Do You Have To Prime Before Painting A Plaster Pool

how to paint a pool, image by istockphoto In this guide we'll exist getting downwardly to the business of prepping, painting, and accessorizing your pool.

To reference information about pigment type, pool type, amount of paint to buy, or any other purchasing-related questions please cheque out my Puddle Pigment Buyer's Guide.

Let'due south get started!

Step 1: Fourth dimension Your Pool Painting Project

The conditions and temperature take everything to do with how well and quickly a puddle painting project volition go. Typically, you lot should try to find a stretch of time of a minimum of one week where at that place will be no rain and hopefully at least a few hours of sun during the twenty-four hours. This can be tricky during springtime.

Avoid painting if the temperature is beneath 40 degrees F, above 90F, or if it is extremely humid. Avert loftier winds that blow all kinds of spring tree debris into your pool.

Before and after painting, the pool needs to be very dry, unless you are using acrylic pool pigment or epoxy primer. If you experience rain or wind diddled debris before or soon after painting get out there with a leafage blower and clean shoes and clean out the puddle of debris and rainwater every bit before long as possible.

Another thing to consider is how high the water table is prior to draining your pool. It is commonly a bad thought to drain a pool besides soon after (or right before) a big storm. The concern hither is that the higher water table can "float" the pool. This happens when the forces pushing upwards the puddle overwhelm the forces keeping the pool in the ground and the pool literally floats out of the ground.

To avoid floating your pool, be sure that you open up up the hydrostatic relief caps that are plastered into the flooring of plastered pools. Look for small white plastic circles in the flooring. Scrap out the plaster on the within of the cap, and use large straight pliers to twist it out equally soon as water gets low plenty to attain the cap.

There is likewise usually a hydrostatic relief plug in the main bleed pot, directly in the bottom center.

Footstep 2: Prep Your Puddle for Pigment

Prepping your pool for paint includes:

Draining the pool, far from puddle, opening hydrostats
Scraping away loose paint; repair and fill any cracks or hollow spots
Rinse and scrub with TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate) to remove oils
Acid wash the pool surfaces to roughen the surface
Rinsing the pool to remove any acrid or TSP residue
Pump out any remaining water and let dry completely (3-5 days)
Tape up any lights, tiles, and fittings with painter's record

Acid washing a pool for painting tin can be a hazardous procedure. This normally involves diluted muriatic acid, a blossom watering tin, and a garden hose to rinse quickly. It may be safer to use our TSP that you mix with water. It covers 800 square feet of surface area.

Follow all manufacturer's directions on the Surface Prep Kit (or similar kits that include the TSP wash and the acid carving solution) closely to aid you get through the prep process, and create a clean and rough surface to assist in your new paint bond.

Pace 3: Painting the Pool

At present that your pool has been prepped and is completely dry, we're set up to paint. If your pool has never been painted before, or if the surface is very rough, you should plan on adding a primer. Primer coats amend the bail and extend the more expensive finish coat pool paints. Depending on your pool surface type, there are dissimilar primers available. Consult our pool primer chart for more data.

Recall to mix your paint thoroughly. Use a power drill with a mixing paddle to ensure that your puddle pigment is mixed properly. Epoxy paints have an additive that begins a reaction when you mix it into the paint and each batch should be used inside a few hours.

When painting you desire to start at the deep finish and work your manner to the shallow finish. Employ a telescoping pole to attain all the fashion up the walls.

funny pool painting pic

Employ a low nap roller, three/8 inch nap or less, for smooth surfaces. A five-gallon bucket with a grid works ameliorate than a low, flat paint pan. Purchase a wooden extension pole that you can screw into the roller frame so that you can roll the paint more than easily. Overlap just slightly and use an even pressure for the best finish. Use a small cut-in brush to handle the 90 degree corners effectually steps and swim outs.

Before, during and right after painting, blow off the pool deck with a leaf blower or a garden hose, to go on wind-blown droppings from bravado in on your abouthoped-for-painted, or your just-freshly painted, puddle surfaces. Also, keep your dog away.

For pool paints that require multiple coats, follow the appropriate directions and never rush a second coat of paint if the first coat is not ready. It can take ii-8 hours for a coat of paint to dry, depending on temperature, wind and humidity. Work fast but steadily and monitor the corporeality of paint that you lot are using, so that you don't terminate up running short on pigment, or having much left over.

get the last spot, pool painting

Don't forget to have fun! While painting is a serious task, if you ever wanted to add together whatever stencils or patterns on the pool walls or bottom, this is the perfect time! There are many neat ideas that people have come with for making their pools looks more than fun – anywhere from stencils, to scatter/splatter painting, to logos, to full-on puddle murals. It'south your pool, pigment it how you similar information technology!

Step 4: After Painting the Pool

You have finished painting the pool. Looks good, doesn't information technology? Y'all can now remove any painter's tape. Earlier thinking about doing annihilation crazy, like filling the pool with h2o right away – make sure you accept given the paint sufficient time to dry. Usually this is iii-5 days, but make sure to double bank check the directions on the specific paint type you've used. If you get any rain or moisture during the drying fourth dimension, make certain you lot are removing the water as fast every bit possible and assuasive for extra dry fourth dimension if the rain lasts for more an 60 minutes or two.

Step five: Filling the Painted Puddle

When the pool paint is completely dry:

Fill up the pool with h2o without stopping until full
Balance the pH, alkalinity, and hardness levels
Starting time upward the filter system and add together chlorine tablets
Add chlorine stabilizer and stain away
Resume your normal chemical maintenance

Enjoy Your Painted Pool!

At present the simply thing to do is to bask the fruits of your labor!

Painted pools accept a ceramiclike finish that resists stains and algae. Be certain to maintain proper water chemistry to help it stay that manner longer!