My wife was initially set on the Keystone silver but once we saw it in person we realized it makes the hole area feel less friendly and cheery. It has more of a French castle courtyard feel to it. So we were happy to stick with the shell beach and if we were to do travertine, we would probably pick the Keystone "light" which is exactly what our neighbors had. The Sundek bone white is by the way a very similar tone to the Keystone "light" travertine.
First Time Pool Owner (Houston Pool Build)
- Thread starter rhawke
- Start date
After watering the gunite 3 times per day for a full week, I think I will stop. It doesn't soak the water in anymore the way it did in the beginning.
There have been spots that never turn dark when watering. They are mainly along the walls. I have attached some pics below right after soaking everything. These spots never turn darker even when a hose is on them for minutes. The brushed floors also are much lighter than the other areas.
Should I be concerned about these color differences? Is it soon enough to do some hammer testing?
There have been spots that never turn dark when watering. They are mainly along the walls. I have attached some pics below right after soaking everything. These spots never turn darker even when a hose is on them for minutes. The brushed floors also are much lighter than the other areas.
Should I be concerned about these color differences? Is it soon enough to do some hammer testing?
If you should be concerned, I should be concerned too. We are at day 9 of the gunite cure and I have some of those same white chalky patches. We were told to water twice a day for 10 days. I didn't water Saturday or Sunday (days 6 and 7) because we had a good soaking rain Saturday. It's raining pretty good today, so I'm probably done watering.
I was less concerned about the small chalky patches since those developed over time and are effloresence I believe. But there are some lighter areas that have been there since the first day I watered. They are larger patches (see circled in red below)
Any opinion from the professionals, Brian and Ray?
Any opinion from the professionals, Brian and Ray?
santacruzpool
Gold Supporter
Not a professional, but our gunite was just about the same with quite a range of color including some light and dark areas - we had about 2-3 months from when the shell was shot till we had the final plaster done and the shell changed quite a bit during that time. I think killing mosquitos breeding in the bottom was our biggest challenge.
We too had a spot just like this from the day it was shot. The section would never change colour during watering like the rest. Ours also has changed over the 2.5 months that it’s currently been sitting. I would continue to water from time to time.
Got a grout sample. Left side is permacolor silver shadow and right side is permacolor Sauterne which we will use for the coping. We are leaning towards the silver/light Grey since it is closer to the tile and plaster color.
Love it and am insanely jealous as the shiny excitement of just looking at my gunite curing has worn off.
Yeah 10 days after gunite. So far we are happy with our PB. Only hick up so far has been that the gunite crew made the spa diameter 4" too small, but we hope we won't notice that difference in daily life.
There’s next to nothing between the two grout colours. We matched our coping grout, but our other options were very different. I think for you either will look great. Tiles look fantastic!
Soak the grout sample for a while if you can & see how they look wet.
Man that 4" would drive me nuts. I'm splitting hairs with our PB right now over 3" here, 3" there trying to get my spa dimensions perfect in the design.
Yeah the problem with that was that the rebar was done correctly. The gunite guys just oversprayed it and didn't cut enough. It was already getting dark when they did this. .. so only way to catch this is if you measure while they are applying and trimming the gunite.
I first thought it was only 2in but now with the tile and plaster it will be between 3-4. But as said hopefully in daily living we won't notice a difference.
I first thought it was only 2in but now with the tile and plaster it will be between 3-4. But as said hopefully in daily living we won't notice a difference.
I would go sit in it as it is now with who will be in it the most with you. They can grind the extra gunite off if they really wanted to.
Kim
Kim
Oh I wasn't aware of that. The pool builder said it was too late to change and he thought a few inches won't be noticeable im daily life. Today they already finished the coping and waterline tile so now it would really get messy to grind that down. For our family it will be fine. Only if we had a big group of like 6 people or more the 4" might make a difference.
Yeah if they have done the coping and tile it could be called too late as it would take even more work to change it. I would look into them taking some money off the finial price or a "free" upgrade on something.
Kim
Kim
Some more pics... Only thing missing now is the grout.
I guess the coping stone is best to be sealed right now? I think the builder suggested stonetech salt water sealer.
I guess the coping stone is best to be sealed right now? I think the builder suggested stonetech salt water sealer.