Time to renovate 1970's gunite pool

[rlefig]

We need to have the pool replastered, tiles replaced, broken coping fixed or replaced and a small leak addressed. Any recommendations for pool companies a bit north of Boston area?

thanks

rob

 

[JoyfulNoise]

See if there is an AquaBright licensed applicator near you. There's a lot of buzz on the forum about AquaBright. See here -

Plaster and Aquabright Comparison

ecoFINISH aquaBRIGHT longterm review

AquaBright Ecofinish--Alternative to Acid Washing

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Just to note - it is considered a high end coating that will likely require your pool to be replastered and then coated with AquaBright so you should compare it's cost to the cost of other high end exposed aggregate finishes like PebbleTec PebbleFina, etc.

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These guys are in Lowell - Project Gallery - Pool Pro

And these guys are in Shrewsbury - Ferrari Pools and Patio (no website, just an e-mail address), Phone: 866-392-4224, Contact: Jason Ward, Email: [email protected]

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And I am not in anyway connected to ecoFinish or any of the pool professionals I just listed. Just did a search on the ecoFinish installer website.

 

[bmoreswim]

Just to note - it is considered a high end coating that will likely require your pool to be replastered and then coated with AquaBright so you should compare it's cost to the cost of other high end exposed aggregate finishes like PebbleTec PebbleFina, etc.

Not connected either...though I don't think it necessarily requires a replaster first. I know that if it's a new construction gunite, then it must be plastered first. However, if the current substrate is adhered well, or only minor areas needing repair, then AB can go over top. One of the AB guys will likely follow-up on this. But yes, a premium finish and cost regardless - and a great option in my opinion.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I agree ... but .... I think what is most common is that a lot of AB applicators prefer to replaster an old pool to avoid issues. Yes, it ups their bottom line because they get to add the cost of a replaster on top of the AB but it also ensures (at least from their standpoint) that the subsurface structure is sound. Think about it like this - as a painter, would you just slap a paint coating on a termite infested wall and then guarantee the work? Not likely. You want the substructure to be sound before you do the paint job.

I certainly agree that even old plaster is probably totally fine but, sadly, it's not up to me or anyone else but the plaster applicator. If they insist on the plaster being redone for warranty purposes, there's no arguing with then unless you want to give up the warranty.

My hope is that they would do the right thing and use what exists but not all real world AB job quotes have not shown that to be the case...


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[rlefig]

Thanks I am reaching out to the folks above that are listed. As always this sight has been great. The pool from the black swamp to relatively maintenance free for the past 3 years has been great as well. But it needs some love as I think it is all original since 1972 (besides the filter and pump).

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Let us know what they come back with. Also, share some pictures of the pool and pool area, I'm sure folks around here would enjoy seeing what you have to work with.

 

[rlefig]

Have any of y'all ever heard of Resodyn finish? What about replacing decorative tile is it needed or are there alternatives?

And how much do you think to install a pool light after the fact or another alternative besides floating light?

thanks

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Resodyn looks exactly like an AquaBright coating. My guess is that ecoFinish has some competition in this area of thermally sprayed polymer coatings. I would investigate both online with an eye towards which distributor is bigger and has more licensed applicators. ecoFinish has a very impressive warranty with their product and I wonder if other players in the game do so as well.

If the tiles are cracked, caked with calcium scale and/or out-dated, sure, I would consider replacing them. You're probably going to want to spend some significant time investigating interior finish colors, pool tile (National Pool Tile is a big tile distributor) and decking options in order to create a design that ties everything together. And don't forget to consider outdoor furniture colors and materials as well.

Putting a light in a gunite pool that doesn't have one is a pretty big job. Basically they'll need to punch a hole into the shell to run a niche into and bond it to the existing rebar so it is electrically safe. Then the hole will have to be filled back in. Finally, on the exterior side of the pool, an electrician will digging a trench to connect to the niche and your equipment pad. You're talking about A LOT of manual labor so big $$$$$$$ will be spent on that.

Some people have done low voltage LED light strips on the under side of the coping. Do you have a cantilevered coping edge? Could strip lighting be installed at the coping? Do you plan to replace the existing coping?

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Also, just thought about it some more, but if your pool is as old as it is, and you go updating things on it like adding a light, then you might be required to bring the entire pool up to the latest electrical code. If the pool shell was not previously bonded to the rest of the electrical system, then you could be looking at some significant upgrade work on the electrical side to meet the latest NEC pool code.

 

[rlefig]

yes that finish did look similar to aquabrite. The questions with tile is do you need it? I don't care if I have or not but dont want to see waterline either.

We probably will be replacing coping as a number of them are cracked and one is missing a chunk.

I did look at the jandy nicheless lighting as well. I know the traditional light would be very expensive. I just want something other than a floating light if feasable

 

[Geebot]

We need to have the pool replastered, tiles replaced, broken coping fixed or replaced and a small leak addressed. Any recommendations for pool companies a bit north of Boston area?

thanks

rob

If your original plaster finish has held up this far then that's pretty miraculous, but you can get 18-20 years of service out of plain plaster with proper maintenance. Whatever you choose, best to evaluate on a cost/year basis. If your need to replaster is more than purely cosmetic, then tossing a specialty finish on top of a replaster seems a bit unnecessary. My vote is to replaster and then revisit a specialty coating in 10-12 years (if at all).

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Oh, I see, yes, you definitely want waterline tile. There was a trend many years back, especially out here in the West, of doing PebbleTec pools with the PebbleTec running all the way up to the coping. It looks unique at first, but then it looks terrible because you'll get waterline scale developing (bathtub ring) and, at least in the case of P-Tec, it required glass bead blasting to remove. Tile is ceramic and is mostly impervious to acid cleaning, so it's a lot easier to clean off scale from tile than from a pool surface.

I believe "nicheless" lights will still require a hole through the shell, so I don't think you're saving much by going that route.

 

[rlefig]

Geebot, the pool might have been replastered along the way but it looked so similar to my parents pool that was built in late 70's and was never done at least until they sold the house in 2012. I still might do plaster but a more of a bluish color instead of white.

JoyfulNoise, So tile is a must then and that's fine. And yes nicheless still needs drilling through shell but much smaller but maybe more in quantity. Most of my patio is brick, but there is a 3 foot concrete deck around pool

 

[bdavis466]

If you go with AquaBright there is no need for waterline tile. I don't recommend doing that for any other type of finish.

Resodyn is similar to EcoFinish but uses a slightly different application process. My understanding is several people left Resodyn and formed/joined EcoFinish over disputes on installation practices. What I do know is that the installation process is PAINFULLY slow and the applicator gun is much smaller. I have the biggest gun EcoFinish offers and even it is about 4x slower than I'd like.

Nothing compares to AquaBright over a new plaster finish and I think that's why most push to replaster. I have a lot of heartache over this since the coating is expensive enough as it is, it doesn't need to become more costly...But if you are paying a premium for a high quality coating, it needs to look perfect and not like you slapped a coat of paint on top of an old deteriorated surface.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

... What I do know is that the installation process is PAINFULLY slow and the applicator gun is much smaller. I have the biggest gun EcoFinish offers and even it is about 4x slower than I'd like.

Brian,

Talk to NASA, they can help you out with a bigger flamethrower -

NASA’s Testing Its Biggest Flame Thrower, Er, Rocket Ever | WIRED - YouTube


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[bdavis466]

I'm looking more for a grenade I can throw in the pool and walk away.

There's always paint...