Hello everyone, our pool is 70 years old and the plaster has many discoloration and some stains. I am not sure if it is necessary to be Replastered. I was wondering what would be the cost of it and do we need to drain? Is it safe for the structure to be drained? Thanks!
Replastering
- Thread starter s.hashemirud
- Start date
Cost is totally dependent on location and size. The coasts tend to cost more than anywhere else it seems. It does need to be drained to replaster and they will open up a hole in the bottom if there’s risk to the pool being empty.
But if the plaster isn’t mechanically failing, there’s no reason to replace it.
How can I know if it is mechanically working? We want the pool looks better also. It affects our desire for swimming.
Are there chunks of plaster falling off or visible cracks leaking water?
I see small cracks that has been glued. I had a leak in skimmer but not the surface.you can see the pictures . I am not sure Elkhart plaster falling off means. I just think some grey spots are concrete not plaster. I didn’t not have a pool before then I am not sure!
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I don’t see anything broken. Looks like you may have some staining though. I do t see anything requiring plaster replacement. If the grey spots are really concrete then yea the plaster is just worn down.
If the plaster is actually worn down to the gunite (concrete) then the plaster is nearing the end of its life. It’d be wise to replaster, but they look more like stains in the photo. Could just be hard to see in the photos. Getting a pool contractor out to inspect is a good idea.
Thanks! I will send you some pictures when sun is out to have better pictures
I do see that it may be plaster worn off and what looks like missing chunks of plaster in many places. It’s not as bad as mine was though. So yea, see what a plaster contractor says.
If that's the original plaster - at 70 years old (almost seems unlikely?) - you've done amazingly well. No danger to the plaster by draining / exposing it cause you'd be replacing it anyway. My contractor who did mine told me that in many cases it's a purely cosmetic issue and thus a subjective decision as to do it or not. But, like has already been mentioned - if you've got exposed gunite - probably time to do it. I don't believe gunite is waterproof so those areas could start to eventually leak.
I used to put on a mask, swim down to the bottom, and apply handfuls of quick-mix cement that actually adhered quite well on areas that definitely showed the gunite. Did that for years till I got tired of the way it all looked.
I used to put on a mask, swim down to the bottom, and apply handfuls of quick-mix cement that actually adhered quite well on areas that definitely showed the gunite. Did that for years till I got tired of the way it all looked.
I forgot your question about cost and safety of draining. Draining it could be dangerous if you have a high water table. Seattle would be on my list of needing to be very careful.
But cost to replaster isn’t possible to know from here, but I’d be shocked if you found someone to do it for less than $12k assuming the size is in the 20k gallon range. Smaller pool might be cheaper, larger pool might be more.
There are typically pressure relief plugs screwed into the bottom of the pool that I was always told need to be removed once the water gets towards the bottom. However, the guy that did mine didn't unscrew them...thankfully the pool didn't "float". We're up on top of a hill though so likely no problem with water table.
As far as I know the previous owners did not change even the water for 50 years let alone the plaster!
Is it 50 years or 70 years?
You are just guessing and you don't know.
As much as possible, you should try to stick to the facts that can be proven.
It's Ok to guess, but you need to be clear that it is a guess or estimate.
You can look up the permits to see what they show.
As discussed in your other thread, you probably have copper stains.
You probably need a contractor to do an onsite inspection and a proposal for renovation or remodel.