My plaster is being done this Friday. If I want to expose as much of the aggregate as possible what needs to be done? I’ve seen quartzscape finishes with very little aggregate showing with a smooth almost solid color finish and some with very exposed aggregate and a textured finish looking almost like a pebble finish. Is this something I need to do by brushing afterwards or is it something that needs to be done during application?
Exposing Quartzscapes Aggregate
- Thread starter GeauxTigerz
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,253
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Brushing will make no difference in the aggregate exposure. Once water is in the pool you will not change it's look or feel.
Acid baths are used to dissolve plaster and expose aggregate. Your plaster company needs to do it during the plastering. Dissolving too much plaster can decrease the longevity of the finish.
Discuss your desires with your builder and plaster company before the install.
Acid baths are used to dissolve plaster and expose aggregate. Your plaster company needs to do it during the plastering. Dissolving too much plaster can decrease the longevity of the finish.
Discuss your desires with your builder and plaster company before the install.
Thanks for the reply! Is the acid bath something they would normally do for a quartz finish? I know it’s part of the process for pebble finishes
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,253
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
To the extent you want aggregate exposed I think acid is the way they achieve it.
Whatever you want needs to be done during installation. By the time the crew is walking away it has hardened to where your brushing will make no difference.
Whatever you want needs to be done during installation. By the time the crew is walking away it has hardened to where your brushing will make no difference.
ok. I was just curious if it’s something additional I’ll need to ask them to do or if it’s part of the normal process they’ll be doing anyway
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,253
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I would not assume anything about what you expect versus what the crew will do. Best to discuss what you have in mind and get on the same page. You seem to have specific ideas about the aggregate you expect to have exposed.
MAPR-Austin
In The Industry
Quartz aggregate surfaces can be tricky to water expose, but it can be done. You should make sure the contractor knows ahead of time what you want - some people want a minimal exposure because the surface will be smoother and will last longer, some want maximum exposure from day 1. The only way they will know what you want is if you tell them directly.
Water exposure is done right as the material is becoming hard, and I usually use a very fine brush or sponge with a free flowing water hose on about 1/4-1/2 volume. You run the water over the surface and gently rub off the cement cream with the brush/sponge. You are not removing the cement from between the aggregate, just cleaning the face of the aggregate.
If they are too aggressive the finish can wash out, leaving some areas very rough and over-exposed. Do not let them experiment on your pool if they are not familiar with the process, and have plenty of experienced applicators.
One method I like is to do the water wash on the tops of all steps, benches, sunshelves, etc but do a traditional acid wash over everything also. This gives you a well exposed surface where you want it and can see it, and a smooth but matching surface over the rest of the pool. It also makes it much easier to do, as the water washing can just be a sponge and a bucket of water done by one person.
Water exposure is done right as the material is becoming hard, and I usually use a very fine brush or sponge with a free flowing water hose on about 1/4-1/2 volume. You run the water over the surface and gently rub off the cement cream with the brush/sponge. You are not removing the cement from between the aggregate, just cleaning the face of the aggregate.
If they are too aggressive the finish can wash out, leaving some areas very rough and over-exposed. Do not let them experiment on your pool if they are not familiar with the process, and have plenty of experienced applicators.
One method I like is to do the water wash on the tops of all steps, benches, sunshelves, etc but do a traditional acid wash over everything also. This gives you a well exposed surface where you want it and can see it, and a smooth but matching surface over the rest of the pool. It also makes it much easier to do, as the water washing can just be a sponge and a bucket of water done by one person.
I spoke with the plaster contractors today and they will be doing an acid wash followed by pressure wash to expose