I have a 3 years old gunnite pool. Immediately after it was done we noticed it was discolored in areas. Photo #1. We have been speaking with the pool company who installed and the plaster company. They are all blaming the chemicals in the pool. The company who is doing the chemicals says the plaster is the issue. We are currently looking to sue because it keep getting worse. Picture 2. We are told an acid wash won’t help at this point. Has anyone experienced this?
Mottled discolored plaster
- Thread starter Laurbeth24
- Start date
What are the water test results? Do you have one of the two Taylor kits you can measure with?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,958
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Welcome to TFP.
Yeah, that looks pretty low quality and blotchy.
Who performed the 28 day startup on the new plaster?
Try sanding an area with 80/100 grit wet/dry sandpaper and see how the surface changes.
www.troublefreepool.com
Being Blamed for Plaster Discolorations? Don't Get Hoodwinked Some newly plastered pools (including quartz and pebble finishes) may develop either white soft spotting (also called "spot etching" by some plasterers), streaking, calcium nodules, gray mottling discoloration, spalling (flaking), or severe craze (check) cracking within a few months after being plastered, and whoever has been maintaining the water is often incorrectly blamed for those plaster problems and defects.
Diagnosing Pool Plaster Problems
@onBalance may have ideas on what happened.
Yeah, that looks pretty low quality and blotchy.
Who performed the 28 day startup on the new plaster?
Try sanding an area with 80/100 grit wet/dry sandpaper and see how the surface changes.
Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
Being Blamed for Plaster Discolorations? Don't Get Hoodwinked Some newly plastered pools (including quartz and pebble finishes) may develop either white soft spotting (also called "spot etching" by some plasterers), streaking, calcium nodules, gray mottling discoloration, spalling (flaking), or severe craze (check) cracking within a few months after being plastered, and whoever has been maintaining the water is often incorrectly blamed for those plaster problems and defects.
Diagnosing Pool Plaster Problems
@onBalance may have ideas on what happened.
Some additional is needed.
Is this a quartz or pebble plaster finish? What is the original color of the finish? What are your current pool water readings? What is the pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness of your tap and fill water? And as ajw22 requested, take some sandpaper and sand a small 4 X 4 inch area and let us know what happens.
Is this a quartz or pebble plaster finish? What is the original color of the finish? What are your current pool water readings? What is the pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness of your tap and fill water? And as ajw22 requested, take some sandpaper and sand a small 4 X 4 inch area and let us know what happens.
yes we had our pool company who services the pool check and it was fine. acid a little high but they check every week and make adjustments
Hi,Welcome to TFP.
Yeah, that looks pretty low quality and blotchy.
Who performed the 28 day startup on the new plaster?
Try sanding an area with 80/100 grit wet/dry sandpaper and see how the surface changes.
Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading
Being Blamed for Plaster Discolorations? Don't Get Hoodwinked Some newly plastered pools (including quartz and pebble finishes) may develop either white soft spotting (also called "spot etching" by some plasterers), streaking, calcium nodules, gray mottling discoloration, spalling (flaking), or severe craze (check) cracking within a few months after being plastered, and whoever has been maintaining the water is often incorrectly blamed for those plaster problems and defects.
Diagnosing Pool Plaster Problems
@onBalance may have ideas on what happened.
the 28 day startup was the pool company who is pretty much the general contractor. So it was his pool guy who we no longer use. we had the whole pool sanded this summer and it made it a little lighter but then came right back. never completely removed the whole problem. I am in NJ and looking for some professionals to come give me their opinion because I think I need to have it replastered.
It is Wet Edge Technology Altima, the color is french grey
PH today was high around 8, alk 80, hardness 200
the sandpaper takes a little off but then it comes right back. never completely clear
I don't understand what you mean by "never completely clear."
Is the discoloration a lighter or whitish color than the grey color? Or is the discoloration a darker color than the original grey color?
Is the discoloration a lighter or whitish color than the grey color? Or is the discoloration a darker color than the original grey color?
Sorry I meant when we did the sanding some of the darker areas got lighter but not completely uniform in color. The discoloration is darker like in the pics I posted in the OP
What you are saying about the french grey color developing a dark discoloration doesn't seem possible. It should be the other way around. Typically, the grey color should be turning whitish.
However, I do see the possibility of copper staining that causes a dark blue/black discoloration. Perhaps you should investigate that possibility. Check your tap water for copper content.
However, I do see the possibility of copper staining that causes a dark blue/black discoloration. Perhaps you should investigate that possibility. Check your tap water for copper content.
it has more of a darker mottled look. trying to figure out what is causing this.
Based from your photos I'd say you've definitely got some bad mottling and discoloration going on. I understand why you're thinking of taking this to court, but if 3 years has gone by since installation, you may be facing an uphill battle there. Would start by asking the installers if your pool went through the standard 28-day finish startup procedure as recommended by the National Plasterer's Council.
https://www.nptpool.com/pool-finishes/start-up-procedure/
https://www.nptpool.com/pool-finishes/start-up-procedure/
blakeusa
In The Industry
I would contact the Mfg of the plaster and see what they say after reviewing the pics.
It is very difficult to determine the discoloration problem from those two photos. So more information is needed.
Please post two pictures of the pool rather than the spa. Does the pool look the same as the spa?
Was photo #1 taken before the spa was filled with water for the first time?
Please test the tap water and post what the pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness is.
Who told you an acid wash wouldn't work and did they say why?
Was the spa and pool power sanded last summer, or simply by hand sanding with sandpaper?
Please post two pictures of the pool rather than the spa. Does the pool look the same as the spa?
Was photo #1 taken before the spa was filled with water for the first time?
Please test the tap water and post what the pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness is.
Who told you an acid wash wouldn't work and did they say why?
Was the spa and pool power sanded last summer, or simply by hand sanding with sandpaper?
thanks. they are blaming the pool company who is doing the chemicals
we have had the problem since the first year and have documentaion regarding the mottling on year one. the pool company claims everything was done properly
In your first post, you stated that the discoloration was seen immediately after being done. Please be specific as to the time. The picture of the spa you posted is without water. Was that photo of the spa taken before it was filled with water? If so, how could improper chemical treatments have caused the initial discoloration?
I previously posted some other questions too which the answers may help resolved this issue.
I previously posted some other questions too which the answers may help resolved this issue.
correct we saw it right after the pool was done. Then it was filled with water and looked even worse. Over the past 3 years the discoloration has gotten progressively worse starting from the first summer. They claim some discoloration is and uneven color is normal and the imbalanced water is what has made it worse . we have not tested out tap water. only the pool water which comes from the same source.