WOW you have an amazing PB, my PB never showed up and told me I am on my own for the start up. #jealous
New build
- Thread starter Ellen M
- Start date
Excellent point- so hard to imagine it will be the same since we were so proactive and ordered the water tile early in the year and it sat in the warehouse for months. I will find out soon as it is supposed to arrive tomorrow or friday (we shall see). I was able to keep the water tile box info that has the dye lot. Hopefully it will match. Also if needed the spillway and back portion by auto cover which are horizontal vs vertical could handle slight variation. I will keep you updated!
Also, as always, thank you for your compliments. All my choices came from reading TFP experiences, regrets, and ideas; TFP is a wonderful site. One TFP person suggested that the coping and water tile should flow to allow the water color pop; that forum thread spoke to me. Before I discovered TFP site, I was originally thinking some form of blue water tile and may be even blue shades of glass as many people select. Then on TFP I read, glass requires more work as well as blended coping and tile adds a cleaner look, so we stayed idea of easy to clean water tiles and a clean line look. I also read about grout issues and realized the longer tiles have less grout which is another bonus. We hope to get a rich deep blue interior finish. NPT says they are in short supply and the PB says do not worry about it as he has managed to get what he has needed. We have see in the next 3 weeks how it all unfolds.
I am really really sad that happened to you. At the start of our search we called any PB company just to get an idea of cost etc. The first company promised a proposal in 3 wks, so we waited just to see the details..no proposal came. We then repeated this 3 more times and wasted 12 weeks of time. I called someone I knew was well networked and asked what they knew of pools. Her friend had just finished using the PB I hired and sang his praises. I met him and his knowledge and attention to detail was all I needed to know he would be the right hire. I am grateful for all he has done for us and continues to do. He is bringing a custom handrail guy by this week so we can figure out how to have one handrail that swings to the spa step, locks in place, and then we can unlock and move the other direction to get into the pool. It will be interesting to see what the designer can do. When I swim in the neighbor's pool I get clarity on the next steps and details. Swim meditation has its bonuses!
I wanted to share with you a micro pebble update—back in May when we learned of the national supply issues, we confirmed with our PB that we wanted the Kenai Gray micro finish and were repeatedly assured that the plasterers had it available and we would have it when we were ready for it. Our fence is being installed today, which means we are FINALLY ready for plaster, and our PB said they couldn’t schedule plaster because the Kenai Gray wasn’t “in” yet. Contrary to their assurances, they did not have the Kenai Gray ready for us, but had ”ordered it” 8 weeks ago and have been unsuccessful in getting a delivery date over the past 2 weeks. I called the NPT distributor directly and was told that they are instructed to give a 10-12 week estimate on all purchase orders. He further said that the company currently only has ONE vendor that provides NPT with the micro size pebbles so the 10-12 week estimate may not even apply to the micro pebble finishes.
In our case living in the northeast, we would be lucky if the Kenai Gray is delivered and installation arranged before it’s time to cover the pool for the winter. I was ready to blast our PB for failing to tell us all of this two months ago, but my husband tried a different approach of simply asking if a few of the Wet Edge finishes are available and a cost differential. Well, they’ve agreed to install Prism Matrix Indigo Blue early next week at no additional cost from our original contract which only included a quartz plaster. (It’s a very nice dark blue in case you run into similar supply issues and need an alternate idea).
In our case living in the northeast, we would be lucky if the Kenai Gray is delivered and installation arranged before it’s time to cover the pool for the winter. I was ready to blast our PB for failing to tell us all of this two months ago, but my husband tried a different approach of simply asking if a few of the Wet Edge finishes are available and a cost differential. Well, they’ve agreed to install Prism Matrix Indigo Blue early next week at no additional cost from our original contract which only included a quartz plaster. (It’s a very nice dark blue in case you run into similar supply issues and need an alternate idea).
