Plaster Cleaning Suggestions

[Nochain]

So I completed my system rebuild and I would like to get the pool as clean as I can. I had several quotes for Acid washing $550 and was wondering what I could do instead. What are your thoughts about cleaning methods for a plaster pool. Here’s what it looks like currently. Its dirty from sitting for about a month. I do have a pressure washer….which I initially used. I also used bleach to effectively eliminate some algae stains.

 

[proavia]

An acid wash is going to remove a layer of plaster and you may have to replaster sooner. If you can live with a pool surface with a little "character", just clean it the best you can and fill it up.

Use caution with a pressure washer. Misuse can compromise the plaster surface.

Get some paint on that exposed PVC at the equipment pad and also consider some type of cover for the equipment pad. Our AZ summers will degrade the PVC and equipment faster if left unprotected. Paint on the PVC and a shade cloth elevated above the equipment will help a lot.

 

[1poolman1]

Pool shouldn't be dry for more than 5 days or, according to the National Plasterer's Council, damage, including delamination, can start.

Please, for the sake of the surface, don't use a pressure washer again, it will remove the "cream coat" and leave an undesirable result if it hasn't already.

There are a couple of readily-available chemicals that many have had good success using, ScaleTech by EasyCare and No Dran Acid Wash by United Chemical.

 

[kimkats]

@Dirk can tell you all about why NOT to acid wash it.............................it totally ruined his plaster and he had to have it all removed and replaced. I say bleach it good and fill her up and enjoy her birth mark!

 

[Dirk]

As @proavia cautions, don't acid wash your pool, unless you're already planning on replastering within a year or two. Acid washing doesn't magically attack stains and discolorations and leave everything else intact. Nope. It peels off a layer of your pool and takes the stains with it. When done absolutely correctly, perfectly, it will be a minimum amount of plaster lost, and you might lighten some of the staining. It won't get everything, and you're bound to be at least a little disappointed. If done like most acid washing is done, by gorillas who have no idea how to properly apply acid to plaster, you risk anywhere between some and extensive damage. And that's if your plaster is in decent condition. If it is aging, or was not applied correctly to begin with, a bad acid wash can destroy your plaster entirely. Either way, you're going to have less pool after a wash than before, and it won't last as long.

So there really is no good reason to acid wash, and it's not going to work all that well anyway. It will lessen the life of your plaster by some unpredictable amount (based on how it's done), and you risk lessening the life by 100%. Some justify an acid wash as a last resort to clean up the plaster a bit for a year or two before replastering, but I wouldn't even take that chance.

Plaster starts looking worse than "brand new" on day two, and it's downhill from there. You live with it as long as you want to, then replace it. Or you can look at it the way I do: it's an organic thing that ages and gains "character," and you love it no matter how old it is.

 

[Dirk]

Oops, almost forgot. With your pool completely empty like that, you'll have a rare opportunity to determine its actual water volume. Just before you start your fill, go out to the street and take a picture of your water meter's reading. Do the same when you complete the fill. The difference between the two numbers will be your pool's volume.

You can increase the accuracy of the number by minimizing water use in and around the house during the fill: turn off irrigation, postpone running the washing machine and dishwasher, minimize flushes, maybe skip the long, hot showers. And/or subtract a gallon or two for each flush, 20 gallons per shower, etc.

Some municipalities calculate sewer charges based on the water you use in the winter months, as they assume you don't water your garden in the winter, so all the water used is in the house and goes down the drain. If that's true of your town, you might be smack dab in the middle of this period. If so, you might be able to use the pictures to make a case to your water/sewer company that X amount of water went into your pool, not into your sewer.

 

[Nochain]

Oh Crud I didn’t know I can’t leave the pool unfilled like this. Shoot Ok I’ll start filling it up tomorrow! I sure hope I don’t have any delam issues yikes……..

I lightly pressure washed it initially. Won’t do it again! Glad I posted! Oh and @proavia the PVC was already painted!

 

[Nochain]

Guy need some advice. I think I may have ruined my plater pool. While working on my equipment, I had drained my pool. It’s been empty for about 3 week here in AZ. I didn’t realize that there was a time clock set on a empty plaster pool. So as I’m cleaning today, I noticed large splotches. When hitting them with water, I noticed they sound hollow upon further investigation. It seems like I may have the lamination widespread I’m enclosing a picture I need your input ASAP. Thanks in advance.

 

[ajw22]

There is not a time clock on an empty plaster pool.

Get water into the pool ASAP and let the plaster rehydrate.

Whatever is done is done.

 

[Nochain]

Will “re-hydration” re-bond the plaster? Seems like it wouldn’t. I don’t see how just filling it back up is going to be a good move forward.

