Help with Waterline Tile and Pebble Tec! Newbie!

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kimkats said:
Will, Lets also talk about 3 sets of red tail hawks that nest and hunt all around me. The owls are awesome at night! The coyotes not so much. When they start "singing" it will send chills down your spine. Have not seen the bear but have seen their scat on the other side of the fence. We back up to a protect wetlands so have "neat" neighbors! Deer and fox just about every morning. I LOVE where I live!

Kim:kim:
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Yes Kim! I love my wild life! We have a mated pair of bald eagles that live across the street and they hunt in my pond often. Then we have bob white quail, rabbits, red shouldered hawks, kites, white egrets, blue herons, all the aforementioned snakes, and various other critters. Our 3 acres are surrounded by a 10 acre horse farm behind me and neighbors beside and across from us all have 1.5+ acres so no woods for other critters to feel safe though I have seen a random deer twice in 10 years.
 
We have a place for all that stuff on the west coast.....
It's called a ZOO!! Hahahah
When I want to see those types of animals I either helping my kids with a school project or going to the zoo.
I love to look from a distant and behind a protective barrier but other than that I'll pass. The eagles seem neat but those birds are HUGE


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Okay ... I am now thinking Emerald Bay pebble tec with my Artic Ice tile. It doesn't look green in pictures, anybody out there have a Emerald Bay pool color. I like a blue/green, but I never want it to look like it's not clean and has algae.


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Yes they have to use a specific thin set and grout. As some of the other posters, esp yankeelawyer, showed that different color thin sets change the color of your tile. Quite a few examples of the arctic ice with different colored thin sets. Also, make sure they trowel the thin set on flat. My tile guys were supposed to but a few of the tiles show the trowel lines. If we have any tiles left over, I am going to ask they replace those areas as they are above the water and visible. Also glass tile usually has a higher labor rate so check with your PB and verify his tile guys are familiar with glass but most are.
 
mamasmith said:
Another question ... is glass tile installed differently than other tiles? Should I be on the lookout for something in particular? TIA!!


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YES, YES, YES! You need to make sure the thinset is approved for glass tiles. Laticrete 254 platinum thinset works and when installed as a system with other Laticrete products carries a warranty. That said, I would use Bostik thinset for glass tiles. It has latex additives that allow for some expansion of the thinset so expansion joints aren't as necessary. This is a good thing as installers typically do not want to install expansion joints because it takes a lot of time and they are ready to move on to the next job. Glass tiles will expand and contract more than ceramic and porcelain tiles so accounting for that is important or they may start popping off prematurely. The thinset will also show through the tiles as the glass is largely transparent so you need to think about this as well when selecting a color. I would also use Laticrete Spectralock Pro Premium grout. It is an epoxy grout and so does not absorb water and is less likely to stain. Darker colors can change color with UV exposure so take that into account. The installers also need to take their time when preparing the surface to makes sure it is as plumb (vertical) as possible all the way around. With small tiles they will show every little change in elevation. As a result, installation is also typically more expensive. I would ask for a crew with experience laying glass tiles. That said, if you can afford it, it is probably the one upgrade in a pool that does not cost too much more and really adds a lot to the overall aesthetic. Also, make sure to order more than you will use so there are some leftover should some pop off. Manufacturers drop lines from time to time.

With regard to Lightstream, they are fantastic tiles and are made in the US, but do cost more and lead time is an issue as I don't think they carry much inventory. This is typically not an issue for people who are building a pool at the same time they are having a new house built.
 
Thanks Pushin - I really appreciate your thorough answer and have taken a screen shot to share with my PB. So far - everything I have asked my PB, he has had the "right" answer! He's so easy to work with! My tile is coming in from CA on Friday. Can't wait!! I'll post lots of pics!


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Bling is here!!!!! After no work since April 16th we are finally moving again!!

It's a little bluer than I imagined, but hoping when the light gray grout goes on it will "green up" a little bit!

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Wow, that tile is spectacular!!! :cool:

I really like the Arctic series. I had selected Arctic Lagoon, but my PB told me it would be $25 sqft, just for the installation, due to the plastic-facing, which is more challenging to install. He suggested I go with a glass tile that has a mesh backing, which would be $10 sqft for the installation. These are upgrade prices on top of what I paid in the contract for tile installation. Because I plan on using glass tile for the waterline, step markers, and the spa spillover, the Arctic series is now off the table. :(

Was there a huge up-charge for the installation of your glass tile?
 
Tony, we chose Lightstream glass tile that is $35 a square foot to purchase and was the same cost to install ($17.50 a linear foot). We opted to have an accent wall in all glass and found a complimentary ceramic tile for the waterline and every 5th tile, did a glass tile on the waterline. It saved is $4000 by not doing all glass at the waterline.

If you can swing it, do what you want, bc its not like paint color where you can just easily change it. I have read a lot where the glass tiles with the mesh have issues popping off bc they don't get a great bond to the thin set bc of the wire between the tile and the thin set esp if you pick a small tile and not to mention if the glass is see through, you will see the wire through the glass. $25 a square foot installed, which is $12.50 a linear foot, sounds about right and I wish ours had been that much as it would have saved us more money. But if you can swing it, do it, and have no regrets.
 
BLING! I see BLING! :sun: oh happy day!!!!!

The plaster will really influence the color as will the water reflecting all of the pretty trees and brush around your pool!

Now did y'all see that swing??? I SO know what I would be doing from it!!!! OH yeah!!!! Water swing!!!! :slidehalo:

Kim:kim:
 
kimkats said:
BLING! I see BLING! :sun: oh happy day!!!!!

The plaster will really influence the color as will the water reflecting all of the pretty trees and brush around your pool!

Now did y'all see that swing??? I SO know what I would be doing from it!!!! OH yeah!!!! Water swing!!!! :slidehalo:

Kim:kim:
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The swing is called a Swurfer - you can surf in the trees. All I keep thinking is Swurfer + alcohol + being 50 = a quick trip to the E.R. [emoji6]
 
Tony411LA said:
Wow, that tile is spectacular!!! :cool:

I really like the Arctic series. I had selected Arctic Lagoon, but my PB told me it would be $25 sqft, just for the installation, due to the plastic-facing, which is more challenging to install. He suggested I go with a glass tile that has a mesh backing, which would be $10 sqft for the installation. These are upgrade prices on top of what I paid in the contract for tile installation. Because I plan on using glass tile for the waterline, step markers, and the spa spillover, the Arctic series is now off the table. :(

Was there a huge up-charge for the installation of your glass tile?
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Thanks Tony! All total the tile plus installation came to an extra $1,000. I was pretty happy with that! I love it!!
 

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