First Time Pool Owner (Houston Pool Build)
- Thread starter rhawke
- Start date
We also picked our pool tile and plaster color! The glass tile with the clear Film in front should bond better to the wall than the one with the mesh, correct?
So it is said. That glass is SO pretty!! One of my favs for sure. Now you have a job. Ready? Play with different mortar colors. Get paint sample cards to do so. Light, med, dark gray and white put them out by the pool and see which one you like the best. The different colors will really impact the finial tile color. THEN pick out the grout color. White will make each tile stand out, gray will help the tiles blend together more. Both look are good. It is up to you which one you want to go with.
The installers skills are going to be very important as well. The lighter tile will show the trowel marks if they don't have good skills to keep this from happening.
Kim
The installers skills are going to be very important as well. The lighter tile will show the trowel marks if they don't have good skills to keep this from happening.
Kim
I hadn't even thought about grout color. I thought white would probably look best since that is the way it looks on the sample. So you suggest to cut paint samples and stick them in between the tiles?So it is said. That glass is SO pretty!! One of my favs for sure. Now you have a job. Ready? Play with different mortar colors. Get paint sample cards to do so. Light, med, dark gray and white put them out by the pool and see which one you like the best. The different colors will really impact the finial tile color. THEN pick out the grout color. White will make each tile stand out, gray will help the tiles blend together more. Both look are good. It is up to you which one you want to go with.
The installers skills are going to be very important as well. The lighter tile will show the trowel marks if they don't have good skills to keep this from happening.
Kim
No they should have grout sticks for you to play with. They have all kinds of color.
When I was talking about the paint sample cards I was talking about sitting a sample of the tile on top of it to help you see what the different color of mortars will make the the tile look like when it is done. The mortar is what is put under/behind the tile to make it stick on the wall. It's color will really influence the final color of the tile. The grout is what goes between the tiles. It will really influence the finial look of the overall picture. Here is a purrfect example of the difference it can make:
Let me know what you think!
Kim
When I was talking about the paint sample cards I was talking about sitting a sample of the tile on top of it to help you see what the different color of mortars will make the the tile look like when it is done. The mortar is what is put under/behind the tile to make it stick on the wall. It's color will really influence the final color of the tile. The grout is what goes between the tiles. It will really influence the finial look of the overall picture. Here is a purrfect example of the difference it can make:
Let me know what you think!
Kim
Yeah we are definitely in the middle category. We picked this glass tile because the way it looks when the light hits it, it was the brightest. The pictures don't do it justice but they are very translucent. The color of the epoxy behind them will definitely matter.
So do you think we can just specify white for both epoxy and grout or do we need to find the correct color name as with paint?
So do you think we can just specify white for both epoxy and grout or do we need to find the correct color name as with paint?
I am glad I was able to help! You should and can tell them white for both.I would not leave it up to chance and not say anything. I don't think they have any fancy names for them. If you picked gray or such you have to tell them which gray but for white you will be fine with saying white.
Kim
Kim
The price of quality glass tile and placement should sting a bit.
Ceramic to quality glass tile is a big price point gap, more than a few bucks per foot.
Good read below.
Glass-Tile Dynamics | Pools/Spas | Watershapes
Ceramic to quality glass tile is a big price point gap, more than a few bucks per foot.
Good read below.
Glass-Tile Dynamics | Pools/Spas | Watershapes
It was one of the upgrades the builder was willing to "throw in" to sweeten the contract for signing, so while we are paying for it of course indirectly it's not like we would get a credit if we went back to standard tile.
Tile quality : do you have concerns with Mastertile? I thought since they did pool tile only it would be high quality. The list price they gave us was $15 per sf.
Installation quality: the PB did mention when we first talked about glass tile that it was more expensive because the installation required a special thinnest and more attention to detail was needed. So I hope that's a good sign that he will get it done right? Or is there something else I should ask for?
Kim, on the grout color I just thought about staining and cleaning. Is white a bad choice from that aspect? Should we choose a lighter Grey instead?
