Our pool was finished about a month ago. Since then more and more white footprints and shoe marks have been showing up on the tanning ledge and steps. It looks horrible. Our builder says he has never seen this before and when the plaster folks left they said it was perfect. Will an acid wash help? I am sick about the amount of money we just spent and how terrible it looks.
White footprints in pool
- Thread starter KimPrice
- Start date
Not what you want to see. I’m sorry I don’t have any advice other than to stay on your pb to fix it. I would be upset too. It will work out though.
What does the pool builder and/or the plasterer say about fixing it? If the plaster is from a name brand company like SGM or PebbleTec you can call them to get some help if the PB isnt willing to fix it.
cfherrman
TFP Guide
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,658
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
This is my standard spiel when I hear the words "acid wash." Where did you hear them? An acid wash is the go-to fix for all things pool, it seems. And it is appropriate if done exactly right, and for a very slim (IMO) set of circumstances. I would not qualify your issue as one of those. Here's the rub: acid washing works by dissolving mostly everything in which it comes in contact with, including your brand new surface. It doesn't magically attack the unwanted things and leave the plaster alone. And as often as not, it doesn't even attack what you don't want, but rather burns off the underlying plaster and takes the unwanted stains with it. Some solution, right? And that's if the wash is done correctly, which is not always the case with pool guys.
So if your pool is old, and badly stained, and a year or two away from a complete resurfacing, then yah, an acid wash can clean things up a bit to postpone the inevitable. But on a new surface, all you'll be doing is solving the PB's problem by "spending" some of the longevity of your new surface. Not by a few days or weeks, more like a few years.
So in essence you'll be getting less than what you paid for, because an acid wash will leave less "pool" than you paid for. If your PB suggest an acid wash, then you should either reject the solution, or ask for a substantial return of your money.
You've got an unacceptable pool finish (obviously). If they can't offer a viable solution, then the correct, acceptable solution is to replace the surface (chip it out, reshoot it), at no cost to you.
And while I can't fathom what the actual problem is, it could be just cosmetic, but it could just as likely be a symptom of a bad plaster job, and/or plaster that was not mixed correctly and so is not curing correctly. So any solution that addresses only the aesthetic issue might still leave the underlying plaster problem, which might only rear its head again years from now, outside of your warranty. Until someone of knowledge can definitively say otherwise, the benefit of the doubt should go to you, not the contractor, and the assumption should be a faulty plaster installation until proven otherwise.
I'm a double-barrel kinda guy. I just went through something similar, got a new surface out of it and got the contractor to pay for it. The notion that this is somehow your problem, and that you have to live with it or do with less than you paid for, doesn't fly...
So if your pool is old, and badly stained, and a year or two away from a complete resurfacing, then yah, an acid wash can clean things up a bit to postpone the inevitable. But on a new surface, all you'll be doing is solving the PB's problem by "spending" some of the longevity of your new surface. Not by a few days or weeks, more like a few years.
So in essence you'll be getting less than what you paid for, because an acid wash will leave less "pool" than you paid for. If your PB suggest an acid wash, then you should either reject the solution, or ask for a substantial return of your money.
You've got an unacceptable pool finish (obviously). If they can't offer a viable solution, then the correct, acceptable solution is to replace the surface (chip it out, reshoot it), at no cost to you.
And while I can't fathom what the actual problem is, it could be just cosmetic, but it could just as likely be a symptom of a bad plaster job, and/or plaster that was not mixed correctly and so is not curing correctly. So any solution that addresses only the aesthetic issue might still leave the underlying plaster problem, which might only rear its head again years from now, outside of your warranty. Until someone of knowledge can definitively say otherwise, the benefit of the doubt should go to you, not the contractor, and the assumption should be a faulty plaster installation until proven otherwise.
I'm a double-barrel kinda guy. I just went through something similar, got a new surface out of it and got the contractor to pay for it. The notion that this is somehow your problem, and that you have to live with it or do with less than you paid for, doesn't fly...
Thanks for everyones posts. Problem is still there and pool builder is still trying to find a solution. I now realize when underwater there are hand prints all over the sides of the pool. Ahhhh! I do even go outside, it makes me sick to look at.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 6,354
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Kim,
Read this post below for a member having similar issues with the plaster. Start on Page 7 Post 124.
New Pool - SE Pennsylvania - Page 7
Best of luck!
Read this post below for a member having similar issues with the plaster. Start on Page 7 Post 124.
New Pool - SE Pennsylvania - Page 7
Best of luck!
At least your pb is open to the fact that it is problematic. I know some pbs would just say it’s normal variation as a cop out. Keep the relationship civil and hopefully he will come to the party ad do whatever is needed to fix it. Even if that means a redo.