It's that time of the year at our studio, to consult and help homeowners to choose the right finishes for their pool project. I usually put few drastically different mood boards for them and then we adjust finishes based on their reaction.
I start with materials that I already see in their backyard, grass/turf, pavers, raw concrete deck, wooden deck... in color shades of house exterior, and then I add contrasts, for example if I see lots of glass, shiny objects I go for ceramic tiles and textures, just to break patterns a little bit or to soften them up. But if I see hardscapes and house exterior in natural stones, I like to suggest glass tiles and more simple looks just to add some bling to the textures.
We can currently offer two amazing lines of pool finishes, from most innovative and advanced technologies. First is Pebble Tec, the originator of the pebble finishes. And Wet Edge.
Major categories and most confusing ones for homeowners are plaster, quartz or aggregate? What to choose? What are the differences between them? Longevity? Bang for your buck?
#Plaster is budget friendly but shortest living. Only about 8-10 years. There are different pigments, but I recommend pure white.
#Quartz is smooth finish, but it will last as twice as long as plaster, with only about third of a price upgrade.
Next step up from quartz is #aggregate. Rocks that are naturally smooth, come from most exotic destinations, untouched, easy to walk on, and they would last 25+ years.
Last finish is step up from aggregate, but just esthetically nicer look with #glassbeads added. It's the same longevity but you will get that bling and sparkle, that you just can't get with anything else. I like to see it in spas especially, because you can actually see glass beads (if jets are off :) ) and there's nothing like it. Sparkles on a sunny day are just mesmerizing.
Here is the line of Pebble Tec
About specific mix and watercolor, please find more info on www.pebbletec.com
Now Wet Edge is wider line of products, 70 different color choices and 6 distinct product lines. This sure is an advantage, both design and budget wise, but it can be overwhelming.
This is the difference between categories
Altima line has high percentage of Quartz Sand. The look is similar to other plasters with much much better durability and longevity.
Luna Quartz, improves upon Altima with 100% Quarts Sand with even more durability than Altima, for a little price increase. You will enjoy much richer and vibrant colors.
Prism Matrix, Perl Matrix and Satin Matrix all use natural round and smooth pebble from exotic locations around the world. Applicators use highly specialized installation process to expose these round pebbles, leaving it smooth to the touch, beautiful to look at and low maintenance for years to come. Perl and Satin Matrix use different sizes of the same pebble. Perl uses slightly larger pebbles than Satin Matrix, giving each a distinct look with the equally smooth texture. Prism Matrix combines smaller and larger pebbles plus glass beads. Perfect addition of sparkle to natural pebble beauty.
Primera Stone is smooth like plaster yet has the appearance of the pebble finish. During the installation process, certified applicator will use a specialized machine to cut into and polish the very top layer of stones. This exposes beautiful natural color of each stone while leaving a perfectly smooth surface, something like terrazzo. It's very durable and to extend the longevity you can always repolish the surface to "like new" condition. Virtally eliminating the need to ever refinish your pool.
Here is the color assortment from all lines combined. Photos don't do the justice of course, I will be happy to bring samples to you, just email me.
For more inspiration or information visit wetedgetechnologies.com
Another leader on the market today is Diamond Brite
The mix is blend of selected quartz aggregates and fortified white Portland cement. The longevity is 8-12 years and prices vary depending on a shade.
If you ask what I have, it's Pebble Brilliance and that's the pool from most of my posters and backgrounds, it's 25+ without any marbeling, or any imperfection so far. I highly recommend it and I think it's just worth the investment. But if you ask me, what would I choose today, my heart goes to Prism Matrix Southern Lights, or Prism Matrix Indigo Blue.
If you need help making a decision, please email me.
In my next post, I will focus on choosing tiles. And then comes coping stones.
Thanks for being here :)