Hi! New here! I am having the hardest time figuring out what brand and color pool finish to go with! Please post photos of your pool with info! The more pics the better lol. In sunlight, in shade ect. Thank you so much!
Help me decide on a pool finish color :)
- Thread starter Paigez0215
- Start date
Nectarologist
Well-known member
- Apr 3, 2015
- 642
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Sorry, I don't have gunite. But there is a good thread Vinyl Liner Pattern Roundup that will let you see what different shades look like (light vs dark). It may help you settle on light vs dark and then you can hone in on a particular gunite color & manufacturer to see real examples. Vinyl Liner Pattern Roundup Project - Post Pic Name Of Your Liner I didn't see anything for gunite colors in one thread. Maybe this can turn into one for you and others 
I'm partial to dark pools even though I don't have that color (grey or black). Hope the thread is of some help in making your decision.
I'm partial to dark pools even though I don't have that color (grey or black). Hope the thread is of some help in making your decision.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,848
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I like a dark pool. Mine is. A deep aqua color. I went with a small pebble. I could post a picture, if you like, but that would contradict my advice for you. You can use pic's to get in the ballpark, I suppose, but you gotta go look at a real pool, in different light, at different times of the day, to make a real decision. Morning, noon, afternoon, night, cloudy, bright, etc. My pebble guy had some pools in his outdoor showroom that helped me pick my color. I made the mistake of getting there too late in the day, though. Color really changes throughout the day. Maybe more so for a darker pool. So see if you can find a showroom, or if your finisher can get you in to see some of his customers' pools. It's really the only way to go. Like pictures, you can use swatches to get a general sense, but don't pick your pool color from a swatch!! (But if you do use swatches to narrow it down, be sure to put them in water, or at least spray water on them.)
Also, times of year matter. So picking a color now, depending on where your pool is located, and what's around it, might be an issue. The angle of the sun. Shadows and reflections from nearby buildings and trees. Come summer, it might look differently, with the sun directly overhead. So there's that.
Reflections and perceptions! What's around your pool water will affect the color. Not only the actual color, but how your brain sees it, too. (Huh?) There's two things going on in that regard. (1) If you go look at a pool, say a neighbor's pool, and their house is painted blue and they have a redwood fence, and then you put that plaster in your pool, but your house is green and your pool is surrounded by shrubs and trees, your pool color is not going to look like your neighbors! And (2) if you surrounded two identical pools with the exact same buildings and plants, etc, one with a grey colored deck, the other with a tan colored deck, those two pools will look different. It's not the reflections this time, but rather the way your brain works. Those two identical plasters, with the exact same reflections in it, will look slightly different because of the decks. The deck is not reflecting in the pool, but rather fooling with your eyes and "tweaking" the color perception in your brain. It's hard to explain, but you can see this for yourself: hold any swatch of color up to something white, then up to something grey (or green or blue or whatever). The swatch will look different against each.
Depth is also an issue. Plaster/pebble color will look different at different depths. So your bottom step will look bluer than your top step. And your deep end will not match your sun deck! Just keep that in mind when looking at others' pools.
Sorry, I know that's all kind'a intimidating, because there's soooo many factors that can affect this decision. But at least armed with some of these concepts can maybe help you eliminate some surprises...
I rolled the dice, picking a color at 3:00PM in October, but (so far) my pool turned out as I wanted. I haven't been in it yet, though, so I can't comment on the pebble finish. I hope it's going to feel OK. It got too cold by the time they were done installing the new pebble finish, so I have to wait until spring to know for sure I got the right stuff!! A bit nerve racking... But I had a leg up. I loved the color of my old plaster. So I was just trying to match it. I knew exactly what it looked like in my yard, all times of day, all days of the year. The plaster guy came to my house and saw the old plaster, and I had him help me match the color. I relied heavily on his advice. Point is: you're not going to have that advantage, but if you do find a pool you like, have your plaster person look at it, and have him help you match it (don't try to do it on your own). If they have the expertise, then they can help you with the issues I describe above (and if they don't, maybe find someone that does). I was struggling on my own at the showroom, but he knew my existing pool and basically made up my mind for me.