I will tell you that NO white is "allowed" in my house or pool for that very reason! I think light gray would help off set that. Bleach will be your friend with your pool so it could also help keep the white grout clean if you really want it. I think light gray would be a good compromise.
Kim
Kim
I have no experience with that line of tile, but if it’s a “freebie” ask if a higher end is available & offer to pay whatever- before you get an answer. That’ll
Tell you where it is on his totem pole.
Tell you where it is on his totem pole.
I just called Aquabella Tile and they told me it is a new series that launched 4 months ago. It is manufactured in the same plant in China where many of their other series are made. He told me that so far he has not had a single claim with tile issues from this factory. Regarding the particular tile we picked he said even though it is new, it has been very popular. So far they have not had any quality issue reports either. He said they already tested it in China and are now in the process of getting it officially tested by Tile Institute of America but that those results probably won't be available for another 3-4 months.
Our builder is providing warranty on the tile and installation for 3 years. Would failures typically show up within that time?
@PoolguyinCT What do you think? It definitely doesn't sound like a cheap home depot glass tile. My wife absolutely loves it ... it will be hard to talk her out of it.
@bdavis46 any opinion from your side as a builder? would you install this?
Our builder is providing warranty on the tile and installation for 3 years. Would failures typically show up within that time?
@PoolguyinCT What do you think? It definitely doesn't sound like a cheap home depot glass tile. My wife absolutely loves it ... it will be hard to talk her out of it.
@bdavis46 any opinion from your side as a builder? would you install this?
your installer and your thin set are just as important as the glass tile you pick out. i'd be asking to see some of their work. laying glass is an art and requires a special talent.
We have a hole!! Rebar already going in today!
Brian and Ray, I would still appreciate your comment on the selected tile if possible. Do issues typically pop up before the 3 year warranty expires?
Brian and Ray, I would still appreciate your comment on the selected tile if possible. Do issues typically pop up before the 3 year warranty expires?
Rebar and most of the short plumbing is in and I have a few questions:
95 percent of the pool has 3" gap between the rebar and dirt, there are a few spots on the floors where it is only 1". Should I insist they fix those spots?
The skimmers are 2" models so the short pipe is 2". We specified 2.5" for all suction. The PB said he will put 2.5" for the long plumbing to the pad. Is that how it is typically done or should he have used a different skimmer?
See a picture of the paramount drain with 3" suction below, should it have more rebar around it to prevent cracking?
Is rebar resting on the 3" pipe fine?
The spa is all flex pipe (since it's round I can see how that makes installation easier) . Is that standard? I read somewhere here that flex pipe should be avoided.
Anything else that I may have missed that you see in the picture, let me know.
95 percent of the pool has 3" gap between the rebar and dirt, there are a few spots on the floors where it is only 1". Should I insist they fix those spots?
The skimmers are 2" models so the short pipe is 2". We specified 2.5" for all suction. The PB said he will put 2.5" for the long plumbing to the pad. Is that how it is typically done or should he have used a different skimmer?
See a picture of the paramount drain with 3" suction below, should it have more rebar around it to prevent cracking?
Is rebar resting on the 3" pipe fine?
The spa is all flex pipe (since it's round I can see how that makes installation easier) . Is that standard? I read somewhere here that flex pipe should be avoided.
Anything else that I may have missed that you see in the picture, let me know.
I can’t speak to the “new tile,” but you did describe it as an untested , unapproved Chinese product. (Just being devils advocate)
Flex pipe is accepted by code officials & common. Like anything it comes down to the environment & the technicians. If you feel better hard piped, offer to pay the difference.
Skimmer trunks & branch pipe is sized properly.
Low steel, I’m sure it will be “chaired” at the shoot.
Flex pipe is accepted by code officials & common. Like anything it comes down to the environment & the technicians. If you feel better hard piped, offer to pay the difference.
Skimmer trunks & branch pipe is sized properly.
Low steel, I’m sure it will be “chaired” at the shoot.
I see a lot of glass tile popping off. It's always the mesh backed variety with poor thinset beds.
Is this just for the waterline?
Is this just for the waterline?