New Plaster a Disaster

[Andrew Edward]

That is typical blue mottling that happens with dark blue Hydrazoo and other finishes.

If you want to drain the pool you can talk to your contractor about doing another round of polishing the finish to try and even it out. I had that done on my Hydrazoo finish.

Do not expect your finish will look like smooth blue paint. Mottling is part of the character of palster finished.

I know the pool walls do not look like blue paint. My color choice was the lightest blue specks they offered. Its never been polished. Do you think that the calcium would come off?

 

[Andrew Edward]

That is typical blue mottling that happens with dark blue Hydrazoo and other finishes.

If you want to drain the pool you can talk to your contractor about doing another round of polishing the finish to try and even it out. I had that done on my Hydrazoo finish.

Do not expect your finish will look like smooth blue paint. Mottling is part of the character of palster finished.

Molting yes but a dark blue jagged line also the roughness is not acceptable for a brand new pool finish.

 

[ajw22]

Its never been polished.

Hydrazoo is a polished marble finish. It is a 2 day process.

First day the finish is trowled on.

Second day motorized sanders with diamond pads are used to polish the finish.

Do you think that the calcium would come off?

There is no excess calcium on the surface to come off.

 

[ajw22]

Molting yes but a dark blue jagged line also the roughness is not acceptable for a brand new pool finish.

The roughness should be polished out of Hydrazoo.

 

[kimkats]

Did the water flow 24/7 until it reached the middle of the waterline tile while it was filling up after the new plaster was put on?

 

[Andrew Edward]

Hydrazoo is a polished marble finish. It is a 2 day process.

First day the finish is trowled on.

Second day motorized sanders with diamond pads are used to polish the finish.





There is no excess calcium on the surface to come off.

I don't mean to sound ignorant but what is on the surface that is causing the ugly line and the roughness if it is not calcium? Everything above that line is smooth as a baby's behind. It was nev er polished because the installed said it would save me money and it would look almost as good.

 

[Andrew Edward]

Did the water flow 24/7 until it reached the middle of the waterline tile while it was filling up after the new plaster was put on?

Yes we never stopped filling.

 

[ajw22]

I don't mean to sound ignorant but what is on the surface that is causing the ugly line and the roughness if it is not calcium? Everything above that line is smooth as a baby's behind. It was nev er polished because the installed said it would save me money and it would look almost as good.

Ok, so your installer took shortcuts and did not follow the manufacturer’s installation process.

I don’t think you will get far with CL Industries when they hear that.

Roughness can be polished out.

 

[MAPR-Austin]

Has the pool been closed over the off season, or ever drained down to the bottom of the blue line?

I ask because if so, and the water got out of balance over the off season, it could explain both the discoloration and the roughness.

 

[Andrew Edward]

Ok, so your installer took shortcuts and did not follow the manufacturer’s installation process.

I don’t think you will get far with CL Industries when they hear that.

Roughness can be polished out.

What I don't understand is that the finish is very smooth above the line. The Hydrazzo rep approved of his installation. They said in a few years I could polish the surface if I wanted.

 

[ajw22]

What I don't understand is that the finish is very smooth above the line.

Maybe it was a different batch of plaster in that area with a slightly different mix.

Maybe the guys who trowled that area did a better job smoothing the plaster.

Without having observed the application we are all just guessing.

The Hydrazzo rep approved of his installation. They said in a few years I could polish the surface if I wanted.

Yup, polish is to make it smoother. You have seen what you get without polishing.

 

[JamesW]

They said in a few years I could polish the surface if I wanted.

Time to polish.

 

[Andrew Edward]

Maybe it was a different batch of plaster in that area with a slightly different mix.

Maybe the guys who trowled that area did a better job smoothing the plaster.

Without having observed the application we are all just guessing.


Yup, polish is to make it smoother. You have seen what you get without polishing.

Are you saying my whole problem is because they did not polish the finish??

 

[JamesW]

It is probably a few issues.

The chemistry does not seem to be well documented regardless of the records.

Most likely, the chemistry has been out of range several times or for extended periods.

You need to get your own test kit and monitor your water to make sure that it is always good.

 

[ajw22]

Are you saying my whole problem is because they did not polish the finish??

I am saying the roughness is because they did not polish.

The mottling is a different problem set in place when they mixed the plaster and trowled it on. That was set in the plaster at application and nothing in the water chemistry or your actions did it.

Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Being Blamed for Plaster Discolorations? Don't Get HoodwinkedSome newly plastered pools (including quartz and pebble finishes) may develop either white soft spotting (also called "spot etching" by some plasterers), streaking, calcium nodules, gray mottling discoloration, spalling (flaking), or severe craze (check) cracking within a few months after being plastered, and whoever has been maintaining the water is often incorrectly blamed for those plaster problems and defects.

 

[Andrew Edward]

It is probably a few issues.

The chemistry does not seem to be well documented regardless of the records.

Most likely, the chemistry has been out of range several times or for extended periods.

You need to get your own test kit and monitor your water to make sure that it is always good.

I did all the test on the records

 

[Andrew Edward]

I am saying the roughness is because they did not polish.

The mottling is a different problem set in place when they mixed the plaster and trowled it on. That was set in the plaster at application and nothing in the water chemistry or your actions did it.

Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Being Blamed for Plaster Discolorations? Don't Get HoodwinkedSome newly plastered pools (including quartz and pebble finishes) may develop either white soft spotting (also called "spot etching" by some plasterers), streaking, calcium nodules, gray mottling discoloration, spalling (flaking), or severe craze (check) cracking within a few months after being plastered, and whoever has been maintaining the water is often incorrectly blamed for those plaster problems and defects.

Do you know an independent pool specialist who could examine my pool? They have other agendas. I live in Houston Texas

 

[Andrew Edward]

Do you know an independent pool specialist who could examine my pool? They have other agendas. I live in Houston Texas

Here are a few snapshots of the installation

I know the pool walls do not look like blue paint. My color choice was the lightest blue specks they offered. Its never been polished. Do you think that the calcium would come off?

 

[ajw22]

Do you know an independent pool specialist who could examine my pool? They have other agendas. I live in Houston Texas

Maybe @onBalance has contacts in your area.

 

[ajw22]

As you can see in the pics plasterers work from the top down. So the top walls of your pool were plastered with the first batches they mixed. It also makes that area susceptible to late hard troweling can cause “trowel burn” which darkens the plaster color in localized areas.

Diagnosing Pool Plaster Problems

Plaster Discolorations – New white pool plaster can discolor (darken or turn gray) from adding excessive calcium chloride set accelerator, from late hard troweling, from thin and thick areas due to an uneven shell, etc. Gray (or grey) mottled discoloration (also known as “water entrapment” or...

www.troublefreepool.com