| Ok, so you passed on the new big screen TV, | | | | 10) Thou shall brush, brush and brush the pool for |
| gave in on the weekend fishing trip with your | | | | at least 10 days. |
| best buddies and worked some extra hard hours | | | | I promise you it really was just a coincidence that |
| so that you could get the pool resurfaced. After | | | | there are "10" commandments, I mean RULES! |
| all you must put into priority what really counts | | | | Now let me explain why it took years and years |
| most, right? Well never the less your pool has a | | | | of crying foul and caused an industry to come |
| new coat of plaster weather it's a Quartz Finish, a | | | | together to solve the obvious that was not so |
| Stone Finish or Conventional Marcite (is that stuff | | | | obvious at the time. Here is what was determined |
| still around?) makes no difference. Hopefully you | | | | to be the cause of spot etching, grey streaks or |
| found the right contractor to do the job and | | | | swirls, aka mottling and yellowing of the pool |
| everything went smoothly? Let's leave that for | | | | plaster: |
| another article. So your pool is filling and what you | | | | 1) Add plaster and water to a powered mixer, |
| do next could absolutely decide how long your | | | | mix until it looks like pancake batter and apply to |
| new plaster will look new and how long it will last. I | | | | pool, sounds ok but not true. Turns out that the |
| kid you not, start-up, aka fire-up of the new finish | | | | dry plaster and water need to be mixed for a |
| is one of the most important parts of the | | | | specific amount of time (5-6min.) before they are |
| re-plastering process. | | | | considered married (feels like a lifetime!) also |
| I have found that although you may have used a | | | | plaster that is under-mix can and does false set |
| reputable pool contractor to do a superb job of | | | | which requires additional mixing and addition of |
| the actual re-finishing does not necessarily mean | | | | water to complete the process. The mixing from |
| they will do a proper fire-up once the pool is filled. | | | | batch to batch needs to be as consistent as |
| Might be that plastering is their forte and only | | | | possible to ensure uniform texture and curing all |
| offer the fire-up as a courtesy because there | | | | around. |
| competition does, or they may not offer it all due | | | | 2) The source of the water could be high in |
| to the liability of damaging the new finish. So it | | | | metals, low in hardness or vice versa. Tap water |
| would certainly behoove you to know exactly | | | | or well water could have adverse effects on the |
| what is necessary to safeguard the integrity and | | | | plaster's outcome. Causing staining and streaking. |
| warranty of your pool finish. After all, that | | | | 3) Dirty trowels are dirty trowels no need to say |
| weekend fishing trip would look pretty good after | | | | more, but worn trowels have a direct affect on |
| having your pool refinished only to be stained, | | | | how hard a finisher has to apply pressure to the |
| streaked and discolored. | | | | plaster to get it smooth. The harder the pressure |
| The consensus has been: once the pool is filled | | | | applied to the trowel the more likely the trowel |
| you need to get the water cleared and balanced | | | | will transfer heat from the friction caused from |
| as soon as possible (contractor needs that check) | | | | the exerted pressure and burn the finish, |
| That usually meant shocking the pool heavily, | | | | commonly known as "trowel burns". Trowel burns |
| balancing the alkalinity, PH and vacuuming the pool | | | | are what cause the finish to have grayish swirls |
| to remove the plaster dust and any debris that | | | | throughout the pool finish |
| might have entered the pool during the refill. All | | | | 4) Over-troweling the pool has the same effect |
| done in one day and usually on the day the pool | | | | on the pool finish even if the tools are clean, in |
| was finished filling. | | | | good shape and of good quality. Over troweling |
| BIG MISTAKE! | | | | usually becomes necessary when the plaster false |
| Back in the 70's & 80's the plaster of choice | | | | sets on the finishers and there was a mad frenzy |
| (only choice) was conventional Marcite and a | | | | of troweling to try to get the plaster smoothed |
| recurring problem builders were having with the | | | | out before it got too hard. |
| plaster was a condition known as spot etching. | | | | 5) Calcium is well known as an accelerator of |
| Some other conditions that were prevalent in | | | | cement products, that being said on cooler days, |
| these same pools were streaking, grey swirls and | | | | colder climates or day's with rain in the forecast |