Thank you for this. I am still trying to find out information too. I was told that it is on back order. My pool builder said he can order everything in advance except interior finish. He knows I am waiting and really want micro pebble. He offered Pebble Tech but they do not have a micro pebble. He also said he could do Gemstone/Finest Finish but they all have abalone in it and no deep dark blue. I am hoping it will appear somehow. We are now at the watertile install completion tomorrow, auto cover tracks next and then Diana Royal Antique Finish coping on Tuesday. Then it will be time. I'll post a few most updated pictures on next post.
Here are a few pictures from today's almost completed watertiles. We appear to have managed to not need extra tiles as the 2 installers have not broken any! The LIghtStreams Beach Shells for benches and steps came today. I could look at these all day (42' of them) I am sure to have extras and will place some in the planters behind the pool to glisten. One picture of Diana Royal coping next to water tile. I wanted a preview as install won't happen until after the auto cover tracks are installed. Have a great weekend. Ellen
Thank you, I await seeing it all unfold. Love your support!
When it comes to all pebble finishes across all brands the issue is raw materials particularly the pebbles. White pebbles of all sizes are in extremely short supply, other colors of pebbles are too but white has the worst supply issue. White pebbles are in more pebble based finishes than any other color of pebble.
Thank you for this information, so appreciated. I have been asking the PB to find out if the micro pebble Moraine is in stock. He said the darker colors appear to be more available, its the lighter colors that have been problematic. He was also fully supportive of doing the micro pebble, although he had never had this request before. He even noted how beautiful it was in a bowl of water in the sun. He held it and liked it. However, today on his visit, he shared that he finally got information on StoneScapes Micro finish for me. He said both of his top installers are not recommending it. Both installers noted that when they went to acid wash the Micro on day 2 many of the stones fell out since they were so small. He is encouraging us to go with the mini pebble that he has installed for the 15 yrs. I asked if he could polish the mini pebble to be less intense. He said yes they can polish the pebbles to be less intense. I re-read TFP tonight regarding Tropics Blue and continue to find it is lighter than I prefer. We are hoping for a rich dark blue finish and a pebble finish appears to be the most recommended over other finishes, plus I require some non slip texture. Some of the Tropics blue samplings look like a grey base on steps and shallow areas and others appear blue but non appear to really have that rich deep dark blue that we desire. I will have to continue to process between micro or mini polished and a color that works. Our PB said we can customize whatever we desire, I just do not know what the ingredients would need to be..conflicting information when reading. Plus I was also reading stay with premix, which is why the micro moraine fit the bill so well. Our auto cover track was installed yesterday and coping was laid out today. Hope for completion this week. Electrician should be here tomorrow to finish as well. Solar thermal was installed as well. Our interior finish install date would be 8/23 if we stay on track. Diana Royal Marble Coping/auto cover track/Vera Cruz Cream water tile pictures from today's work below. Suggestions always appreciated.
Thank you for all the support, Ellen
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joeprunc
Well-known member
- Apr 26, 2021
- 83
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Your build it turning out beautiful!! My wife and I didn't know at all about this Forum until after we were in construction. But the funny thing is we are building a very similar design and color pool....travertine, stone looking waterline tile, geometric shape, and we too are looking at Moraine Micro Pebble!!!
We are a few weeks behind your build,
hopefully Gunite on Saturday for us.
@Ellen M what I'm quite curious about is if you have any opportunities to view any pools with Moraine Micro Pebble? Or have any additional insight? If so, I'm very interested in photos and water coloring. Or if you are going with a Stonescape Mini Pebble, what you decide. I agree with you that all the mini's are either too light, or too grey.
Thank you.
We are a few weeks behind your build,
hopefully Gunite on Saturday for us.@Ellen M what I'm quite curious about is if you have any opportunities to view any pools with Moraine Micro Pebble? Or have any additional insight? If so, I'm very interested in photos and water coloring. Or if you are going with a Stonescape Mini Pebble, what you decide. I agree with you that all the mini's are either too light, or too grey.
Thank you.
