Pool Reno Choices/Advice

[Jeaux]

Hi all. I’m currently getting bids for renovation of a 20 year old pool. We are replacing the plaster and tiles for sure. I need advice on the coping. The Red bull nose brick is in good condition but I’m having trouble finding a tile to go with it. I don’t care for the blue tiles I have seen that most people put with the bricks. Should I replace the coping as well? If I keep it, what tiles do you all recommend? (I’m undecided on finish but will probably go with a darker color than the current white plaster.) Hit me with your opinions about everything, but also specifically the coping & tile.

 

[Dirk]

I'm gunna say that coping is always going to look dated, no matter what color you put up to it. But then where do you stop? New pool, new coping... how do you leave that deck?

On the other hand, retro is cool, if you embrace it. And your coping does go with the wall behind the pool.

Easy for me to spend your money, right? If you stick with just pool and tile, a dark grey or black edge tile with a deep "tahoe-bluish" pebble wouldn't orphan that brick red coping, and it'd look very dramatic.

 

[Jeaux]

Thank you, Dirk. I agree with all of your feedback. This is my conundrum! I do like that pool color.

 

[ajw22]

(I’m undecided on finish but will probably go with a darker color than the current white plaster.) ]

Note that many folks who do dark plaster are disappointed with the mottling and uneven color they get. Lighter colors show less issues.

 

[Jeaux]

Thank you, ajw. I’ve been weeding through the numerous threads on the finish/color issues. I’m leaning toward a polished aggregate finish such as Prima Stone but I’m still doing my homework on that. I welcome any opinions. I haven’t ruled out a lighter color but we are tired of the white plaster look.

 

[Dirk]

Yes, there are some downsides to a darker pool. They tend to be warmer, which might be good or bad in your locale. They do show the mottling, which I don't mind at all, personally. It's a feature of the finish, as far as I'm concerned and doesn't look less attractive to me. But it's good that Allen pointed that out. And a dark color will suck up your pool light, especially if you have or will have color LED lights. I would think staining would show up less on dark. Algae would show up sooner on light (like an early warning), and CH scaling would show up sooner on dark. I think those last two are non-issues if you take care of your water properly.

So darker is right for me, and to my eye much more attractive. My pool color was chosen for me, by the previous owner, I just happened to love it! So I didn't change it in my remodel. In fact, I was already sure it was going to work, so I had virtually nothing to decide or worry about. I don't envy you this important choice...

I did an even darker version that I like even more! It's slightly bluer.

 

[Dirk]

Keep in mind, too, that you're going to have a two-tone bottom. You can see it in your pool now. The water adds blue. The deeper the bluer. So with a Tahoe Blue pool, the deep end will be a deep aqua color and your two shelves will look very grey (which still works with the coping). A tan bottom will be a greenish-blue in the deep end, and sandy on the shelves. That two-tone phenomenon (light physics) will be true of any color you end up with.

And just to throw another wrench into the mix, it's possible to apply two different colors: one on the shelf, another in the deeper part. This pool's color scheme would look good with that brick coping.



And... there is a remote possibility that the brick coping can be permanently stained (died). Darker only, of course, but you might be able to turn it into a brown tone. It depends on how it's been finished and/or sealed.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

We have the same bullnose bricks. I think every pool of that era does.

We chose MasterTile "Abyss" MSAAY 622 tile. It has shades of blue but also has some of that brick red in it. We're pleased with the match. It's hard to tell from the photo in the link, but the reddish color in the tile does match the brick pretty well. It's too dark to get a pool photo now, but if you would like, I could get a photo tomorrow.

 

[Jeaux]

Rocket, I would love to see a picture of your pool. Thank you so much!

 

[Burfcr]

Thank you, Dirk. I agree with all of your feedback. This is my conundrum! I do like that pool color.

oh I know the conundrum all too well. We went from repairing some tiles, to a full blown reno! https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/170911-Pool-Reno?p=1546440#post1546440

 

[KDpoolguy]

You’d be surprised at what new grout or even staining red brick can do. Say a grey stain brick, a dark blue or whiter grout contrast can be really inexpensive and durable compared to a complete reno. If the bull nose brick is in good shape, why not jazz it up?

As Dirk said the new water color can really grab people away from retro looks. That’s really where the cost is going into. I love my Caribbean Blue mini pebble, kept existing dark blue Spanish tile and it works really well. We all can’t reimagine our pools as the styles change. I worked on many tract homes new, and saw their pool installs in 2003-6 and am surprised at how dated the rock work and full pebble-Tec looks compared to the Infinity edge and full grotto and beach entry styles around now. Even the $3000 automation systems are antiquated...WiFi in ‘03? what was that?
Wham bam, went to grad school and came back and the styles change, but here the key—well maintained pools always make me amorous to the owner. Take care of the pool if it’s 60 years old, and I say don’t change a thing!

Out here there are 7-14 million dollar homes with $1/2mil pools and they can rip them out after 5 years. It’s amazing to see a perfectly good pool get junked for no good reason than the person has money to burn and a new idea.

Just wait until you get bids on different finishes. I changed my tune away from quartz finishes when they were twice my budget. I saw a full glass tile pool and spa last week in a $400k home—-that’s at least an $80k resurface job. To each their own...budget.

 

[kimkats]

I say keep the coping. It it is still in good shape and ties the pool into the house.. I would show some love to the grout with some bleach and a tooth brush and see if that freshens it up enough for you. Now if you wallet is fat enough then go for a change NOW. It will be much easier than later down the road.

Kim

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Rocket, I would love to see a picture of your pool. Thank you so much!

Here are some photos showing the new tiles and the old bricks. (Ignore the quarter-rounds on the spa wall, they are slightly different.)

I had a spare brick lying around and brought it to the PB, where we matched it against the various tile samples they had.

 

[Jeaux]

That looks much better than what I’ve seen online!