Help choosing WetEdge color

[swimama]

Hello,
I am new to the forum, we have a plaster pool which we have decided to resurface (starting next week) with Pearl Matrix WetEdge. We don't want the black or white but we're having trouble deciding beyond that. We love the look of the Midnight Ocean but have heard the dark surfaces can heat up the pool. . . hubby is worried that this will promote algae growth and maybe eat up the chlorine tablets faster (we are in Austin TX-- HOT summers). Other than that we like the Chilean Beach Caribbean, but our contractor doesn't seem to recommend that either. There is a Mediterranean color on the site but no pics, even on WE site. . . can anyone give us some guidance? I guess we want the deepest blue we can get without worrying about the pool temp.
Thank you!!

 

[polyvue]

Welcome to the forum, swimama...

I doubt that even the darkest color would warm your pool by more than a few degrees, and if the pool contracts algae it won't be primarily because of temperature but due to lack of free chlorine. You have to be quite careful chlorinating the pool with tabs or pucks -- these tend to add CYA or calcium at prodigious rates and can lead to undesirable consequences. Read through Pool School and see if you don't agree.

 

[Guest]

May I ask how you decided upon Wet Edge?

 

[swimama]

Yes, we learned the hard way about chlorine tablets when we first bought this house (the pool was already 10 years old, now it's almost 12. We had to immediately drain the pool when we bought the house due to high CYA levels). Hubby has noticed that the free chlorine just seems to burn right off in the TX sun. . . so we just have to monitor carefully.

I am glad to say we talked directly with a WetEdge rep yesterday and she steered us away from the Midnight Ocean, saying it can be 5 degrees warmer. (For me, the warmer the better, but my hubby likes a more refreshing dip.) So, after the rep talked with us for a while, she sent us pics of the other colors we both liked. Very helpful!

As for how we decided on WetEdge, we knew we wanted a pebble finish product for the durability and also the look. We talked with our local Pebble Tec rep first (there is only 1 company in Austin TX that applies this material) and we just weren't sold. The product seemed good -- very similar to Wetedge but it was more expensive and had a shorter warranty. Also, several pool builders told us they had experience with the WetEdge installers and were very impressed. After talking with him directly, we knew this was the product for us. (We also considered Stonescapes and Beadcrete -- but Beadcrete was not in the budget!) From what I can tell, all these depend on a good installation, so I guess it depends on your area installers. Good luck to you!

 

[huskyrider]

From what I can tell, all these depend on a good installation, so I guess it depends on your area installers.

I can assure you that applicator expertise is everything. I have a plaster contractor who has excellent finishers. He can apply SGM RiverRok and make it look as good as PebbleSheen, the problem is that, even though it isn't Pebble Sheen he loses business simply by the word Pebble Sheen alone. My pebble applicator is #2 in the nation and his prices reflect it, and my other applicator is very jealous. I'd take any exposed aggregate pool finish from a seasoned applicator well before buying a product on name recognition exclusively.
All I can offer above and beyond this is "Don't purchase a pool finish on the Mfg's warranty alone, you'll be setting yourself up for a huge disappointment." A good looking and long lasting pool finish starts with the homeowners ability to keep water chemistry that promotes sanitary swimming conditions and is not aggressive to the finish.

Congrats on the new pool finish, you'll find the Wet Edge products to be AWESOME!!!

See ya,
Kelly

 

[swimama]

Thank you for the info, Kelly. It's nice to hear from someone in the industry. . . since I see you are in the Houston area, I wonder if you are familiar with Uno? They are doing our surface. . . I've only heard good things, but wondered if you have any thoughts.

And, good info about keeping the pool chemistry balanced. Luckily, my husband is "Type A" about that -- this pool is his baby since our kiddos aren't babies anymore. . . I think the previous owners were not quite as careful about it. . . they mostly used the strips to check water chemistry and although the water looked gorgeous, we had to drain the pool as soon as we moved in and did a thorough check.

About the warranty, are these companies not good about honoring the warranty? I see that we must keep specific weekly printouts of our water chemistry so that the warranty will be valid. . . anything else you can recommend?

 

[Guest]

I've never seen a warranty on the product itself, but I have seen a warranty from the applicator. Usually that is a bonding warranty, which states that they will warrant the product to adhere to the pool shell for a period of XX years. As with anything, read the fine print though! If you do not maintain your water chemistry within acceptable levels, and do not provide accurate documentation, there will be no recourse on your end!

I have never seen a WetEdge pool, so I do not know the product. I have been told that the gentleman that owns/runs the company is an ex PebbleTec employee who has left and started his own company. If he took the knowledge that he gained (or provided, if that is the case!) to WetEdge and is utilizing it, it should be a good product. They have been around for a much shorter time than PebbleTec, so I don't know where they get there warranty claim (if there is any) history from. A good applicator should be able to provide a good finish productif the product is quality from the beginning.

Please post up some pics when it is all done!!

 

[huskyrider]

About the warranty, are these companies not good about honoring the warranty? I see that we must keep specific weekly printouts of our water chemistry so that the warranty will be valid. . . anything else you can recommend?

The applicators offer a warranty for workmanship and delamination (blistering/peeling) typically for one year. The Mfg's usually offer a longer warranty for the product, also for delam and typically finish feel quality too except for aggressive water pitting etc... Neither are going to redo your pool for staining.
I saw SGM turn down many people on issues that were water related, and those who had printouts were told that it must of been an application error blaming me and mine. Spineless sales rep wimps wouldn't point out the truth because they don't want to ruffle feathers and risk losing the people's next pool's finish because most pool owners will always get another pool at their new home or buy a home with a pool that may need refinishing.
All I could ever say is ???WTF??? Mixing a bagged product with water in a mixer involves no chemistry or mysteries of rocket science. And, troweling the product with hand trowels is the manner of application.
Where's the applicator error???
IMO, it was ALWAYS water chemistry related. Metal in your pool causes a stain, you use a metalout product, the metals are gone but it's the pool builder, his applicator, or the Mfg's fault because you got a pesky stubborn staining??? Some of these stains end up permanent, you can make them look a little better but never like day 1 after filling

Note to all readers, pool stains are almost always from organics on the floor (acorns,pine cones,sweetgum balls etc) and poor water chemistry.
Aggressive water is bad for cementious pool finishes, so is a calcium defecient or an exceptionally high hardness levels too. Metals in the water are just as bad.

Kelly. It's nice to hear from someone in the industry. . . since I see you are in the Houston area, I wonder if you are familiar with Uno?

Yes, I've known Jerve and his family within the industry for 20 plus.
They're great applicators and you picked their premier product line.
I'm certain they'll make you proud!!!

See ya,
Kelly