I am an engineer and know about thermal coefficient of expansion. Seems like thats what happened here. I see micro-factures around the delaminated areas. This is telling me that I am going to have widespread failures just a matter of time. I assume all I can do is a re-plaster?

 

[ajw22]

You have an old plaster pool. If you want a reason to replaster then you got it.

Chances are your plaster is fine and your pool will hold water. You will only find out by refilling it.

Much what you did was ill advised but that is water under the bridge. Your plaster was probably old and fragile before you started.

As long as the plaster holds water it is good. Lots of pools are delaminating and are fine. The owners just don’t know it yet.

A replaster job is somewhere in your future so start saving for it.

No pool plaster lasts forever. It is a sacrificial coating

 

[Nochain]

Thanks. How long does a plaster pool expected to last typ

You have an old plaster pool. If you want a reason to replaster then you got it.

Chances are your plaster is fine and your pool will hold water. You will only find out by refilling it.

Much what you did was ill advised but that is water under the bridge. Your plaster was probably old and fragile before you started.

As long as the plaster holds water it is good. Lots of pools are delaminating and are fine. The owners just don’t know it yet.

A replaster job is somewhere in your future so start saving for it.

No pool plaster lasts forever. It is a sacrificial coating

Thanks. Yes the pool is 20 years old. Typically generally etc how long does the plaster hold up for in environments like Arizona? Any idea how much a re-plaster might cost ball park?

 

[ajw22]

Pool plaster lasts 15-20 years. I got 17 years from my first run plaster and it could have gone a few more years.

20 years is nearing end of life. But so far nothing you describe says it cannot go for a few more years.

Replaster costs vary widely depending on location, type of finish, and if you need a full chipout.

 

[Nochain]

Well its looking good so far. Cleaned it with bleach. New filtration system is working great no leaks out of the gate. Hopefully I’ll get another year or so out of the plaster. I got a quote for $7500 to replaster and $1400 for new tile. I didn’t think it would cost that much but then again I watched some videos and its a lot if work even with a full crew…….

 

[ajw22]

I think you will get more then a year more from your plaster.

 

[Nochain]

I think you will get more then a year more from your plaster.

Keeping my fingers crossed as I am not a congressman and hence don’t have a ton of money lol.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

A lot of plaster pools have “hollow spots” when you drain them and that “egg shell” cracking you see is superficial, not structural. When plaster is applied to the gunite shell it’s done under pressure and the troweled smooth. There is never perfect uniform bonding of the plaster to the gunite. But that’s ok because the water pressure force is what holds the plaster in place. You were lucky this time, don’t do it again.

Also, that estimate you got sounds low ball - cheapest white/grey plaster possible with no chip out of the old plaster. When it comes time to remodel YOU ABSOLUTELY WANT A FULL CHIP OUT (hope that’s clear ). Skim coating new plaster onto old plaster is cheap and reduces costs for the applicator and will result in a poor finish long term. If you were flipping the house, you’d be justified in skim coating (like tell the house painter to water down the paint and only spray on 2 coats, no rollback). If you plan to live in this house long term and care about the pool, then you want a full chip out. That will add to the cost of any quote on the order of several thousand dollars as it is all labor and hauling costs.

 

[kimkats]

What they both said above!

 

[Nochain]

A lot of plaster pools have “hollow spots” when you drain them and that “egg shell” cracking you see is superficial, not structural. When plaster is applied to the gunite shell it’s done under pressure and the troweled smooth. There is never perfect uniform bonding of the plaster to the gunite. But that’s ok because the water pressure force is what holds the plaster in place. You were lucky this time, don’t do it again.

Also, that estimate you got sounds low ball - cheapest white/grey plaster possible with no chip out of the old plaster. When it comes time to remodel YOU ABSOLUTELY WANT A FULL CHIP OUT (hope that’s clear ). Skim coating new plaster onto old plaster is cheap and reduces costs for the applicator and will result in a poor finish long term. If you were flipping the house, you’d be justified in skim coating (like tell the house painter to water down the paint and only spray on 2 coats, no rollback). If you plan to live in this house long term and care about the pool, then you want a full chip out. That will add to the cost of any quote on the order of several thousand dollars as it is all labor and hauling costs.

The quote I received was for a full chip out NOT a skim coat. Thanks for the background info on the “eg shell effect”. Good to know. When you say “don’t do it again” do you mean drain and fill emidiatly? I assume this is what you mean as nobody has been explicit about the drain and fill procedure.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The quote I received was for a full chip out NOT a skim coat. Thanks for the background info on the “eg shell effect”. Good to know. When you say “don’t do it again” do you mean drain and fill emidiatly? I assume this is what you mean as nobody has been explicit about the drain and fill procedure.

Don’t drain a pool a leave it exposed for weeks is what I meant. A pool can be drained for a purpose but whatever that is it should completely in a timely fashion and then refilled as soon as possible.