Pool Resurfacing/Epoxy Paint

[Heyjude0111]

Hello Maude, This is so confusing??? two people have said replastering is best....as the Epoxy Resin pain has problems in a couple of years and the acid was wears away at the plaster??? geeish! Currently my pool has tile only around the top of the pool just above/at the water line top. Plain plaster pool. Hope this helps. What is the avg. cost of both? if you know. Thanks

[Maudlettice]

Jude, I am about 60 miles north of London, UK at the moment and it is bedtime as we are 9 or 10 hours ahead of you. I will answer in full tomorrow. Best wishes.

[Maudlettice]

Hello, Jude. I will post this in small sections simply because the connection keeps going down - I have already typed it once and lost it! Only if the existing plaster is loose and falling off the guite will re-plastering be necessary. If it is firmly attached but cracked that is quite satisfactory and re-plastering is really a nonsense. I am proceeding on the assumption that it is firmly attached.

[Maudlettice]

Guite = gunite! The walls and floor of your pool must be thoroughly washed off by high pressure pump with nozzle on spray held about 2" from the surface, follow the line of the cracks to thoroughly clean them out and finish with an air blower for thorougness.

[Maudlettice]

The cracks fall into 2 groups (1) shrinkage and (2) structural. The shrinkage cracks divide again into 2 (a) hairline and (b) wider - say approaching 1/8 inch or more.

[Maudlettice]

The hairline cracks can be ignored. The wider cracks must be filled with butyl rubber by squirting a short length along the cracks by mastic gun and working well into the crack with a knife.

[Maudlettice]

Structural cracks, which are generally smaller at the bottom and wider at the top or wide with the walls on each side misaligned, must be filled with repair concrete. This is sold in bags, simply mix up on a board as per the instructions and force well into the cracks with a trowel or knife.

[Maudlettice]

This preparation is very, very important, must be concentrated upon and only done when the walls are dry after washing (say less than 20% on a moisture meter.

[Maudlettice]

After that it is simply a matter of painting on the correct primer followed by painting on one thick coat of swimming pool epoxy resin paint in whatever colour you fancy. Epoxy resin is basically a very tenacious adhesive turned into a paint with many additives. Swimming pool epoxy is very important because it has the vital ingredient to withstand what is called chloride shock in your part of the world.

[Maudlettice]

The butyl rubber crack filler and the epoxy resin paint will accept thermal movement, and only if you have an earth tremor is there the risk of further cracking.

[Maudlettice]

Regarding tiling, if the existing tiles are alright I would simply use them as a base and tile over them (the new tiling should be done before painting).

[Maudlettice]

Regarding ball-park costs, materials and equipment hire $400-500, tiles whatever you wish to pay for them, pool cleaning, repairs and painting say one man 4 days, tiling one man 1 day, multiplied by whatever is the going rate for a days work from a tradesman where you live.

[Maudlettice]

But why not save your money and do the work yourself. It is easy stuff and you will probably do a much better job yourself than some stranger who really only wants your money.

[Maudlettice]

Regarding the epoxy resin paint, type Swimming Pool Epoxy Resin Paint and up will turn a number of US suppliers. Pick a name that you recognise, contact them and say what you propose to do with their materials, and if you have picked a good firm a technical rep will arrive, inspect your pool and confirm or amend what I have said. All good firms guarantee their material between 5 and 10 years, and pick one that will put everything right in the most unlikely event of failure (I always hope to find one that is backed by an insurance policy).

[Maudlettice]

Type Swimming Pool Epoxy Resin Paint into Google, I meant to say.

[Maudlettice]

Please do not hesitate to say if you wish something amplified or I can help further. You will be perfectly well satisfied with epoxy resin paint. If by any chance your existing plaster is loose and falling off and because of this only you have to re-plaster, you will have to paint the new plaster with epoxy otherwise you will be back to cracking and leaks again within a year.

[Maudlettice]

I meant to include that epoxies come as "one part" or "two part". Use the "one part", its much easier.