Looking for some help with our newly completed pool. It’s a gunite pool and our plaster was completed 3/7/2021. We went with a standard white marcite plaster. After about two weeks i started to see speckles in the plaster. It’s consistent throughout the pool. The PB says it’s a mineral in the plaster mixture reacting to something. He says the plaster is fine and doesn’t need to be replaced. Water chemistry is good. The spots are actually in the plaster and not on the surface. Let me know if I should push for a replaster.
New Speckled Pool
- Thread starter ABO1
- Start date
I have the same issue. Pool is 2 months old but started showing speckles at 2 weeks. Here’s my pool chemistry if that helps
Attachments
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,451
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
A plaster pool is not a perfect work of art. There are lots worse plaster defects you can end up with. I would stick with what you got.
Understand completely, there’s some really bad ones out there. More wondering what caused the speckles. The PB says he’s never seen that happen in 30 yrs. As info the only part of the pool build that he doesn’t do personally is the gunite.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,451
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
kne
Gold Supporter
- Jun 26, 2015
- 432
- Pool Size
- 7600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-30 Plus
Some brands of aggregate (not cement) will have a higher than normal of amount of non-white, gray and even black grains or particles than others. Perhaps the builder never used this brand before.
There was no variation in color in the marcite it was white as snow. I was right there through the whole plaster process. Plaster supplier claims that the aggregate must have a mineral that is reacting with the chlorine causing the change. They say they have seen over the years. Say it depends on the original base material. Don’t know that I buy that. I’m ok with the color as I enjoy the look, almost like a non pebblized quarts. My concern is it going to reduce the life span of the plaster or is it aesthetic only?
The cement portion of pool plaster is typically very white.
It is possible that some bags of aggregate (sand) may have contained some iron bits or particles which is being oxidized by chlorine, but I doubt that. It doesn't appear that way to me. If that were true, then you would have a right to ask for a re-plaster. But in my opinion, that is not the case. Iron bits in plaster would turn to a yellow-orange-brown stain and would generate a residue on top, and that some of it could be removed.
Almost every brand of aggregate sand contains some non-white particles, some more than others. I will suggest that your plaster quality is good and will not break down any faster than other brands of aggregate and plaster mixes.
It is possible that some bags of aggregate (sand) may have contained some iron bits or particles which is being oxidized by chlorine, but I doubt that. It doesn't appear that way to me. If that were true, then you would have a right to ask for a re-plaster. But in my opinion, that is not the case. Iron bits in plaster would turn to a yellow-orange-brown stain and would generate a residue on top, and that some of it could be removed.
Almost every brand of aggregate sand contains some non-white particles, some more than others. I will suggest that your plaster quality is good and will not break down any faster than other brands of aggregate and plaster mixes.
Thanks. That’s the advise I needed. I will continue to monitor it for any changes and just enjoy it.