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Hi. Thanks for your communications. I would love to see your design and details. I will look at your member page to see if you have details. For your reference, member Motorrad from DWF replied to my request for information/pictures on Micro Pebble. I cut and pasted our conversation link. He also has more detail in his other messages. Worth the read. Please let me know if the link at the thread end does not work. In essence, what I have learned from him is the Moraine color is not dark rich blue as we had hoped and he can see early mottling. In addition, my PB discovered 2 of his installers don't like the micro pebble as too many pebbles fall out on the acid wash compared to mini pebble. Our PB was supporting us and liked the micro sample but with this new information encourages us to seriously consider mini pebble. Our cost does not change; his encouragement is simply that he has worked with mini pebble install 15+ yrs and finds them reliable. I asked if it was possible to polish the mini so as to be somewhere between mini and micro and not have the same problem as micro. He said yes. My journey at night is now is reading on TFP how to either add to the Stonescape recipe to darker the blue of Tropics Blue or to customize a rich deep blue. I am still in the midst of researching details. (I thought deep intense research of this nature ended, 36 yrs ago when I was awarded my doctorate! I have spent more time total researching pool construction than the 9 months spent on completing a dissertation! Who would have thought! Oops, I just remembered I also studied wood flooring for 2 yrs before having wood floors installed. I have become a wood flooring and pool resource for the neighborhood.). Next to come are pictures of the Lightstreams shell beach bench/step markers and Art Deco Glass lap lane markers to be installed within the week or so. Hope this helps. I am going back to reading on TFP regarding "custom formulas for Stonescape mini pebble". Ellen MYour build it turning out beautiful!! My wife and I didn't know at all about this Forum until after we were in construction. But the funny thing is we are building a very similar design and color pool....travertine, stone looking waterline tile, geometric shape, and we too are looking at Moraine Micro Pebble!!!
We are a few weeks behind your build,
@Ellen M what I'm quite curious about is if you have any opportunities to view any pools with Moraine Micro Pebble? Or have any additional insight? If so, I'm very interested in photos and water coloring. Or if you are going with a Stonescape Mini Pebble, what you decide. I agree with you that all the mini's are either too light, or too grey.
Thank you.
Hi. Consulted with installer today. Lots of insight given, I just was not prepared in detail as I did not have enough time. So solidifying my questions. I will have to meet again. Install date is 8/19/21. Neighbor is doing remodel with summit blue micro at same time.
I can share the basic education gained today. The comments about micro were outdated. He admitted he did not care for micro 6 months ago because he was used to mini. Now he has begun installing micro and finds it okay. Apparently there are 2 types of micro- premix and regular. He showed samples of both. I had samples of premix so I knew those well. He said the regular mico is between premix and mini pebble. It has more on the surface and less cement, just not a protruding as mini. Hence, less rough, but not as smooth as the premix. He noted the premix may mottled because of the higher concentration of cement. This is why mini pebble has been the general upgrade standard but now regular micro is available. They say no mottling, and when needed to be replaced in 15 yr, you simply remove a layer and your have a brand new surface. We are likely to go with the regular micro finish (not premix) over mini pebble. Tomorrow PB is showing us a midnight blue micro and a tropics blue mini. We will wear sandals and step in the water to feel the differences. I swam & sat in a spa in mini pebble last yr. I do not prefer it on my feet or bottom but we will look in detail tomorrow as PB suggests, plus it is to show me Tropics Blue which I know is to light without modify as many have done on TFP. The good news learned today- regular micro comes in Tropics or Midnight Blue (I was not interested in all the other shades but saw a full box of options). We will customize to get the rich deep blue we want without green or teal. They key is staying within the formula; but what color pebble or glass is not important nor is what color pigment. Since we want a rich dark blue he is suggesting, as many have on TFP, to use the midnight blue pigment, take out the tri color pebbles as well as the gold pebbles to remove any green. We would soften the quantity of black pebbles, add the blue pebble he suggest although it does not impact water color and add 20% cobalt blue glass beads (2 bags to each batch). Attached pic of the wet samples. Up L is midnight blue regular micro, lower L is tropics blue with abalone that is standard but can be removed. Up R is regular Moraine and lower R is premix micro moraine. From the other persons thread the Moraine was not rich or deep blue so Moraine is out for us. That's all I have tonight, I will have 2 pool pictures tomorrow evening. Ellen M
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Please see the reply I just wrote below for Taylor1584. As you will read we are seriously thinking regular Micro(not the premix as it has more cement). Prefer to avoid mini and seems all those color are available in the regular vs premix and better quality product. More tomorrow after see the two pools- micro midnight and mini Tropics. Ellen MYour build it turning out beautiful!! My wife and I didn't know at all about this Forum until after we were in construction. But the funny thing is we are building a very similar design and color pool....travertine, stone looking waterline tile, geometric shape, and we too are looking at Moraine Micro Pebble!!!
