I have a plaster pool has not been drained in over 25+ years and it has some stains and the floor and walls are very ruff. So I empty the pool a few days ago and Pressure washed it all. Now I have been lightly sanding the surface to make it smooth. I don't seem to have any cracks or hole in the plaster, just real ruff surface and stains. Also a few calcium deposits on the surface( I think that is what they are called). I was going to acid wash but I did a small area before I started sanding and it seem to make it look worse. I wanted to know if I can just paint it and let dry and fill it back up. I have been told all kind of different methods and info on how and what to do. I just wanted some advice from experienced pool people. (I do understand that the best thing is to replaster and refill as quick as possible..) My question to you is can i paint over the plaster and what paint should i use. Can i use pool paint from home depot and if so how many coats should I apply. Also should i acid wash it. I appreciate and info/help someone could share with me. Thank You for you Time..Sean
Can I Paint My Plaster Pool ??
- Thread starter warpig23
- Start date
First, welcome to TFP. 
I personally would never paint a pool. It will leave you with a mess later on, and the paint never lasts at all.
I would get some quotes (and opinions) on having an acid wash done. And then fill it back up and wait till you have the budget to have it re-plastered.
I personally would never paint a pool. It will leave you with a mess later on, and the paint never lasts at all.
I would get some quotes (and opinions) on having an acid wash done. And then fill it back up and wait till you have the budget to have it re-plastered.
Old school paint would have worked great. Today’s, better for the environment and those who come in contact with it, not so much.
23,
It is your pool and you can do anything you want... Just keep in mind that paint will last a year or two and you will just have to do it again... ?
New plaster should last 15 to 25 years, but as you probably know, is very expensive.
I doubt acid washing the pool will help much and it will not make it any less rough.
If money is the problem then I would just sand it and fill it back up. Cheap yes, ugly yes, workable yes... This might give you a chance to save a little and do it right.
Thanks,
Jim R.
It is your pool and you can do anything you want... Just keep in mind that paint will last a year or two and you will just have to do it again... ?
New plaster should last 15 to 25 years, but as you probably know, is very expensive.
I doubt acid washing the pool will help much and it will not make it any less rough.
If money is the problem then I would just sand it and fill it back up. Cheap yes, ugly yes, workable yes... This might give you a chance to save a little and do it right.
Thanks,
Jim R.
One of our guides @Dirk can tell you why NOT to do the acid wash. They ruined his pool with a acid wash. He ended up having to get all new plaster way before he planned on it.
Me? I would fill it back up and enjoy it like it is! If anyone says anything just hold your hand out and tell them the check needs to be written out for $15,000. Bet they won't say anything else
Paint will start *chalking* very fast then it will start flaking off. You will end up with more a mess that before.
Kim
Me? I would fill it back up and enjoy it like it is! If anyone says anything just hold your hand out and tell them the check needs to be written out for $15,000. Bet they won't say anything else
Paint will start *chalking* very fast then it will start flaking off. You will end up with more a mess that before.
Kim
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,921
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Acid washing removes plaster. That's how it eliminates stains. Not so much by attacking only the stain (though it can, to some degree), but more by taking a layer of plaster off to which the stain is attached. Acid washing plaster in great shape can (probably will) leave it rougher. Acid washing a worn out, rough surface will not make it smoother. Even if the acid wash is done perfectly, you're just advancing the demise of your plaster. If done poorly, it'll finish off what's left of your pool's surface and then you'll have no choice but to replace it (which is what happened to me, and my plaster was only 6 years old!). You're approaching the end-of-life of your plaster, and it needs to be replaced (as you know). Sanding is an interesting solution, but again, you're removing plaster from plaster that is just about done, so you can do the math on that. Paint? Yikes, I wouldn't. Either live with it as is for as long as you can/want, or do it right.
Another "side effect" of the acid washing is blistering. Small bubbles forming in the plaster surface, which later "pop" and leave pock marks. Mine were about 1" in diameter. I'm not clear on if that was from the acid, or the emptying of the pool, probably both. Sometimes it's the weight of the water keeping your plaster in place. Relieving that weight can cause defects to appear. Whatever you do, get the water back in the pool asap.
By the way, when I had mine replaced, I had bids on a few surfaces. I have a 12K-gal pool, Pebble was $9K (which is what I chose, so that I wouldn't have to do it again in my lifetime), but plaster was only about $5500, if I remember right. And that included a full chip out of the old plaster (which is what you want). Pools require regular maintenance. You're just up against one of the big-ticket items.
$5500 is nothing to sneeze at, but if this helps: When I had my pool redone, they removed my drains, which I just love (safer, looks better, better for brushing and vac). And they added "modern" eyeball returns to what was previously just sawed off PVC, which allows me to better fine-tune my circulation. So I got a "better" pool out of the job, in addition to the new surface. You can even have them reshape things a bit: add or adjust a bench or modify stairs, add a ladder or a hand rail, etc. Things that might better justify the expense...
Another "side effect" of the acid washing is blistering. Small bubbles forming in the plaster surface, which later "pop" and leave pock marks. Mine were about 1" in diameter. I'm not clear on if that was from the acid, or the emptying of the pool, probably both. Sometimes it's the weight of the water keeping your plaster in place. Relieving that weight can cause defects to appear. Whatever you do, get the water back in the pool asap.
By the way, when I had mine replaced, I had bids on a few surfaces. I have a 12K-gal pool, Pebble was $9K (which is what I chose, so that I wouldn't have to do it again in my lifetime), but plaster was only about $5500, if I remember right. And that included a full chip out of the old plaster (which is what you want). Pools require regular maintenance. You're just up against one of the big-ticket items.
$5500 is nothing to sneeze at, but if this helps: When I had my pool redone, they removed my drains, which I just love (safer, looks better, better for brushing and vac). And they added "modern" eyeball returns to what was previously just sawed off PVC, which allows me to better fine-tune my circulation. So I got a "better" pool out of the job, in addition to the new surface. You can even have them reshape things a bit: add or adjust a bench or modify stairs, add a ladder or a hand rail, etc. Things that might better justify the expense...
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,921
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Oh, PS, an empty pool can "float" right out of the ground if the surrounding water table reaches high enough. I'm not sure if that's a potential problem where you live, but it's another reason not to empty a pool unless you really have to, and only then if the water table is low. In other words, do what you're gonna do and get the pool filled soon.