Other things to think about: there's the color of the deck to consider (as I mentioned above), but also the edge tile. So that's another couple things to choose. Dark can make for a slightly warmer pool (dark absorbs heat, which goes back into the water). Dark shows less dirt. But dark tends to mottle over time. I'm seeing it even now in my two-month-old pebble. I actually like that, but others don't. Light colors might show stains and algae more, over time. You want to know right away about algae, so that's a good thing, but stains... not so good. Dark will show calcium deposits more, and can hide algae. (Of course, if you use TFPC, you likely won't have any algae, staining or calcium issues!) What else... oh... a light-colored pool will reflect your pool light better, so if you go with a multi-color LED, you'll get more striking results with a lighter pool. My dark finish kinda sucks the colors out of my LED light. Personally, I would go easy on sparkly additives or crazy tile accents or inlayed designs on the bottom. These things can be used to make your pool your own, and unique, but (IMHO), they can cheapen and date a pool. Dolphins or turtles or giant initials might seem like a fun idea, but there's no going back if you tire of such things. And you'll have a challenge selling your house someday to someone that shares your initials!!
Also, times of year matter. So picking a color now, depending on where your pool is located, and what's around it, might be an issue. The angle of the sun. Shadows and reflections from nearby buildings and trees. Come summer, it might look differently, with the sun directly overhead. So there's that.
Reflections and perceptions! What's around your pool water will affect the color. Not only the actual color, but how your brain sees it, too. (Huh?) There's two things going on in that regard. (1) If you go look at a pool, say a neighbor's pool, and their house is painted blue and they have a redwood fence, and then you put that plaster in your pool, but your house is green and your pool is surrounded by shrubs and trees, your pool color is not going to look like your neighbors! And (2) if you surrounded two identical pools with the exact same buildings and plants, etc, one with a grey colored deck, the other with a tan colored deck, those two pools will look different. It's not the reflections this time, but rather the way your brain works. Those two identical plasters, with the exact same reflections in it, will look slightly different because of the decks. The deck is not reflecting in the pool, but rather fooling with your eyes and "tweaking" the color perception in your brain. It's hard to explain, but you can see this for yourself: hold any swatch of color up to something white, then up to something grey (or green or blue or whatever). The swatch will look different against each.
Depth is also an issue. Plaster/pebble color will look different at different depths. So your bottom step will look bluer than your top step. And your deep end will not match your sun deck! Just keep that in mind when looking at others' pools.
Sorry, I know that's all kind'a intimidating, because there's soooo many factors that can affect this decision. But at least armed with some of these concepts can maybe help you eliminate some surprises...
I rolled the dice, picking a color at 3:00PM in October, but (so far) my pool turned out as I wanted. I haven't been in it yet, though, so I can't comment on the pebble finish. I hope it's going to feel OK. It got too cold by the time they were done installing the new pebble finish, so I have to wait until spring to know for sure I got the right stuff!! A bit nerve racking... But I had a leg up. I loved the color of my old plaster. So I was just trying to match it. I knew exactly what it looked like in my yard, all times of day, all days of the year. The plaster guy came to my house and saw the old plaster, and I had him help me match the color. I relied heavily on his advice. Point is: you're not going to have that advantage, but if you do find a pool you like, have your plaster person look at it, and have him help you match it (don't try to do it on your own). If they have the expertise, then they can help you with the issues I describe above (and if they don't, maybe find someone that does). I was struggling on my own at the showroom, but he knew my existing pool and basically made up my mind for me.
