Pool colors and maintenance painting

Pool colors

Paints: PROPERLY PREPARE THE SURFACE

The right preparation it's half the game. It takes careful, painstaking work. There are no magic substitutes.

CRACKS

Capillary cracks can be treated by reinforcing the color with fine glass fabric. It is better to treat cracks from the stage of waterproofing.

Larger cracks will be sealed with flexible cementitious material

IF YOU ARE DYING FOR THE FIRST TIME…

Check if it has pass the minimum curing time of the concrete / cement mortar / waterproofing coating.

Most paint manufacturers recommend opening the pores of cementitious substrates ie exposed concrete or cement mortar with a dilute hydrochloric acid solution. The solution must have a max concentration ≤10%.

The solution is spread over the entire surface – with all due safety measures – with a stiff brush and left to act for a few minutes. Once it stops foaming, rinse with plenty of water.

Hydrochloric acid leaves small irregularities on the surface on which pool colors "bite" well.

MAINTENANCE PAINT…

– First of all make sure the old and new color is compatible. We said: epoxy with epoxy etc.

– If you have several coats of paint layered on top of each other, consider whether it's time to do a general stripping and get to the concrete substrate.

Most pool paint manufacturers give a maximum number of layers: 4-5. That means a maximum of three seasons.

The more layers of paint that sit on top of each other, the more problems multiply in the final coat, as each layer inherits its problems into the next.

– When we judge that the old layer is generally OK, then we apply the appropriate cleaning measures:

* water under pressure

* fungicidal cleaner for mold, algae, lichens

* strong scrubbing with an appropriate cleaner (e.g. trisodium phosphate) to remove scale, chalking and stubborn deposits. It is followed by a vigorous rinsing with water to completely neutralize the acidic residues of the substrate.

When we are done with the preparation measures, the ideal surface will be dry, flat, without cracks, healthy, without looseness and weathered so that it will receive a good coat of paint that will last for 4-5 seasons.

It is a very big mistake to paint every year! Aim for the minimum number of coats by properly preparing the substrate and choosing the right color. This way of thinking leads to greater economy.

POOL COLORS: SECRETS FOR CORRECT APPLICATION

ü We have properly sealed the pool.

ü We have chosen the right one pool color.

ü We carefully prepared the substrate.

Now here are some tips and secrets for the correct application of pool paints.

1. First of all, use the right tools.

Choose the sprayer with the appropriate mechanical characteristics.

– Choose short-pile rolls (pile ≤1cm) and solvent-resistant core for solvent systems.

2. Confirm that the required substrate curing time has passed.
3. Some seasons are not suitable for pool painting. E.g. in Greece, prefer the spring or autumn months with temperatures below 30°C. High ambient and substrate temperatures are primarily responsible for small bubbles in the paint film. Likewise avoid very cold seasons.
4. You will also not paint:

– after rain (wait 24-72 hours depending on conditions)

– at temperatures ≤7oC

– very early in the morning before the morning dew evaporates

– in a period of high relative humidity (≥80%)

– in case of threatened rain (you will be with the weather report at hand!).

5. The best times for painting are in the morning but after the dew has evaporated or in the afternoon but before the evening condensation begins.

Autumn and spring are suitable seasons for dew formation because there are high absolute humidities and the nights are relatively long compared to summer.

6. Pay attention to the following in relation to the consumption of the color: high coverage is not an advantage! The protection given by the x color with a performance of 7m2/Kg is not the same as that of the y color with a performance of 5m2/Kg.

Therefore, performance should not be used as the main criterion! Also what counts is the thickness of the dry film which is of course related to the solids of the paint.

7. In Greece, two-component epoxy paints are king. These colors need good mixing. I would definitely use a mechanical mixer. Mixing e.g. one stick is not enough!

Watch out! Mix enough to allow you to work it according to the rules of the art. Huge quantities have been wasted because the paint cured prematurely.

8. Adjust the fluidity (viscosity) of the first coat of paint according to the manufacturer's instructions. Many colors need a coat thinned with the appropriate solvent as a primer. Others need a separate primer. The first coat is very important to adhere properly to the substrate whether it is concrete or cement mortar or an old coat of paint.

9. To work in the shade, watch the sun! In the morning work on the east meridian sides and in the afternoon on the northwest.

10. Finally, respect the minimum time required before the pool is filled with water. The paint must fully acquire its chemical resistance and this takes 5-7 days (depending on the weather conditions and the type of paint).

In closing, I point out: Do not expect miracles from pool colors! Both the relentless Greek sun and the generally incorrect use of pool chemicals create special conditions for color stress