How did you all decide on your pool finish? If you could do it again, would you change?
Pool finish: Quartz or Pebbletec?
- Thread starter lucas33
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 24,379
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
PebbleTec is pretty common around here. We did a few upgrades to the pool so sticking with the basic PebbleTec finish (TahoeBlue) was in the budget. If I could do it over again (and the pool will need to be replastered someday), I'm going to go with aquaBright by ecoFinish. It's a thermally sprayed thermoplastic polymer coating that gives you the look and feel of plaster but the chemical inertness of a polymer. No more worrying about proper startup chemistries or plaster scaling/etching issues. See this thread -
ecoFINISH aquaBRIGHT longterm review
Plaster and Aquabright Comparison
ecoFINISH aquaBRIGHT longterm review
Plaster and Aquabright Comparison
Pebbletec is the pioneer in the industry of pebble finishes. Their installers are trained and certified. And Pebbletec will stand behind your pool finish even if the installer or PB won't. There are also other reputable national quartz and pebble plaster manufacturers like Diamondbrite and SGM.
Generally, pebble will last longer than quartz. But, with proper water chemistry management either will last decades. With poor water management they could both need to be refinished in as little as 5 years due to scaling or etching. Proper installation, start up and water management is much more important than which finish you select.
I agree that my next pool finish will also be Aquabrite.
Generally, pebble will last longer than quartz. But, with proper water chemistry management either will last decades. With poor water management they could both need to be refinished in as little as 5 years due to scaling or etching. Proper installation, start up and water management is much more important than which finish you select.
I agree that my next pool finish will also be Aquabrite.
We will be first time pool owners and damage to the finish is my concern until we get the hang of things.
I had pebbletec in my previous pool I built. When I went to build the pool this time, I was going to do the same, as it was pretty easy to maintain. I learned a few things - for instance, last time I took the pebbletec all the way to the coping without tile and had a beach entry... cool concepts, but in practicality it was difficult because of any scale that formed was difficult to clean from the pebbletec. So next time no beach entry and definitely tile..
But this time I went with quartzscape.. mainly because my kids (who are now grown) did not like the pebbletec because it was too rough on them when they were younger, and the plaster is so much smoother (they all chimed in on that... I honestly didn't think it was that bad but they all clearly have that memory). Additionally, I wanted a mid-century modern style pool, so the look and lines were important and the plaster fit that better. So I wanted some color other than white and bling, and quartzscape fit that bill. The quartzscape certainly is not perfect and the pebbletec hides imperfections better, but for the use of the pool, the style and look (for my design and idea), it works perfectly.
The quartzscape, depending on the type (I went with reflections for a bit more bling), can cost more than the pebbletec. Because I was DIY builder, I paid for the material directly and the labor was the same, no matter which product.
But this time I went with quartzscape.. mainly because my kids (who are now grown) did not like the pebbletec because it was too rough on them when they were younger, and the plaster is so much smoother (they all chimed in on that... I honestly didn't think it was that bad but they all clearly have that memory). Additionally, I wanted a mid-century modern style pool, so the look and lines were important and the plaster fit that better. So I wanted some color other than white and bling, and quartzscape fit that bill. The quartzscape certainly is not perfect and the pebbletec hides imperfections better, but for the use of the pool, the style and look (for my design and idea), it works perfectly.
The quartzscape, depending on the type (I went with reflections for a bit more bling), can cost more than the pebbletec. Because I was DIY builder, I paid for the material directly and the labor was the same, no matter which product.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,379
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Then the aquaBright is probably the better option. As those links show, it is a lot easier to chemically damage a plaster surface than the aquaBright material. That's the point, aquaBright gives you the ease of use that someone would find with a vinyl liner coupled with the strength and rigidity of a plaster sub-base material. All plaster pools, no matter the maker (PebbleTec, SGM, etc, etc) require a fairly complicated startup process and will chemically react with the water you have in the pool over the long term. My surface finish is only 4 years old and, like bdavis466 shows in his post, the plaster creme in my PebbleTec that was once "Tahoe Blue" is now basically faded to an off white color. No one can argue that I don't take care of my pool properly, so it's just the natural fading of the plaster materials and dyes over time.
Obviously it's your build so you need to choose what you like and what fits into your budget. All pool surfaces can be very easily managed and there's nothing you can "screw up" in the short term from a chemistry perspective that isn't easily corrected. Just follow the start up procedure that your pool surfacing contractor or PB requires for warranty purposes and then follow the advice on this forum and you'll have a beautiful pool for many years to come.
No aquabright installers in Austin, so that's not an option here. I'm likely going with Wet Edge Luna Quartz or PebbleFina...wife thinks pebble is too hard on toes. So, I'm also interested in people's opinions as this will be our first pool.
spoonman
Well-known member
- Mar 14, 2016
- 227
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Our less than a year old pool has pebble. Pebble sheen mini Tahoe blue. Does not hurt our feet. Had a few scrapes with the kids but the same would happen in a plaster pool. We like it but I wish it was a little darker.
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