Other things to think about: there's the color of the deck to consider (as I mentioned above), but also the edge tile. So that's another couple things to choose. Dark can make for a slightly warmer pool (dark absorbs heat, which goes back into the water). Dark shows less dirt. But dark tends to mottle over time. I'm seeing it even now in my two-month-old pebble. I actually like that, but others don't. Light colors might show stains and algae more, over time. You want to know right away about algae, so that's a good thing, but stains... not so good. Dark will show calcium deposits more, and can hide algae. (Of course, if you use TFPC, you likely won't have any algae, staining or calcium issues!) What else... oh... a light-colored pool will reflect your pool light better, so if you go with a multi-color LED, you'll get more striking results with a lighter pool. My dark finish kinda sucks the colors out of my LED light. Personally, I would go easy on sparkly additives or crazy tile accents or inlayed designs on the bottom. These things can be used to make your pool your own, and unique, but (IMHO), they can cheapen and date a pool. Dolphins or turtles or giant initials might seem like a fun idea, but there's no going back if you tire of such things. And you'll have a challenge selling your house someday to someone that shares your initials!!
A great place to look would be in the Under Construction section. You might have to jump towards the end of some threads to see their final plaster pics though.
Kim
Kim
If you're considering pebble tec or pebble sheen, their website has a really good, comprehensive gallery of pics that gives you an idea of the different shade/color ranges of each color in various lighting conditions. We spent hours on there narrowing down our choices via process of elimination -- this one has a potential to be too green, this one is generally too dark, etc. Not an exact science, but should get you started.
is there any truth in thinking that, a slightly "darker" color would make the pool stay warmer longer? or am i wishful thinking?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,369
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I was at NPT and ran into a guy who everyone that works there says is the master when it comes to pools. Oh and he has no problem letting you and everyone know around him know that he has 30yrs in the pool business and has forgotten more about pool than you will ever know. So he decided to butt in on my question to the gentleman helping me with pool color. The expert gave me an overload of info and most of it was BS I'm sure.. So I had to bait him into a question. That very question was about dark pools and light pools color and if there is a difference in water temp. He told me that they have no bearing on water temp and they he has seen hundreds of pool with dark color and the water temp was the same as the guy next door with white plaster. To be honest I kinda have to shake my head in disagreement because unless Thermodynamics that I know have changed... So I asked this guy a simple question - So a metal door in the sun will transfer the heat of the visible spectrum to the interior if painted black, will reflect it back and keep the interior cooler if painted white. Is that a true statement? The look on his face was priceless. BUT he then challenged me back. SO I had to go oldschool on him...
So I went into the flip side of the coin and talked about emissivity. An object will eventually come to thermal equilibrium, with the energy absorbed from incoming radiation being equal to the energy emitted as outgoing radiation. The outgoing radiation is a function of the object's emissivity ϵϵ, it's temperature TT, and it's surface area AA, dictated by the Stefan Boltzmann equation Eout=AϵσT4Eout=AϵσT4 where σσ is the Stefan Boltzmann constant. The incoming radiation is a function of the incoming energy flux ϕϕ, the object's absorptivity αα and it's cross section to the incoming radiation AcAc: Ein=AcαϕEin=Acαϕ. Equating and solving for temperature yields T=(αϵAAcϕσ)1/4T=(αϵAAcϕσ)1/4.
Note that only the first factor in the above, αϵαϵ depends on composition. The other two factors represent geometry (AAcAAc) and incoming energy (ϕσϕσ). Per Kirchhoff's Radiation Law, emissivity and absorptivity at any given frequency are equal. For an ideal gray body, both absorptivity and emissivity are constant, independent of frequency and temperature. The ratio αϵαϵ is one for a perfect gray body. All perfect gray bodies with the same geometry and subject to the same incoming radiation will eventually reach the same equilibrium temperature.
So we need something else to explain why black objects get hotter than do white ones. The answer lies in the fact that absorptivity and emissivity are frequency and temperature dependent for real objects. Ideal gray bodies don't exist. They're nice approximations if applicable. "Black" and "white" refer to the reflectivity (and hence absorptivity) in the visible range. An object that is white visibly can be very black in the thermal infrared. An object that is visibly white but thermally black won't heat up as much as will an object that is visibly and thermally black.
