Different Types of Pool Finishes

They say ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ but with swimming pools, this isn’t necessarily true. The pool’s finish not only impacts your first impression but can also effect how long your pool will last. And whether you are in the resort business or not, durability is important because this will help you both make and save money. Design-wise, the appearance of your pool can be a big deciding factor for resort guests or future buyers of your property.

For this reason, it is important to style your pool with both appearance and durability in mind. Below we have explained the different types of pool finishes to give you an idea of which finish may be best for your swimming pool.

Aggregate

An aggregate pool finish is like an upgraded version of plaster. It is a combination of plaster and another material like quartz, glass beads, granite, or river stones. This type of finish is getting more recognition as it offers pools a luxurious appearance and is more resistant to damages than plaster alone. It can also be customized to provide a unique colour and texture to the pool and can also be polished or exposed.

Polished aggregates give a smoother surface. This is done by polishing the aggregate finish once it is hand applied to the pool shell giving more lustre compared with crushed coloured stones. Aside from adding a more decorative look to the pool, the patches of crushed stones provide an additional 12-20 more years to the life of the plaster.

Another type of aggregate finish is the exposed aggregate. Similar to polished aggregate, exposed aggregate is carefully hand applied in the pool shell. However, once the finish has been set, it is power washed with water and muriatic mixture while still wet. The mixture will clear away the top coat of the finish exposing beautiful coloured pebbles or glass beads in it. Depending on your style, you can choose different colours and textures. Pebble finishes make a pool look more natural like that of a lagoon, while the glass bead finishes provide an elegant look by reflecting the sunlight and giving off a 3D effect to the pool.

Tile

Tile finishes are a more expensive pool finish but are also known to be the most durable. They take the longest time to install and have the longest lifespan. If properly placed and maintained, the tiles will not need to be replaced. When it comes to appearance, the glossy characteristic of the tiles enhances the reflective capacity of the water making the pool appear more elegant.

Tile finishes include ceramic, porcelain, stone, and glass tiles. Out of these, the ceramic and porcelain tiles are the most common and the least expensive finish. You can also bring out our artsy style by painting the tiles to match the theme of your pool. When it comes to matching a landscape, stone tile finishes are more common. Granites, limestones, marbles, and slates are used to finish natural pools. To achieve a shimmering bright pool, glass tile finishes are often used. Glass tiles can reproduce and magnify the effect of light on the water. They are also easy to maintain as they do not crack, stain, or erode.

Burleigh Pools are award winning pool builders on the Gold Coast and have a wide range of pool designs to help you enhance your property with a swimming pool. Our client’s style is our utmost priority; hence, we have a free consultation to ensure that we can cater to your needs. Aside from the design, we consider the quality of our pools to be of utmost importance. Call 07 5576 0500 to request a consultation.