Unusual issue with Pebbletec finish

[Nikilyn]

Gimme smooth as a baby's bottom plain plaster if I ever build another pool. I find all those stones horrible painful to walk on.

Thank you for saying this. I feel the same whenever I've been in a pebble pool and have always sworn I'd just get quartz if I built another pool. Not like Quartzscapes because that is kind of like sandpaper, or at least the samples are, but the modified plaster with quartz crystals. That's always been my plan but there's like this pressure to get pebble. I like the color options of it but I think I will be mad at myself if I get pebble. Plus, I think of my 21 month old grandson playing on the Baja step and I can see him scraping his knee on the pebble. Everyone just looks at me weird for not wanting pebble and then I second guess myself.

 

[tomfrh]

Gimme smooth as a baby's bottom plain plaster if I ever build another pool. I find all those stones horrible painful to walk on.

Yes I'm wondering about this myself. I need to redo my pool interior, which is degraded white marble plaster. I redid my separate spa area with 2mm white and gold pebbles. I'm planning to do the pool interior the same, however I wonder if I should simply do it as smooth plaster instead.

If I do pebbles I'll do a very light exposure. Maybe just acid wash so it's exposed aggregate, rather than pebbles sitting proud of the cement.

 

[Sam1234]

Hi,
Another quick question - we got a sample of pebblesheen and are wondering (in addition to all of the deep pits throughout the pool) about the variability across all of the finish. For example, the difference between the top and bottom of this picture (it's this way all over the pool). We sent our builder this picture (with the sample in for reference) and asked about this variation and the missing pebbles, and got the response that this type of variation / missing pebbles is "standard for pebblesheen" - this doesn't make sense to me, but I don't know pools and wanted to confirm.

 

[Sam1234]

They haven't done a great job exposing the pebbles. It is quite inconsistent, and they've blown out chunks in a few areas.

Are you getting hurt everywhere in the pool? Or just at the deeper gouges? Those pebbles do look fairly sharp.

We're getting hurt most times in the pool unless we wear flippers. It's kind of like Russian roulette depending on where you put your feet and hands.

 

[tomfrh]

nd got the response that this type of variation / missing pebbles is "standard for pebblesheen"

They are defending themselves legally now. It is true that all pebblesheen being a site-mixed manually-applied manually-exposed product will have some level of surface variation. They are using this basic fact as a general defense to the level of variation in your pool, which in my opinion is excessive and unacceptable. You have areas with minimal pebble exposure, and adjacent areas of heavy exposure where pebbles are protruding excessively (hence the random injuries you are encountering). I would expect a lot better from professional pebble applicators.

They will be reluctant to admit a defective finish, as it means they need to refinish, which is expensive for them. Hence they are saying it's normal, and hoping you say ok.

 

[kimkats]

sad to say this but what he said ^^^^^ Make sure to get all talks about this problem in writing so you have it when you talk to a lawyer

 

[RoyR]

Your pool finish should look like that sample....

 

[Sam1234]

Oof, I was hoping that wasn't the case. We do like them as people, which is why we've been so patient. But I'm at a loss here as to what they're thinking. It's not logical to risk one's reputation in a small town like ours over what is fairly small potatoes to fix in the grand scheme. Think anyone who saw these pictures would not hire the builder responsible for them, so I just don't get it. Hopefully they will do the right thing; but it's been months at this point, and I think what we are asking is reasonable. Okay; thank you all so much for the advice; it is really appreciated.

 

[Sam1234]

The PB agreed to a full chip out of the finish and a reinstall. The finish installer came yesterday and hydroblasted the surface. It does not look like they removed all of the pebble as they agreed to do (?). We're open to changes in the process from what we agreed on, if they make sense, but we want this done correctly. I was wondering - is the pebble fully out here? Does a proper reinstall require them to hydroblast all the pebble out, and reinstall from the gunite? Or is this the right way to do it, where you leave most of the pebble and just remove the surface layer (which is where the problem was originally - the surface was very sharp and cutting our feet and hands)?

 

[hosseisemi]

I would expect what you have for a replaster on an "old" pool. You have a new pool. Make them go all the way to the gunite. They will cringe and whine, but you bought a new pool. Not a remodeled pool. My 2 cents.

 

[Dirk]

@JamesW, @jimmythegreek, can you look at the pics in post #29 and confirm that is not a full chip out? That's what the OP was promised. If this were your pool, and the brand new pebble finish needed to be redone, as determined by a PebbleTec rep, would you expect a full chip out?

 

[tomfrh]

Personally I would be happy with that level of preparation. It is heavily abraded and the new material will stick well to it. Furthermore the extra thickness will provide an additional carbonation barrier, that will delay concrete cancer down the track.

Insisting on going back to the concrete shell seems unnecessary to me.

Just my two cents.

 

[jimmythegreek]

That's what a blast looks like when done. A chip out old school is with pmuematic chipping guns, not the same thing. On a new shell I would be ok with that level of prep. You have to make sure there is enough material removed so that all tile below waterline is gone and down ttothat setting level amd around all penetration have a solid 1/4" or more build up needed to become flush finished

 

[Dirk]

Thanks @jimmythegreek! My chip out was pneumatic, which is why I didn't recognize what they did to Sam's pool. So no problem with leaving that layer of old pebble between gunite and new pebble? No risk of future separations?

 

[jimmythegreek]

It's likely ok considering it's a new shell amd the first adhesion looks good. In a perfect world we all want a full chip like you did amd that's the best. A blast is cheaper amd has its place, this is one of them. If this finish was older or regular plaster I'd want to see an old school chip. Looking at pics they got a great bond but the final finish work wasn't up to snuff. Down the road when it's time to replaster a full chip would he needed in my opinion.

 

[Sam1234]

Ok, that makes total sense to us. Thank you so much!

 

[Dirk]

Thanks Jimmy! So there you go, Sam. It's "pick your battles" time... keep us posted. We're looking forward to the "We're done and so happy!" pics...

 

[Girija]

Any progress on the Pebble Sheen reinstall?