He walked away......... Sometimes you just have to let it out.......
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,848
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Yes, that’s what I meant!
And why do blowhards always use “30 years?” That’s the same number the guy who destroyed my pool’s plaster used! I now take that to mean “It’s been 30 years since I bothered to learn anything about pools, and I’m still doing it wrong!”
The dark vs light thing would be pretty easy to test, in your own yard’s setting. Go to Lowe’s, and buy two stones of the same size and shape, one light, one dark (or paint them). Put each in its own bucket of water, identical buckets, same amount of water. After a day in the sun, measure the water temperature of each. Even a slight difference in temp will prove the point. And multiply the effect by a large factor when you have an entire pool surface covered in the stuff...
Or: only sheikhs run around in the desert in luxury cars wearing black. Everybody else wears white! It’s not rocket science (oh, wait, it probably is rocket science!)...
I like a dark pool. Mine is. A deep aqua color. I went with a small pebble. I could post a picture, if you like, but that would contradict my advice for you. You can use pic's to get in the ballpark, I suppose, but you gotta go look at a real pool, in different light, at different times of the day, to make a real decision. Morning, noon, afternoon, night, cloudy, bright, etc. My pebble guy had some pools in his outdoor showroom that helped me pick my color. I made the mistake of getting there too late in the day, though. Color really changes throughout the day. Maybe more so for a darker pool. So see if you can find a showroom, or if your finisher can get you in to see some of his customers' pools. It's really the only way to go. Like pictures, you can use swatches to get a general sense, but don't pick your pool color from a swatch!! (But if you do use swatches to narrow it down, be sure to put them in water, or at least spray water on them.)
Also, times of year matter. So picking a color now, depending on where your pool is located, and what's around it, might be an issue. The angle of the sun. Shadows and reflections from nearby buildings and trees. Come summer, it might look differently, with the sun directly overhead. So there's that.
Reflections and perceptions! What's around your pool water will affect the color. Not only the actual color, but how your brain sees it, too. (Huh?) There's two things going on in that regard. (1) If you go look at a pool, say a neighbor's pool, and their house is painted blue and they have a redwood fence, and then you put that plaster in your pool, but your house is green and your pool is surrounded by shrubs and trees, your pool color is not going to look like your neighbors! And (2) if you surrounded two identical pools with the exact same buildings and plants, etc, one with a grey colored deck, the other with a tan colored deck, those two pools will look different. It's not the reflections this time, but rather the way your brain works. Those two identical plasters, with the exact same reflections in it, will look slightly different because of the decks. The deck is not reflecting in the pool, but rather fooling with your eyes and "tweaking" the color perception in your brain. It's hard to explain, but you can see this for yourself: hold any swatch of color up to something white, then up to something grey (or green or blue or whatever). The swatch will look different against each.
Depth is also an issue. Plaster/pebble color will look different at different depths. So your bottom step will look bluer than your top step. And your deep end will not match your sun deck! Just keep that in mind when looking at others' pools.
Sorry, I know that's all kind'a intimidating, because there's soooo many factors that can affect this decision. But at least armed with some of these concepts can maybe help you eliminate some surprises...
I rolled the dice, picking a color at 3:00PM in October, but (so far) my pool turned out as I wanted. I haven't been in it yet, though, so I can't comment on the pebble finish. I hope it's going to feel OK. It got too cold by the time they were done installing the new pebble finish, so I have to wait until spring to know for sure I got the right stuff!! A bit nerve racking... But I had a leg up. I loved the color of my old plaster. So I was just trying to match it. I knew exactly what it looked like in my yard, all times of day, all days of the year. The plaster guy came to my house and saw the old plaster, and I had him help me match the color. I relied heavily on his advice. Point is: you're not going to have that advantage, but if you do find a pool you like, have your plaster person look at it, and have him help you match it (don't try to do it on your own). If they have the expertise, then they can help you with the issues I describe above (and if they don't, maybe find someone that does). I was struggling on my own at the showroom, but he knew my existing pool and basically made up my mind for me.
