In-ground pools need to be painted and protected as they must be safeguarded from a number of conditions including water, sunlight, swimming pool chemicals, and pressure. Therefore, the quality of the pool paint that you use is important. The selection of a paint then must be based on both its aesthetic value and protective qualities.
Make Sure You Paint Your Pool When the Temperature Is Moderate
Once you buy a paint, choose either fall or spring to paint your pool as the temperatures are more moderate during these seasons. Never paint a pool after it rains or when the temperature falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The most opportune time to paint is typically when the weather is warm (not hot) and dry.
Don’t Paint a Pool Made of New Concrete Right Away
Paint the pool in the middle part of a morning or when the morning dew has evaporated. You should work until mid-afternoon. If your pool is made of new concrete, wait for about two months before painting it. During that time, fill the pool with water to extract the salts in the concrete. By taking this measure, you will get rid of any future reactions between the paint and alkalis. Once you drain the pool, you should permit it to dry for about two weeks. Always pay attention to the extended weather forecast when you are painting an in-ground pool.
Fill in All the Crevices and Cracks
One of the most important processes in painting a pool is in the preparation. If the surface is not adequately prepared, the application of the paint will not go well. So, you cannot make any shortcuts when you are prepping a surface. That means that all masonry-type surfaces should be cleaned and dried before the paint is applied. Also, cracks that are over one-quarter inch need to be filled with a cement mix. A cement mix should consist of two parts sand and one part Portland cement. Add just enough water to create a good thick paste.
Clean the Surface
The sand that you use in the mix should not contain any loam, which can end up promoting fungus growth. After you fill all the surface cracks, sweep the pool to remove all the loose particles of dust. You may need to use a vacuum during this part of the process.
Choosing a Paint
When it comes to painting the pool, remember that most repainting work is done because the paint that was applied was not a heavy enough coat. Therefore, you need to apply a thick coat of paint. Not only does a thin finish offer poor durability but it will also require more frequent paintings. Try to obtain a coverage that spans over 250 square feet for each gallon of paint.
Some paints do not require a primer, nor do they rely on deep penetration. So, what you choose in a paint is important as well as the coverage you provide. In order to estimate how much paint you will need, figure the square feet of the pool. Consider the texture and porosity of the surface. From this information, you can project the number of coats. The total amount of paint required is determined by multiplying the square feet of the surface by the number of coats and then dividing by the square feet that one gallon of paint will finish and complete.
