How to Paint a Gunite Pool
Gunite pools are a type of pool made with a mixture of concrete and sand that is mixed with water as it is sprayed in place against a form. Concrete is a porous material that requires a coat of special paint to seal the concrete pores that will withstand the effects of pool maintenance chemicals. A new gunite pool does not require special preparation prior to painting. A previously painted gunite pool must be stripped of old paint, unless the type of paint is known and being reapplied or the paint being used to paint the pool is acrylic-based. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Bucket
- Water
- Scrub brush
- Stiff bristled broom
- Muriatic acid
- Trisodium phosphate
- Vacuum
- Painter’s tape
- Paint
- Drill
- Paint stir for drill
- Paint tray
- Thick-napped roller
- 3-inch paint brush
Instructions
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Strip Old Paint
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1
Drain the pool. Sweep up debris and remove. Use a brush around fixtures and plumbing to remove soil around the seams.
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2
Acid wash the gunite pool with a mixture of half muriatic acid with half water. Use a scrub brush and a stiff-bristled broom to clean all surfaces. Rinse the entire pool with clear water thoroughly including fixtures and around plumbing.
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3
Scrub the pool walls, floor, fixtures and around plumbing with trisodium phosphate mixed with water according to manufacturer’s directions. Rinse the entire pool with clear water thoroughly including fixtures and around plumbing.
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4
Rinse the entire gunite pool a final time with clear water, including fixtures and around plumbing. Take your time with the final rinse to be sure all chemicals used for cleaning have been rinsed from the surface of the pool. Remove all water by draining and sponging depressions or use a wet/dry vacuum. Allow the pool to dry 3 to 5 days.
Paint
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5
Clean the gunite pool thoroughly with a broom and brush around fixtures and plumbing to remove all soil from the pool.
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6
Apply painter’s tape to all surfaces that are not being painted such as tile, plumbing and fixtures. Cover the threads of all exposed plumbing with painter’s tape.
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7
Stir the chosen paint with drill a equipped with a paint stir paddle for at least 5 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the container frequently to ensure all settled solids are well blended into the paint.
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8
Pour paint into a paint tray. Paint a 3- to 6-inch band around all plumbing and fixtures such as lights as well as below tile.
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9
Starting from the deep end of the gunite pool, paint in sections from the top end of the farthest wall toward the shallow end of the pool until the entire surface has been coated. If applying a second coat, wait at least four hours or follow the recommended drying time as stated on the chosen coating label.
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10
Allow the paint to dry for 5 days to fully cure. If it rains while the paint is curing, remove rain water from the pool as soon as possible and add time to the total drying time before filling the pool with water.
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Tips & Warnings
Monitor the weather and make adjustments as needed for drying times for cleaning and painting.
Always read labels for changes in application information and safety precautions.
References
- Photo Credit pool construction image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
