The first thing that must be done is determining your current swimming pool finish. Is it plaster? How old is it? Is it paint? What kind of paint and how many layers is it?
Once you have established your current swimming pool finish, you must decide to re-plaster your swimming pool or repaint.
We are often asked that question and our answer has much to do with the desired finished quality. Here are some determining factors regarding paint that will allow you to make an informed decision:
- Durability and Wear: There are different qualities of paint out in the market today. Your choice will determine how long that paint job will last. Higher quality paints, which are also the most expensive, will only last up to 5 years. Paints come in a broad range of prices. Like everything else, you get what you pay for in quality and longevity.
- Maintenance: Pool paint starts chipping off the plaster after some time, it varies depending on the quality of paint you used, meaning that you will have to drain the pool more often to repaint or touch up. Old paint that is chipping creates not only cloudy pool water but also your pool equipment, pumps and filters, will clog easier. This raises the maintenance of your filter from twice a year to every month or every other month. That is not to mention the harder your pump is working.
- Ease in Cleaning: Pool paints can harbor algae at a higher rate than plaster, this will not only cause a dirtier pool that is harder to clean but also a slippery surface, which can be dangerous for a pool bottom.
When making a decision for your swimming pool surface we can conclude that painting your swimming pool is a second hand choice to re-plastering. It may be half the cost, but in turn, it will also only last half as long, on a good day. The few dollars that you would be saving in the short run, you will be spending in the long run.