Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Tile, mosaic, marbelite, Marcite, Marblesheen,
fiberglass, plaster, shotcrete, paint, epoxy coatings.
Use, care and repair of the various surfaces.
jeredh
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed 20 Jul, 2011 22:35
Location: Memphis

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby jeredh » Wed 20 Jul, 2011 22:59

Thanks!

Jered


czechmate
Swimming Pool Superstar
Swimming Pool Superstar
Posts: 401
Joined: Sat 16 May, 2009 09:20
My Pool: 16 x 32 gunite21000 gal., Diamond Brite Blue, Swimquip XL pump, DE36
Location: Texas

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby czechmate » Thu 21 Jul, 2011 11:07

This is how you save on stamps when you write to yourself. Good idea. :wink:
jeredh
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed 20 Jul, 2011 22:35
Location: Memphis

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby jeredh » Sat 23 Jul, 2011 11:15

Yeah czech the internet eliminates the need for postage =]
Any advice you guys wanted to give i'd be eternally thankful. The work begins this Wednesday...i ordered Midnight Blue PebbleTec yesterday
dacgerht

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby dacgerht » Sun 31 Jul, 2011 00:01

Wow, I came on here to see if there were or what to do about a few pebbles. Most of my neighborhood has had to redo their older swimming pools, 30+ years or more and all of our pools look great with pebble tech (Orlando area). We have two main pool resurfacing companies that are authorized by Pebble Tech and both are doing a great job. My cousin in Tampa had a new pool and it had pebble tech. So when our pool finish was finished (pun intended) and we needed to decide on what to redo the surface with? I walked around the block and spoke with the neighbors. My immediate neighbor had a wonderful finish about a year or two old and it too was pebble tech/the sheen type. All in all about six of us have had our older pools done with Pebble Tech and in all shades and we are all quite happy. ---Note some of the darker shades my cousin advised should be cautioned. The water looks deeper with the darker blues particularly and her lap pool looks deep and her guests have wanted to dive in but it is only four feet deep! So she is constantly on guard with new swimmers and advises it is a LAP POOL.

My installation was not without problems, but the company stuck with me, drained the pool three times, acid washed, eventually pressure washed off the blue excessive slurry, and stuck around and checked on us until the pool surface was perfect. I guess key is having a company who knows how to work with the material and fix any problems that may arise. We recommended them to four more people all of which needed their older pool resurfaced. I think everyone learned from our install. Many of our older pools are big and deep (old school). Ours is 16' by 38' and almost 10' deep. Yup, and the others about the same or in a kidney shape/think 1970's. So the slurry has to be watched at the end of the process of resurfacing. (Slurry is the colored mud thinned out and washed down....if it remains it leaves a train the same color as the mud, which in my case was light blue).

It's been 5 years since I had mine done. I do use Pinch a Penny here in Longwood, FL. My pool looks like a resort, crystal blue, and the water clear like glass. Since my kids are now grown we lost our pool cleaners. I use a Hayward pro cleaner, check my chlorine tabs twice a week/auto chlorinator 3" tabs, and take my water to Pinch a Penny on the week-end. They give me a print out as to what is needed.

So to those of you with problems, I'd look on line to a pool company close to your home, like Pinch a Penny, talk with your neighbors and get on a once a week schedule. Here in Florida most of us grew up with pools and the key is a routine every day/week. Ask your neighbors and see who is happy and copy them.

As for key problems, I'd take it to Pebble Tech directly---the home office. I hope those of you who are having problems get help and enjoy your pool. Good luck and try to stay positive. Once your pool problems are fixed I think you will find this is the best surface!
Curatolo Pools
Pool Enthusiast
Pool Enthusiast
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue 27 Sep, 2011 22:46
Location: new port richey, florida

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby Curatolo Pools » Wed 28 Sep, 2011 02:47

I think he is offering you good advice. I won't refinish a pool with a product that contains the word "Pebble" in it. ..I do not install it because it seems like it may be a bit rough on the feet. I have heard this from people who have had it. I have enjoyed great success and no complaints installing the diamond brite surface in pools for many years. Comfort on the feet has never been a problem with this pool finishing material . Good finishers are also an important factor when resurfacing a pool no matter what type of pool finish you choose.. Dennis ,New Port Richey, fl
Realtor who needs advice

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby Realtor who needs advice » Fri 06 Apr, 2012 13:26

Should a pebble tec pool be drained because they can not take care of it. The pool is located in Chandler Az. (desert) we are in the 60's at night and 80-90 degrees during the day. Won't this damage the finish or structure of the pool? Please advise.......
Beryl White

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby Beryl White » Sat 07 Apr, 2012 06:19

We have a pebble tec pool. Brown stains appeared after salt was added and became more evident over 2-3 months. Finally the pool company resurfaced the pool. But I am not using salt again until I can afford to fully tile it. Sticking with chlorine
czechmate
Swimming Pool Superstar
Swimming Pool Superstar
Posts: 401
Joined: Sat 16 May, 2009 09:20
My Pool: 16 x 32 gunite21000 gal., Diamond Brite Blue, Swimquip XL pump, DE36
Location: Texas

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby czechmate » Sun 08 Apr, 2012 08:54

Realtor who needs advice wrote:Should a pebble tec pool be drained because they can not take care of it. The pool is located in Chandler Az. (desert) we are in the 60's at night and 80-90 degrees during the day. Won't this damage the finish or structure of the pool? Please advise.......