Other things to think about: there's the color of the deck to consider (as I mentioned above), but also the edge tile. So that's another couple things to choose. Dark can make for a slightly warmer pool (dark absorbs heat, which goes back into the water). Dark shows less dirt. But dark tends to mottle over time. I'm seeing it even now in my two-month-old pebble. I actually like that, but others don't. Light colors might show stains and algae more, over time. You want to know right away about algae, so that's a good thing, but stains... not so good. Dark will show calcium deposits more, and can hide algae. (Of course, if you use TFPC, you likely won't have any algae, staining or calcium issues!) What else... oh... a light-colored pool will reflect your pool light better, so if you go with a multi-color LED, you'll get more striking results with a lighter pool. My dark finish kinda sucks the colors out of my LED light. Personally, I would go easy on sparkly additives or crazy tile accents or inlayed designs on the bottom. These things can be used to make your pool your own, and unique, but (IMHO), they can cheapen and date a pool. Dolphins or turtles or giant initials might seem like a fun idea, but there's no going back if you tire of such things. And you'll have a challenge selling your house someday to someone that shares your initials!!
I really wanted to put an "Arizona A" in the bottom of my pool, but this is GREAT advice, not everyone may be as big a "homer" as I am.
thanks
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,848
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I decorate my world (home, yard, pool, whatever) as follows: Things that are difficult or expensive to redo (paint, furniture, appliances, countertops, cabinets, carpet, concrete, pool, etc) I decorate/design in classic, enduring styles and colors (in my case it’s craftsman, neutrals, white, black, leather, oak). Then I embellish, with colors or style, things that can be easily or cheaply changed out (nic-nacs, throw pillows, linens, potted plants, etc). The foundations never go out of style, the accoutrements can be replaced as mood or trends change. It’s a cost-effective way to keep things interesting and fresh and contemporary.
Design your A into some cleverly planted ground cover, or a wall hanging or some hard-scape rocks or even some pavers. For $50 or so, you can always change teams!
Well done Choppy! Blind him with SCIENCE!
Dirk I have to agree with the "I have ....for 30 yrs so........" meaning "this is how I have always done it so..." Sad to not be open to new ideas and ways.
Kim
Dirk I have to agree with the "I have ....for 30 yrs so........" meaning "this is how I have always done it so..." Sad to not be open to new ideas and ways.
Kim
- Oct 18, 2009
- 3,637
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Hi fellow neighbor, welcome to TFP. You can look at our pool build in the sig below to get some ideas. Hope this helps, feel free to ask questions, lots of great folks here
Hi Neighbor! What part of Jax are you in? We are in Bartram Springs. I can't see any pictures of your pool from your link? I may be navigating wrong.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,848
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Hi fellow neighbor, welcome to TFP. You can look at our pool build in the sig below to get some ideas. Hope this helps, feel free to ask questions, lots of great folks here
So I'm dyin' over in the "What's your current pool temp?" thread... You Floridians are killin' the rest of us with your near-year-round swim season!! I have a couple months to go, at least, before mine starts. What's with the screen enclosures you both have/will have? Is that the trade off for living in Florida?
The link seems to work fine (on a laptop browser). Had a nice tour of the Dolphin Bar and Flamingo Lounge. Very nice set up. And what looks to be a fun group to share them with. Congrat's! Something to look forward to, Paige... How's the hunt for your pool surface going?
Haha about the pool temps! yes it has been in the 80's this week! I feel like the only time I won't swim is in December/January/Beginning of of February. We did decide to do a pool heater for the "spring" months. I am still so undecided about the pool surface. I need to see more pics and pools! So the enclosure is good to keep out the mosquitoes and tree debris. It is not needed by any means but def makes for a nice hangout in the summer and not get eaten alive by bugs!