We are a few weeks behind your build,
@Ellen M what I'm quite curious about is if you have any opportunities to view any pools with Moraine Micro Pebble? Or have any additional insight? If so, I'm very interested in photos and water coloring. Or if you are going with a Stonescape Mini Pebble, what you decide. I agree with you that all the mini's are either too light, or too grey.
Thank you.
Ellen: I went with mini Pebble Midnight blue Puerto Rico Blend, its a really nice shade of blue see pictures below.
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Oh my gosh...so so so beautiful. Congratulations!
I hope you are swimming daily! If you are local to San Diego we would love to see it. I see how our designs are so very similar. We have a small back yard and big side yard and wanted the pool to be in the sun area and visible from the back of the house. Today we finally got a chance to see a midnight blue micro pebble and a tropics blue mini pebble. Our goal was to study the colors, texture, and uniformity of each interior finish. In short, we chose mini pebble as it was much softer than the micro pebble which had 2 downsides: micro texture was like walking on sand paper IMO. We walked in the spa in both pools for 5 minutes. In addition, the micro pebble was not uniform as was the mini pebble. We are now trying to finalize a formula as we do not want the teal color, which although beautiful is not our pool color desire. Did you just add the glass beads or replace something in the formula? This would be helpful to know. I realize many people just added glasses. The installer never mentioned that and I forgot to ask. He simply gave us the formula and said any changes just needed to add up to the formula total of 12 bags. From that notion, we are removing the gold and Quartz tri-color bags with the red and green pebbles and substituting 2 cobalt blue glass bags. We are also decreasing the black to allow one blue pebble bag to each batch. If we can just add the glass bags, I am tempted to put more black bags back in; so it time permits please share your thoughts. Install is Thursday 8/19/21. I We still have to decide a final formula so your feedback helps (and all opinions welcome by all).We were thinking
7 black pebble bags, 2 white bags, 2 cobalt blue glass bags, 1 blue pebble bag or
7 black pebble bags, 1 white bag, 2 cobalt blue glass bags, 2 blue pebble (9 black, 1 white is standard).
Thank you! Ellen M
Im in So Cal close to the Foothills. Just added glass, I too wanted to remove the gold from the mix but it was never realized. My main concern was not having a green looking pool at any time of the day. Im now two weeks into the pool being filled. I wanted a nice rich blue as you have describe as well. Though I am happy with how the color has turned out, and from reading it seems like it might possibly change again with in 28 days. (could be wrong)Oh my gosh...so so so beautiful. Congratulations!
We were thinking
7 black pebble bags, 2 white bags, 2 cobalt blue glass bags, 1 blue pebble bag or
7 black pebble bags, 1 white bag, 2 cobalt blue glass bags, 2 blue pebble (9 black, 1 white is standard).
Thank you! Ellen M
joeprunc
Well-known member
- Apr 26, 2021
- 83
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Thank you for the research and insight on the the Micro vs Mini. My PB is also pushing towards Mini...but I'm thinking its more because that is generally what he uses. I'm realizing that pool builders are like old dogs that generally only promote items they know and have had good success with. But I don't blame them, as if something were to go wrong it is their fault. But your insite on the micro vs mini feel is greatly appreciated, I'm thinking we too will stick with mini.
