Stonescapes and scratched and damaged toe tile, what to do?

[thisisalex]

Our builder just completed a Stonescapes finishing on our pool. It's aqua white with Puerto Rican glass beads. After the finishing was applied, we saw that the toe tiles had been heavily scratched and damaged.
I have lots of other photos but this is the gist of it. The damage is on every single tile.

My builder me three options:
1. Make the tile three rows everywhere with new tile but there will be a gap whatever where the joint is.
2. Completely refinish the pool but he refuses to use any tile as he says it will be scratched.
3. Completely tile the Baja ledge and the first step of the pool to hide the joint, as in tile from edge to edge of the Baja ledge and the steps.

Right now I’m leaning towards just tiling all the steps, seats, and the Baja ledge. I called a few other builders to see if this is a common issue but came up dry. Maybe the tile is just not a very good tile.

To be clear, the builder is cooperating as best he can and wants me to walk away a happy customer. I'm just looking for recommendations here or to hear from folks that have had similar experiences.

Anyways, this is a bummer. Could use some input here.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Ask your PB what type of finishing tool was used around the tiles.
The hand trowel on the left is of soft plastic and designed for working around tiles.
This may explain how the tiles are being damaged during the process.

 

[thisisalex]

Ask your PB what type of finishing tool was used around the tiles.
The hand trowel on the left is of soft plastic and designed for working around tiles.
This may explain how the tiles are being damaged during the process.View attachment 515139

Looking at a video I took and it I’m not seeing a trowel like that.

 

[thisisalex]

Ask your PB what type of finishing tool was used around the tiles.
The hand trowel on the left is of soft plastic and designed for working around tiles.
This may explain how the tiles are being damaged during the process.

Asked my PB and got this:
"You cannot shape plaster will only plastic trowels. You have to press in and carve plaster."
Not sure what direction to go at this point. Is glass toe tile with pebble/stone finishing just not possible without scratches?

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

All I can say is it’s used on high end pools.
Not sure what direction you can go in.

 

[kimkats]

This is the first time I have seen it and I have seen SEVERAL pool builds so that is saying something..............just saying..........now as to how to fix it I am not sure what this means:

Make the tile three rows everywhere with new tile but there will be a gap whatever where the joint is.

 

[thisisalex]

This is the first time I have seen it and I have seen SEVERAL pool builds so that is saying something..............just saying..........now as to how to fix it I am not sure what this means:

I’m waiting on getting some sort of render or drawing. I’m a bit unclear as well. It’s partly why I’m leaning towards just tiling all the steps and benches and the Baja ledge.

 

[kimkats]

But, but, but how will that help the scratched tiles?

 

[thisisalex]

But, but, but how will that help the scratched tiles?

It would be removing the scratched tiles, replacing them with new tiles and then to hide the cut from the saw/knife used to cut out the tile, they extend the tile all the way to the back of the Baja ledge, step, and benches.

I’m not saying it’s the best fix but it’s a fix. Kind of a bummer given I paid for Puerto Rican glass beads too. Not sure I would have done that if I was tiling everything. Hmmm.

 

[MAPR-Austin]

Are the scratches visible with water in the pool? I feel like they will effectively disappear under water.

 

[thisisalex]

Are the scratches visible with water in the pool? I feel like they will effectively disappear under water.

Yes.

 

[SecoSteve]

How about living with it and asking for 30-50% off of the price you paid?

 

[thisisalex]

How about living with it and asking for 30-50% off of the price you paid?

Not an option. The money is negligible.

 

[KayyLo]

What was your outcome? We have the same issue.