Cost of Replaster - 14 yrs with a SWG

[kenmacboston]

I have had a lot of pitting on my plaster over the past 5 years. The plaster surface is still original, this is the 14th year I have had the SWG and the pool. This year, the pitting has become quite consistent thruout the pool area, walls and bottom seem to have a common amount of degradation due to pitting. My assumption is that the salt content is taking its toll on the plaster, as it is cement based and the salt erodes the plaster with time. I am not up to date on plaster methodology for pools. I am looking for suggestions as to the best process to get a new surface. A budget amount would be good as well. I have a +-16x32 pool, I estimate it has +-1000 sf of surface area. (+-520 bottom, +-480 walls). I am figuring that the plaster shall need to be very high pressure powerwashed, sandblasted, or smooth down with a grinder(?) to remove all salt residue from the pits in the existing plaster. I have a fear that if I merely cover the plaster with a new coat, I'll have salt embedded in the plaster and it will deteriorate from the inside. I welcome any thoughts, suggestions, and ideas. Thank you.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Well, salt corroding plaster is just one of those "old wive's tales" which is designed to make salt seem much worse than it actually is. In a properly balanced pool (even with salt), there is nothing that salt can do to shorten the life of a properly plastered pool. So you're at the 15 year mark (more or less) and your pool has aesthetic pitting and some staining/scaling but the plaster is still mechanically intact and not spalling or cracking off in chunks? That sounds about right for a 15 year old plaster pool. Salt has nothing to do with it, it's age-related.

Now, as for what can be done, your options are either to replaster the pool or consider using AquaBright by ecoFinish. I can't give you any cost estimates but a replaster is typically $8k-$15k depending on your local contractor market and choice of materials while AquaBright will be more like a high-end aggregate finish (eg, PebbleFina or some other high end aggregate system). AquaBright can sometimes be applied directly to your old plaster surface (with appropriate patching and surface prep) but sometimes the AB installer prefers to do a replaster and then AB application (that's what causes the price to be high). For AquaBright, surface prep and installer expertise is critical for getting the perfect finish. We have many threads regarding AquaBright and two members on TFP that are installers. Searching the forum for AquaBright will return all the info you need.

Good luck in getting your pool resurfaced.

 

[HitchHiker]

Are you looking at replastering only or are you also considering fresh tile and coping? I'm in the mid Atlantic area and am getting price quotes on all options at present. With 15 year old pitted plaster if you go the AB route they are most likely going to want to replaster before applying AB. My quote for my free form pool with 103 LF and 550 SF surface area was 21k for AB with replaster, but YMMV as pricing is local local local in nature.

If you haven't ever painted and are still on the original plaster surface, usually they will only acid wash the surface to clean it well and sand any areas down that may need it. Sandblasting isn't really necessary unless you have painted over top of the original plaster surface or bonded any other kind of material on top of the original plaster.

If you are only looking to replaster it will probably run 5-10k depending on the plaster surface you choose (white marbelite, quartz, pebble aggregate). Expect brand name surfaces like Pebbletec to be higher like 10-15k.