| yellowing of the finish. Everyone in the industry | | | | plasterers found by adding calcium to the plaster |
| had their own opinion or expert advice as to why | | | | mix they could accelerate the set-up time of the |
| this was happening, the only problem was that | | | | plaster therefore in theory finish a pool quicker |
| the industry as a whole could not agree on the | | | | without having to wait for the plaster to set at its |
| "why". The National Spa & Pool Industry | | | | own pace. This practice became more and more |
| (NSPI) as it was known back then, in conjunction | | | | common as plaster crews were now able to get |
| with several pool builders conducted several tests | | | | 2 and even 3 pools plastered in one day. More PIE! |
| on demo pools to try to come up with a | | | | (more like humble pie) |
| common denominator that could explain the | | | | 6) Walking barefoot on a freshly plastered pool |
| ongoing conditions affecting pool finishes. | | | | seemed harmless enough; certainly better then |
| Some of the first finger pointing was at the fact | | | | walking on the finish with work boots, shoes or |
| that Marcite used to contain Asbestos as part of | | | | sneakers. The plaster is hard at this point but by |
| the plaster mix, for OBVIOUS reasons the EPA | | | | no means cured. In-fact it takes about 28 days |
| had the Manufactures of Marcite remove the | | | | for plaster to fully cure. The finished plaster acts |
| Asbestos and low and behold every old-timer in | | | | like a sponge absorbing everything that comes in |
| the industry blamed the removal off the | | | | contact with it. The perfect outline of a foot print |
| Asbestos as the source of all plaster related | | | | usually revealed itself about a month after the |
| problems. We know better today that was not | | | | pool was completed. The foot print was a result |
| true but unfortunately those old-school plasterers | | | | of the natural oil in a person's skin being absorbed |
| are not around anymore, huh? wonder why? So | | | | into the plaster, that oil was retained by the |
| these demo pools were plastered, filled and | | | | plaster as it cured causing the finish to dry darker |
| monitored for about a year. After all the hoopla, | | | | in the outline of a foot print, pinky toe included. |
| all the finger pointing and all the data was in, guess | | | | 7) "Hey honey look the pool is filling, sure is filling |
| what, the NSPI and the industry determined the | | | | slow, let's get another hose in there so it will fill |
| common denominator was human error, labor | | | | faster!" Run a second hose out to the pool to |
| defects, defects in the actual mixing of the | | | | speed up the filling process also seemed harmless |
| plaster on the job-site, defects in the actual | | | | enough so long as the second water hose was |
| application of the plaster, defects in the hand | | | | added to the deep-end where there already is a |
| troweling of the plaster as well as the condition of | | | | growing body of water. When a hose is added, |
| the trowels themselves. Last but not least and | | | | water must hit water and not run down the |
| most prevalent was the start-up procedure done | | | | plaster from the wall or the shallow end as the |
| by most companies. | | | | very absorbent plaster will pull the minerals and |
| Houston we have a problem! | | | | impurities' out of the water flowing down the |
| How can this be? Was echoed throughout the | | | | plaster thus causing a stain/streak. |
| industry. We are the experts, we've been doing | | | | 8) Turning the water fill off for the pool still |
| this for years and years without these problems, | | | | happens today more often than you might think. |
| how could all of a sudden our time and tested | | | | A homeowner not being informed about how |
| techniques be the blame for all of our woes? Well | | | | important the need to let the pool fill until water |
| like all trades that have have well skilled | | | | reached the tile was the main reason for this |
| craftsmen they all had their industry specific niche. | | | | happening. Typically a pool needs a good 24 to 36 |
| Pool plasterers were not born from the industry | | | | hours to fill depending on the size of the pool and |
| but transferred from the masonry, concrete and | | | | of course water pressure. Mr. & Mrs. Pool |
| stucco finishing trades. After all swimming pools | | | | owner fearful the pool might over fill during the |
| really did not have their own industry classification | | | | night would turn the water of at bedtime and |
| until the late 50's, 60's and 70's. Pools were being | | | | resume the next morning. " Ring around the rosy |
