New member here. I joined to use the app to help me with water chemistry. Our new pool was just filled 2 weeks ago and I think we're noticing problems in the plaster. The coloring is really inconsistent still. Pretty much no color on the tops of benches or the "Baja reef". It also looks like it's flaking and/or cracking in a couple spots on a bench. There is also this white "pitting" in several spots, that's rough to the touch, especially around the trim tiles. These seem like problems to me. Any thoughts or advice? Thanks in advance for your help.
New Pool Plaster Issues
- Thread starter jgharvey74
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,483
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Welcome to TFP.
Who is maintaining your water chemistry?
What pool test kit do you have?
What finish do you have in what color?
Post some pics of the areas you are concerned with.
Have you spoken with your builder or plasterer about your concerns?
Who is maintaining your water chemistry?
What pool test kit do you have?
What finish do you have in what color?
Post some pics of the areas you are concerned with.
Have you spoken with your builder or plasterer about your concerns?
I've been maintaining it along with the rep who set it up. The test kit is a Taylor. K-1005, I believe. It's a standard plaster finish. The color is supposed to be Deep Stormy Seas (looks more like Stormy Seas to me though, so far). I've contacted the project manager and he is coming this week to look at it. I just want to be prepared.
Attachments
More pics. Including one of our color profile. The shelf on right is 18". Shallow is 3' at bottom of steps. Deep is 5'. Doesn't seem dark enough for our color choice, not sure. Also seems like you can see "brush strokes" in the plaster.
Attachments
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,664
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I'll leave the plaster issues to the experts here. I'll address your concern about "no color on the tops of benches or the 'Baja reef'". That is a matter of physics and there's not really anything to be done about that.* My pool looks the same. Because of the physics of light and water, the deeper the surface the bluer. You wouldn't think that would be much in just a few feet of water, but it is, and that's what you're seeing.
Depending on the color you're after, the plaster might not be blue at all, or actually be only "slightly blue." So that at depth, the pool generally looks like the color you chose when the water "adds" the rest of the blue. If benches and shelves were colored such that they looked like the blue you wanted, then the shallow end would be a much deeper blue, and the deep end would be bluer still. Because of the water, you're only going to get the blue you chose at one depth. Deeper or shallower areas will appear deeper or paler in color.
* Technically, you could have a two-tone surface, with some areas a different color finish than others. So you could color the benches one color, and the deep end another. But that complicates the plaster process considerably, and so would increase the cost significantly.
The issue is exaggerated in your pool because of how large your Baja shelf is. I just have small steps near the surface, which appear quite grey, but they're not all that noticeable. This is just your pool's "personality." Embrace it.
Depending on the color you're after, the plaster might not be blue at all, or actually be only "slightly blue." So that at depth, the pool generally looks like the color you chose when the water "adds" the rest of the blue. If benches and shelves were colored such that they looked like the blue you wanted, then the shallow end would be a much deeper blue, and the deep end would be bluer still. Because of the water, you're only going to get the blue you chose at one depth. Deeper or shallower areas will appear deeper or paler in color.
* Technically, you could have a two-tone surface, with some areas a different color finish than others. So you could color the benches one color, and the deep end another. But that complicates the plaster process considerably, and so would increase the cost significantly.
The issue is exaggerated in your pool because of how large your Baja shelf is. I just have small steps near the surface, which appear quite grey, but they're not all that noticeable. This is just your pool's "personality." Embrace it.
Last edited:
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,483
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
@Dirk explained the color issues you are seeing.
The plaster job looks like average quality. No glaring problems.
Don't accept an acid wash to fix any problems. It etches and weakens the plaster.
Sanding with 80/100 grit sandpaper can smooth out the rough areas and blend in some of the color.
Let us know what your Project Manager offer.
The plaster job looks like average quality. No glaring problems.
Don't accept an acid wash to fix any problems. It etches and weakens the plaster.
Sanding with 80/100 grit sandpaper can smooth out the rough areas and blend in some of the color.
Let us know what your Project Manager offer.
