One of the many benefits of a gunite pool is the ability to renovate them in any way you see fit. Many homeowners ask can you change the color of a gunite pool? Luckily the answer is yes. You can change the color of a gunite pool and you will have many color options. It just depends on how much you want to spend on the process.
Can You Change The Color Of A Gunite Pool?
Now that we’ve established that you can change the color of a gunite pool, let’s investigate why someone would want to. This question often comes up with owners of older gunite pools with a white plaster interior finish. Maybe you’re tired of the same old shades of light blue and want something different. You might prefer a more intense blue. In addition to color, perhaps you want the texture to change. Whatever your choice, the answer is yes, you can change the color of a gunite pool.
How To Change The Color Of A Gunite Pool
First, you’ll have to drain the pool. No matter which method described below you choose, nothing can be done until the pool doesn’t have water in it. Now, we’ve walk you through a few options on how to change the color of a gunite pool.
Painting A Pool
Once the pool is drained, the easiest, and possibly the worst, choice of all is painting the pool. Start by pressure washing the plaster finish to make sure it’s clean and ready to accept the paint. Then you’d follow the paint manufacturers instructions for application once the pool interior finish is dry.
The reason I said it’s possibly the worst choice of all for changing your pool color is you will find yourself repeating the process of draining the pool and painting every season. Otherwise the paint will show some fading and discoloration, and maybe start to peel here and there. In my opinion painting a pool is one of the worst possible choices you can make, but it is an option. If you ever want to re-plaster the pool you will need to sandblast the interior finish. Sandblasting is messy and requires a huge amount of cleanup.
Insert A Vinyl Liner
The next option for changing the color of the pool interior finish is to put in a vinyl liner. There are hundreds of vinyl liner options and they can be installed in gunite pools. I would not recommend this for the simple reason that you have a gunite pool, why install vinyl when you have a gunite pool?
Well, the vinyl is smoother than any gunite pool will ever be, and if you have a leaky pool with some structural cracks, you can cover them up with a vinyl liner and ignore the problem for a few years. Putting a vinyl liner in a gunite pool is not my first choice for how to solve the color change, but it is an option.
Plaster Renovation
Your next option would be a re-plaster, otherwise known as resurfacing, of the gunite pool. The new pool interior finish can be one of any number of options. From smooth plaster and quartz aggregate products to rougher pebble finishes, to glass bead finishes. Keep in mind installers generally have their product lines they prefer to install so it’s best to contact the installers in your area and find out what they prefer to install, then choose your color.
The process of re-plastering the pool will be a bit messy, and you may want to redo the tile and coping at the same time. If your tile and coping are in good shape however, you may be a good candidate for a simple re-plaster. All the penetrations, fittings, and drain covers will be replaced in the process of re-plastering the pool. It’s important to confirm your main drain will be brought into compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Act, since even today it’s not uncommon for companies to ignore the law in regards to main drain safety.
Interior Tile
The most expensive option for changing the color of your gunite pool would be to tile the entire interior. This could be done with glass tile for that extra shimmer, or porcelain. You could use ceramic assuming you live in an area where there is no chance of frost. Tiling the pool is a long lasting option for the interior, and gives a richness to the pool it’s hard to compare to any other finish.
Summary
Whatever option you choose for changing your pool color, it’s important to remember that it’s your pool. Personalizing it for your tastes and desires is one of the best choices you can make. When you have something in your backyard you are proud of, it helps build confidence in hosting social events.
Also, having exactly what you want in your backyard will help you relax and unwind with thoughts of how you need to change the color of the pool gone from your mind. As you’ve seen, there are plenty of options to change the color of your gunite pool.
