made it worse!)

When we purchased the house (2009) the seller (flippers) had hired some cheap painters to paint the pool. Took about 5-6 years before that paint failed to the point of having blue chips in our baskets and on our feet, as OP is experiencing.

Our first time repainting it turned out pretty good! Lasted 4 years. Before then we DID have a couple bad spots, but for having put in $2500 and a long weekend, we were ok with that!

Second time wasn’t as good. Rain showers between coats and after second coat caused what we have now, which is probably a dozen or more bad spots. Some pin head sized, a couple fist sized. Not great, but doesn’t prevent use.

Though we got less time out of the second repaint, still no regrets.

We will be tackling it again after this season. Haven’t done a lot of research into it yet, but thinking about attempting a roll on plaster. Sider-Proof FF-PR - Roll-On Pool Plaster and will go with white.

If you can’t tolerate any imperfections, replaster is your only option.

 

[Household6]

I disagree.

The paint worked and it was not that big of a deal to paint a pool.

In any case, the current paint is completely worthless and it should not be used by anyone.

It is a huge waste of time and money to paint a pool because the paint has a lifetime of basically 0 seconds before it fails.

Then, you have to sandblast it off and that is a huge mess.

Either make it right or don't make it at all.

I think Plaster has to be sandblasted too before recoating.

 

[1poolman1]

I think Plaster has to be sandblasted too before recoating.

Sand blasting is OK. Strip-out is best.

 

[Household6]

What’s the difference between strip out and sandblasting?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

What’s the difference between strip out and sandblasting?

Chip out means using flat bladed air chisels to remove all the old plaster down to the gunite shell.

Sandblasting uses a rough sand aggregate to roughen the surface and prepare it for application. Sand blasting isn’t as good at removing thick layers, it’s more of a surface preparation technique.