I see the affect that depth has on the color. I'm concerned that the shade seems lighter than it should be in the deeper parts of the pool. And that it seems very streaky and blotchy throughout. We went over the color choice at length with them. We had to exclude 3 or 4 shades that they no longer offer because of "mottling" problems. To settle on this color and it not look as advertised and for it to be very inconsistent, would be very disappointing. I've never seen a pool finish that looks like this. The white specs seem to be increasing. It looks and feels very rough in those spots and it's pretty much speckled throughout the pool. I'll be very disappointed if our brand new pool is supposed to be acceptable looking like the plaster is 10 years old. I'll be very interested in what he says this week.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,483
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
White Spotting of New Plaster Pools The problem of plaster spotting has been an ongoing puzzle and controversy in the swimming pool industry for over three decades. The generally round, smooth-yet-unsightly white soft spots in new plaster pools have long been a source of contention among pool plasterers, and pool chemical service firms or pool owners, each blaming the other for the phenomenon.
On a side note. The pool rep has mentioned several times about how difficult this pool has been to keep the alkalinity and Ph down, even for a new pool. We seem to be constantly adding acid to knock both values down. Not sure if that could be related or not.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,483
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
The next paragraph says it was determined that the spotting came down to improper plastering. Doesn't seem like something that can be just sanded either.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,483
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Taylor k-1005. The first test was 8.2+ on Ph and 150 or 160 on alkalinity. The rep did the first test. Since then, the Ph and alkalinity will come down after adding acid. Then jump back up. Yesterday was Ph 7.5 and alkalinity was 90. Today we're 8.2+ and 120 again.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,483
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
pH rise is normal with new plaster and a high TA.
TA will not rise unless chemicals are added to raise it or your high TA fill water is added.
TA will not rise unless chemicals are added to raise it or your high TA fill water is added.
Well, it has an auto-fill, so I'm not sure how much tap water has been added the past 2 weeks. I'm guessing it shouldn't be much though. The pool is a little under 10k gallons. In 2 weeks we've added 4 gallons of 30% muriatic acid. The rep added some CYA and about half gallon of liquid chlorine. There's also a auto-chlor that's used 2 tabs so far.
The flaking and cracking seems to be only in a few small spots, so I'm hoping they can just sand/buff those out. Looking through pics online, it seems the inconsistencies I'm seeing are described as "mottling". So, I'm hoping that can be resolved the same way. Unfortunately, the mottling is pretty wide spread. Is that something that might also improve as the plaster cures? We're 2 weeks in now. I assume we'll need to drain the pool to address any of these issues.
I understand the color variation by depth now. The Baja step and bench tops will always show the base color for the most part, while the deeper section will show the color. While I wish they would have gone over that with us in better detail, we're ok with that. Our larger concern is the actual color. We chose Deep Stormy Seas, but currently the color in the deep end looks like regular Stormy Seas. Not sure if we should expect the color to come in more over time? Or if the color will come out more if they fix the mottling? I attached examples of the 2 colors. Ours looks like the lighter blue one right now.
Attachments
Just an update. The project manager came out yesterday and looked at the plaster. He seemed to agree with our concerns. Asked about maintaining the water chemistry and brushing. He's going to have their plaster guy(s) come take a look at it. We'll see where it goes from here.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,664
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Glad to hear they're moving in the right direction for you, but as Allen pointed out, you shouldn't accept an acid wash to fix this. We've seen this move a lot, and there's a good chance they're going to suggest it. No bueno. An acid wash doesn't magically remove "all the bad stuff" and leave the rest of your plaster alone. It chemically peels a layer of plaster off, and takes stains and imperfections along with it. Which looks good (but not always) and gets the builder and plaster guys on their way for the least amount of out-of-pocket for them. The original problem may or may not resurface, and the acid wash might be only a bandaid fix that will delay that reoccurrence until after your warranty expires. Which, again, is good for the builder, but not so good for you.
But that's the least of it. What will happen, whether the acid wash solves the cosmetic issues or not, is you'll end up with less plaster than you paid for, which means your finish is going to wear out that much sooner. Again, you won't realize that when it happens, it might be 10 years from now. But you'll very likely have to redo that finish some number of years sooner than you would have had to, and of course your warranty will be long gone by then. And worse, it's likely that that finish won't feel as nice, as acid washing etches the plaster. That's best case scenario. Worst case, a poorly performed acid wash can completely destroy the finish (ask me how I know!!)...
Hopefully they'll do the right thing, if not, you might have to stand your ground. Either way, listen to what they tell you, tell them you'll consider the option(s), and then bring it back here for TFP's take.