Do you have any photos of the pools you visited. We to are leaning towards Tropics Blue, although with @Haku84 post with Midnight blue that looks quite beautiful, especially with the ivory travertine. @Haku84 Could you post a photo of your shallow shelf? That is one concern I have with some of the colors is how grey the shallower waters are. Also what is your deep end depth (we are going to have 5.5' max in the middle)? I do have a little concern going too dark water with our "lighter" colored water tile. But again all my wife cares about is that we have NO Green.
Our Build is several weeks behind your build, Gunite is scheduled for this Saturday!! With so many new threads, our build isn't getting the much traction or comments.
Discovery Bay Pool Build
Do you have any photos of the pools you visited. We to are leaning towards Tropics Blue, although with @Haku84 post with Midnight blue that looks quite beautiful, especially with the ivory travertine. @Haku84 Could you post a photo of your shallow shelf? That is one concern I have with some of the colors is how grey the shallower waters are. Also what is your deep end depth (we are going to have 5.5' max in the middle)? I do have a little concern going too dark water with our "lighter" colored water tile. But again all my wife cares about is that we have NO Green.
Our Build is several weeks behind your build, Gunite is scheduled for this Saturday!! With so many new threads, our build isn't getting the much traction or comments.
Discovery Bay Pool Build
Oh my gosh...so so so beautiful. Congratulations!
We were thinking
7 black pebble bags, 2 white bags, 2 cobalt blue glass bags, 1 blue pebble bag or
7 black pebble bags, 1 white bag, 2 cobalt blue glass bags, 2 blue pebble (9 black, 1 white is standard).
Thank you! Ellen M
Absolutely glad to assist where I can. Pool pictures posted separately in next post. At the beginning my PB was open to whatever I wanted and admitted no experience at that time with Micro except the installer may have done one at that time. The installer has now done 5 pools. The micro pool I went to was clearly not uniform and beyond a doubt extremely unpleasant to sit or stand on. I would have had to redo the finish as it would have taken away any pleasure from being in a pool. I am grateful for that visit. I swam in a mini pebble before and had hoped micro would just be a more polished version of mini. When I checked out the TB pool (photos attached) it was a relief on my feet, so mini decision made. I would prefer a smoother finish, at the same time, I want quality as it is a high end pool and to not continue at that level does not make any sense. Our grading dimensions 18’ at 4’, 10’ at 4 to 5’, 8’ at 5 to 6, 6’ at 6’ & 6’ at 6.75' (48' lap pool). We originally thought of darker water tile until we saw pictures on TFP with the lighter tile and coping and the rich blue water. As one member said she exquisitely, the lighter water tile and coping pop the blue and contrast beautifully vs most people get a blue water tile and blue water and there is no pizazz. I have clearly noticed this in several friend’s pools. I also noticed the iridescent glass water tiles look very bland without sun angled on them. My neighbor has been so kind to let me swim daily has a beautiful tile in only the sections that reflect light. The others remain blah lite and dark blue and white tiles, IMO. That is how we ended up with matching water tiles and copings. You can see on my rendering how it pops the blue. At the rendering stage with played with a variety of colors and this one popped. I was quite impressed with the iPhone 12 mini photos I took from my camera at 12 pm yesterday. Feel free to reach out anytime. I attached a screen shot of the standard formulas for Tropics & Midnight. Fascinating education. Ellen M
Your wife deserves her own paragraph. She and I agree. You either like it or not. Both original formula midnight blue and tropics blue have a teal undertone. Installer was clear the green is pulled from the tricolor bag (red a& green pebble) and the gold bag which are in both formulas. We are taking both out and replacing with 2 bags per batch of cobalt blue glass which according to the installer (and a friend who had it in her TB pool) will darken the blue water. Today the PB said since we did not feel the MB was too dark in any way to keep the original 9 black pebble bags, 1 white pebble bag, and 2 cobalt glass bags in place of the tricolor and gold bags.