May 13
My Pool Needs Some Help!
Posted: under Pool Restoration, pool paint, pool resurfacing, swimming pool resurfacing.
Tags: acid wash, pool paint, swimming pool paint, swimming pool prep, Ultraguard primer coat
So you have opened your pool for the season, and are surprised at how ragged it looks. Perhaps this is the year to do that repaint job you’ve been putting off? Here are some tips for prepping your painted concrete pool for a new paint job.
The first thing you must do is find out if you have a rubber based paint. Take a slither of you paint to a paint store to be tested. If they don’t have the time to do this for you, buy MEK in the solvent department. Place the sliver of paint in a glass with the MEK and let sit for 4-5 hours. If the chemistry of the paint changes in any way, slippery, slimy or starts to dissolve, it is a rubber-based paint. If there is no change you can use the UltraGuard primer bond coat.
Step one - Wash the pool with Tri-sodium Phosphate (TSP)
Every pool must firsrt be scrubbed with TSP. This product can be bought at home or hardware stores and is now available in liquid form. The TSP should be applied in 15 to 20 foot sections and immediately rinsed after each section. Do not permit mixture to dry on the wall.
A pump should be kept at the bottom drain to evacuate the liquids at all times.
Step two - Acid wash the pool
The acid washing causes etching of the pool. Depending upon the hardness of your water the acid content will very. First add water to a 5-gallon plastic pail then add the acid according to directions that are on acid container. Always wear gloves and goggles. Pour acid solution onto the walls in sections by walking around the top of your pool. When the bubbling stops rinse immediately. Do not permit the solution to dry on the wall. When the walls are completed then do the floor.
Step three – Wash the pool again
Immediately after the acid wash, the pool must be scrubbed once again with the TSP, which will neutralize the acid. The TSP and acid will act as a barrier if the pool is not thoroughly washed down.
Step four – Sanding the pool
The entire pool must be lightly sanded with a 36-grit sanding pad on a small hand grinder with a fiberglass-backing pad. You can also get this at a home or hardware store that sells tools. The pool must be clean and dust free prior to the primer bond coat.
Keep in mind that every pool needs a different in prep. That is why we speak to every one of our customers prior to applying the UltraGuard. We consider these additional instructions as proprietary, so contact us today for information on repainting your pool for the season!
