All Pools
Swimming pools (and Spa’s) are in fact mild chemical baths, nice ones though.
For concrete pools, it’s important to keep the pool water from reaching and reacting with the reinforcing steel in the concrete shell. This is even more so with saltwater pools, as such water penetration can result in corrosion of the steelwork leading to “concrete cancer” and in some cases structural failure. High Build Epoxy paints being a thick coating, offers to water proof the inner surfaces of the pool and will assist in keeping the pool water away from the steel, as it’s largely water and vapour proof. New fluoropolymer coating provides even better corrosion resistance than any other paints.
By the same token, paint will tend to try to stop any groundwater that passes through porous concrete, entering the pool water too, for the same reasons. Though any such groundwater may be due to hydrostatic pressure, it can cause blisters to form in the coating, which can result in delamination. This may happen with any applied paint – coating. Our great water-based epoxy primer reduces significantly, that risk.
With Fiberglass pools the epoxy and fluoropolymers, in general, replaces the worn gel coat, offering to protect the underlying fiberglass shell from pool water ingress and saving the shell from being compromised due to water absorption.
Older Pools
With a Marcite, Pebble Tec, Fiberglass or a Concrete (Painted), pool/spa, generally after 15-20 years the original surface will be worn, tired and need to be resurfaced. It may even be less than 10 years if the pool surface is poorly finished or has had a lot of wear and tear or poor pool water management.
Over time you will find the pool surface starts to break down and becomes porous, becomes difficult to keep clean, harboring dirt and bacteria. It may even start to crack and blister.
Certainly, it will have lost its “when new” finish. On no account should pool water be allowed to get into the pool structure. If water does, it will cause expensive (corrosion/rotting) damage to the structure
New Pools
For your new pool, pool paint offers a great long-lasting and decorative finish without costing a lot. The paints we offer are available in a range of attractive colours to suit any location and decor. You can even include murals for added style.
They can be applied to a new rendered concrete surface by your self saving even more money or by a contractor – painter. The choice is yours. Either way, you will get a great long-lasting easy to maintain the finish.
The advantages of using pool paints on your pool or spa are:
- Decorative – wide range of colours available (colour matching too)
- Seamless
- Easy to clean
- Long-lasting
- Economic
- Warranty Available
- Can “do it yourself”
Compared to Tiles paints offer a seamless finish with no tile joints to get dirty, no tiles to fall off.
Compared to Plaster Type finishes (which cannot be refurbished easily) Hi build Epoxies and FEVE Fluoropolymers have no rough surfaces to scratch the skin, and a smooth finish for easy cleaning. In addition, are long-lasting and easily upgraded, to prolong their lifespan.
When selecting your pool finish think carefully, it can cost you BIG money with the wrong choice.
| Plaster Finishes | Fluoropolymers and Epoxy Hi-Build | |
|---|---|---|
| The surface can be rough on the skin | Surface smooth and easy on the skin | |
| Requires Skilled Professionals to install | Easily done by Home Handy person (DIY) | |
| Can have shading variations | Uniform colour or artwork | |
| Subject to staining from minerals | Resists staining very well | |
| High cost of installation | Much better value of installation | |
| May delaminate from the concrete shell | Chemically adheres to concrete | |
| Requires a high degree of water quality | More resistant to water quality issues | |
| The surface can be difficult to keep clean | The surface is smooth, easier to keep clean | |
| Surface may crack | Resistant to cracking, tough | |
| Cleaning systems can damage the surface | Resistant to cleaning system damage | |
| May last 10 – 12 years in good condition | Usually lasts 7 – 12 years ( or more with Fluoropolymer) , before recoat | |
| Expensive to replaster | Easy to recoat and not expensive | |
| Attractive finishes, in a range of colours | Attractive, decorative and smooth finishes in a range of colours and artistic styles at less than half the cost of Plaster |
| Tiles | Fluoropolymers and Epoxy Hi-Build |
|---|---|
| Has Joints | Seamless |
| Joints can get dirty | Easy clean smooth surface |
| Tiles can fall off | Chemically bonds to concrete |
| Needs skilled tradesman for application | Can be done by handy person |
| No warranty | Warranty available |
| Expensive | Great Value |
You can NOW see painting is the way to go, however there are two types of pool paint on the market.
| Chlorinated Rubber Paint | Fluoropolymers and Epoxy Hi-Build |
|---|---|
| Limited colour range | Extensive colour range |
| Lasts 2-3`years | Lasts 7-10+ years ( 20 pus years with Fluoropolymer ) |
| Single Pack | Two pack |
| Higher cost per year | Lower cost per year |
| Easy to recoat | Need to sand to recoat |
| Chalks (whitens) | Fluoropolymers do not chalk or fade, epoxies Yellow slightly to UV exposure |
| Soft surface | Hard surface |
| High solvent content (smelly) | Hi Build Epoxies Virtually solvent-free, Fluoropolymers have up to 40% solvent content |
| No Warranty | Warranty Available |
Fluoropolymers and Hi Build epoxies has proven to be the best, long term coatings, with over 20 years usage in the demanding Australasian and USA environments.