| built by home builders who employed skilled | | | | pocket full of ..." Sorry!, Ring around pool as in "a |
| craftsmen, skilled in block laying, carpentry, form | | | | definite water line mark" where the pool water |
| work, concrete finishing and plastering. | | | | was stopped for several hours then resumed, |
| As the pool industry grew and the industry was | | | | resulted in a permanent stain. |
| able to support the full time employment of pool | | | | 9) "Patience is a Virtue" except when you're |
| plasters. Those plasterers came from skilled | | | | trying to collect final payment on a pool resurface |
| backgrounds and as the industry continued to | | | | and the water is green. No GREEN for Mr. Pool |
| grow it attracted all sorts of people trying to get | | | | Man until the pool is blue. Turns out shocking a |
| their slice of pool pie. Well unfortunately with all big | | | | pool that has been recently plastered is bad, very, |
| business comes competition and competition can | | | | very bad, also turns out that chlorine is the last |
| be a good thing if we all play fair like good little | | | | thing that should be added to the pool for several |
| boys and girls. New pool companies were popping | | | | reasons. That did not make a lot of sense at that |
| up everywhere and everywhere a new pool | | | | time as it was thought without chlorine how could |
| company started they needed laborers. Notice I | | | | you clear up the water quickly. Filter, Filter, Filter. |
| said laborers not craftsmen, yes the competition | | | | Ever wonder how a fish tank stays clear without |
| was not playing fair by hiring unskilled labor to | | | | chlorine; a swimming pool is really nothing more |
| reduce the overall cost of the pool. Forcing the | | | | than a big o fish tank. Now don't get me wrong I |
| craftsmen still left in the industry in keep taking | | | | am not saying you should forgo on the chlorine, |
| pay cuts until they were finally forced out of the | | | | or that you can put fish in your pool, but you |
| industry by the newbie's. Ok maybe not forced | | | | certainly do not need as much chlorine as you |
| so much as they were ready for retirement | | | | think. We have found that a procedure of adding |
| anyway. | | | | a Stain & Scale control product, balancing the |
| They sure don't build them like they used too | | | | ph, alkalinity and calcium and running the filter for |
| Remember that old saying? "they don't build them | | | | a few days before adding chlorine is the best |
| like they used too" well the transfer from old | | | | way to nurse the newly finished plaster to good |
| school craftsmen to then new pool laborers must | | | | health. |
| have missed quite a few important trade secrets | | | | 10) "Brush, brush, brush that plaster dust away", |
| and techniques. Pool plaster "101" is apparently | | | | has a nice ring to it but truth is everybody hates |
| where all the freshmen left, dropped out went to | | | | brushing a pool especially when you are told you |
| work thinking they knew all there was to know. | | | | must brush at least twice a day. The new plaster |
| Here is what unfortunately not passed down to | | | | is curing and shedding what we call, "plaster dust" |
| them from the very wise old guys: | | | | plaster dust left untouched can and will resettle on |
| 1) Thou shall not apply plaster unless the plaster | | | | the pool finish and cause yellowing on Marcite and |
| was mixed for "x" amounts of minutes. | | | | leave a white paste on Stone or Quartz finishes. |
| 2) Thou shall not use well water or unfiltered | | | | By brushing the pool constantly you are getting |
| water for mixing of the plaster. | | | | the dust off the surface and out into the water |
| 3) Thou shall not use dirty trowels, worn trowels | | | | so that the filter can trap the dust as it is |
| or poor quality steel trowels. | | | | circulated. As each day passes the dust will |
| 4) Thou shall not over-trowel the pool plaster. | | | | become less and less prevalent until it is all gone, |
| 5) Thou shall not add calcium to the plaster mix. | | | | about a week in most cases. From that point on |
| 6) Thou shall not walk bare-foot on finished pool | | | | brushing the pool at least once a week is good |
| plaster. | | | | for the pool and an upper body workout. |
| 7) Thou shall fill pool starting the water in the | | | | FOR A DETAILED GUIDE ON HOW TO |
| deep end only. | | | | START-UP A NEW POOL FINISH PLEASE READ |
| 8) Thou shall not interrupt the filling process until | | | | "Proper Chemical Start-Up Guide" |
| the water reaches the tile line. | | | | Ok you can breathe now, we're done, grab a cold |
| 9) Thou shall not try to chemically balance the | | | | drink, find your favorite pool float and relax! |
| pool all in one day. | | | | |