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,848
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Were you able to locate a pool surface dealer with a showroom? I had to drive 2 hours to find mine, but it was well worth the trip. For the color, but also for how the various types of surfaces felt on my feet. They had everything there to compare. I still think plaster is the best, feel-wise, but pebble is supposed to last quite a bit longer, so I gave up the smoothness for the longevity. I'm hoping, between TFPC and pebble, that this will be my last (only) resurface job. I ended up with their smallest pebble, without any color flecks or sparkle additives. The color, in its stock form, was the closest to what I was trying to match, and then the dealer tweaked the color of the plaster to make the overall effect a little less grey (This is what I meant by relying on someone with expertise, that can interpret your vision into reality.). The color is best described in the industry as "Tahoe Blue." It's a deep aqua color that's not quite blue, not quite green. I know a lot of people like that light, bright "swimming pool blue," but that reminds me too much of a school or swim club pool, for some reason, and the darker color seems more, what, exotic... secluded... private... and certainly more dramatic.
I mentioned before how the darker color hinders the pool light, but I didn't mention I actually like that. Of the handful of color choices my light provides, I most often use the darker shades, blue or red, because they get absorbed the most. I'm looking for a subtle effect, just enough to see where the bottom and steps are. Personally, I don't like a spot light on me while swimming at night (nor would any onlookers, that's for sure!!). Between the subtle color of the light and the dark pebble, it's more like swimming in the ocean at night, rather than some sort of underwater synchronised swimming event! But that's just me.
I don't mean to sound like I'm pushing dark, I've just been describing other things to consider about color. Color conveys a message, and you might want to think about the message first. Rather than just picking out a color you like, from a picture, without really knowing why, maybe try a different approach. Think about the mood (or moods) you want your pool to emote. What is the feel, of the pool and surrounding area, that you're after? Is it bright and sunny and pool-party fun? Or is it calm and soothing and relaxing? Is it private? Or festive? Bold? Conservative? Come up with a list of adjectives of how you want to feel about your pool, or feel while you're in your pool. After you get that, then look at pools, or pictures, and see which make you feel most like the adjectives you've defined.
There's more than one way to approach your decision...
I mentioned before how the darker color hinders the pool light, but I didn't mention I actually like that. Of the handful of color choices my light provides, I most often use the darker shades, blue or red, because they get absorbed the most. I'm looking for a subtle effect, just enough to see where the bottom and steps are. Personally, I don't like a spot light on me while swimming at night (nor would any onlookers, that's for sure!!). Between the subtle color of the light and the dark pebble, it's more like swimming in the ocean at night, rather than some sort of underwater synchronised swimming event! But that's just me.
I don't mean to sound like I'm pushing dark, I've just been describing other things to consider about color. Color conveys a message, and you might want to think about the message first. Rather than just picking out a color you like, from a picture, without really knowing why, maybe try a different approach. Think about the mood (or moods) you want your pool to emote. What is the feel, of the pool and surrounding area, that you're after? Is it bright and sunny and pool-party fun? Or is it calm and soothing and relaxing? Is it private? Or festive? Bold? Conservative? Come up with a list of adjectives of how you want to feel about your pool, or feel while you're in your pool. After you get that, then look at pools, or pictures, and see which make you feel most like the adjectives you've defined.
There's more than one way to approach your decision...
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,848
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Bugs? Ha. Well, it's very tempting to go back over to the pool-temp thread and tease all those temp-braggin' Floridians about their bugs, but with my luck I'd just karma myself into some sort of locust infestation or something! Better leave well enough alone!!
What type of heater? Did you look into solar? Not sure about Florida, but NG costs to heat a pool here in CA are out of my price range, so I put solar panels on my roof. In my region, it doesn't get me more than about a month of extra swim season, but it makes what I do have a lot more comfortable.