Gunite Swimming Pool Surface Finishes
The pool surface can be refinished with the traditional white marcite, the marcite could be dyed a color, or a pebble or other aggregate finish could be used.
Painted Gunite Swimming Pools
If a gunite swimming pool has been painted, typically the pool will need to be re-painted every 1-2 years. If you haven’t already painted your gunite pool, we recommend that you do not. It’s relatively simple to acid wash a gunite pool surface, whether marcite or pebble, but once you put paint on the surface it is not a great option. The only way to return a painted gunite pool to it’s best condition would be to sand blast the paint off the surface and perform a re-marcite or re-pebble process. If you need more information about paint for pools, check out Olympic Paints by Kelly Coatings.
Gunite Swimming Pool Main Drains
When a gunite pool is being re-surfaced, it is also a great time to perform a main drain update. Many older gunite pools are equipped with just one main drain. The code currently requires two dome-shaped drains, spaced at least 5′ apart be installed on new installations. At the least the main drain should be changed to reflect the dome-shape, and wherever possible, updating to two is the best choice.
Gunite Swimming Pool Skimmers
Gunite pools also often experience leaks at the skimmer, and cracking in the skimmer itself. This is due to the shifting of the ground for a variety of reasons, including seasonal freeze/thaws, and overall ground movement. It is very common to see pool putty in a gunite skimmer that helps to patch any leaking areas to try to avoid having to replace the skimmer entirely.
A skimmer replacement can happen at any time, and would include cutting the concrete or patio to expose a foot or two of work space surrounding the skimmer. The skimmer is then dug out, removed from the pool deck, and the pool, and a new one installed. There may be some damage to the tile or surface of the gunite pool, no matter how careful the process may be, so some patching and repair work of the marcite, pebble and tile may also need to be done.