No gunite pool should be drained to eliminate chemical maintenance of water.
Serious structural damage will follow with a potential floating of shell,
deck damage and loss of piping, inclusive that of the main drain.
The cost of maintenance contract is miniscule, compared to future repairs.
another pool guy

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby another pool guy » Thu 07 Jun, 2012 12:21

Pebble Tec is the best interior finish but it's expensive. That is the biggest deterrent.

Pebble Sheen, the smaller pebbles, is actually more abrasive and that is why it is buffed after installation. Pebble Tec, larger pebbles, are more rounded and smoother. If you look under a microscope you will also find marcite/plaster or whatever you want to call it is sharper as well.

All these complaints are likely not the fault of the product but instead the owner.

I have clients who do NOTHING (1 is my sister) and their pools are wonderful BECAUSE of the tec. It is the best product out there.
Guest

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby Guest » Sun 26 Aug, 2012 13:58

Terry,
We have had the same problem. The pool was drained then acid washed last year then refilled. When we opened it this season it was white, not black.....the original color. Our pool company dropped the acid to a very low level for one week, and this got the scale off, but I noticed the calcium going up so I drained the water and filled it again. I think the take home message is don't get a dark pool. Since water is inert, I have to imagine that we are fighting the calcium and pH from the pebble tec and/or gunite. I just wish our pool company knew something about this....unimpressive service.
Dan
JamesV

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby JamesV » Mon 12 Nov, 2012 11:31

Aggregate pool finishes are becoming more popular as innovations in pool plaster come to the forefront. Today, aggregates have taken over the top spot from pool plaster as the most desirable pool finish option. Most pool owners have chosen to go with an aggregate pool finish because of its durability and aesthetics quality. Natural quartz an additive that has been put in some new pool finishes. A quartz pool finish will typically last between 7 and 12 years. QuartzScapes is one of the beast quartz pool finishes on the market today. A premium blend of crushed quartz, white cement and mineral-based pigments, QuartzScapes merges beauty and strength for a stunning pool finish. Quartz is an amazing additive to pool plaster to increase durability and beauty, but pool owners are trending more toward exposed aggregates.
Pebble Tec lover

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby Pebble Tec lover » Sun 02 Dec, 2012 11:07

Pebble Tec is the acknowledged best pool surface. With Pebble sheen being the best of Pebble Tec. Most of the nay-sayers in here are Pebble Tec wannabes, that are envious. They would complain if they got to heaven nd found out their favorite beer was unavailable on tap. Trust Pebble Tec ... and trust reliable ratings and reviews ... don't trust natural born whiners.
nitrams2000

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby nitrams2000 » Fri 07 Dec, 2012 00:35

:D I had my pool installed in 2008 , I have had pebble tech for 5 years now with no problem, Its very smooth on the bottom , so my feet are never scratched, very smooth finish, color is perfect, so far there is no change in color, water stays completely clean, very easy to maintain, I get lots of compliments because no other pool i know has it, a lot of people make pools around here the old fashioned way so mine looks different but i love it, I have bricks pavers for the whole deck so it matches the pool almost perfectly,

I will say I was scared because the guy putting in the pool had to use 4 separate companies to get this pool created but from the beginning I sad to the pool maker, "look at this pool as if it was your own pool and make it the way you want to, make it as if you own it" He created it the way he wanted to and i think its perfect, it wasn't cheap by no means but I love it , I'm very satisfied and I love the pool, my email is jmartin@ebins.com if you want to see pictures of the pool , I'm very proud of it,

P.S. I will tell you that all pools to maintenance no matter what pool you get and I really thought we would use it more, I love it, its a great center piece that everyone wants to talk about but hardly anyone gets in it anymore, I don't care who you are you just wont use it as much as you thought you would, Ive been in my jacuzzi maybe 4 times this year and my pool maybe twice. just a shame.
kiwipool

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby kiwipool » Sat 08 Dec, 2012 15:26

The Question asked is Pebble Tech a goon finish. Answer yes it is the pebbles in the main come from New Zealand but strange but very few pools are done using it in New Zealand however in Australia it is called Sky Pebble.d
It requires far less applicator skills to apply than Marble however Marble has really done its dash, In general the coloring in most finishes are obtained by using oxides and this can bleach out over time.

Armadillo Pool Quartz or Pool Quartz is using a very fine mesh size of ceramicly coated Quartz (Colored Quartz) the same product that many applicators of recent times add to different types of plasters.

The main difference with this Armadillo Pool Quartz it is 100% Quartz that has the cement added on site making the product far more durable that many others in the market place. It surface is inert making the pool chemistry easier to handle. The risk of staining is reduced because only the cement which is used on ever plaster will stain however the addition of a polymer reduces this, the quartz itself will not stain and is suitable in salt water pools.

The Pool industry is undergoing a lot of changes world wide re wasted with all sorts of claims being made on energy saving by using 2 speed pumps whilst thousands of dollars a year being wasted by claims being made on the interior finish of the pool and its durability and the tail gate warranties.

Kiwi Norman.
Mark h

Is Pebble tech a good surface?

Postby Mark h » Tue 19 Feb, 2013 22:58

I have been in the pool business for a long time and the posts here do not made since to me. Pebble Tec is a company the has 3 popular finishes. The original aggregated finish has an orange peel finish, but all of the water chemistry issues and staining problems make no sense. Be happy you had pebble because if you had regular plaster most of the problems being discussed would have been much worse with standard plaster. I can use anything I want and have no ties to the company. This is the best product in the pool plaster market and if it is presented, installed and maintained properly, the finish is very constant and beautiful and by far more durable than plaster. There is no rational argument for traditional plaster being more durable than pebble Tec.

Return to “Pool Surface Discussions”

Who is online at the Pool Help Forum

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests