For those of you that want a little bit different look, there’s colored plaster. It’s made of the same stuff as white plaster, but a coloring agent is added as the plaster is mixed. There are two primary colors when it comes to choosing the color you want your water to be, blue or green. It all comes down to the dyes mixed in to your finish. Go with cooler tones like white, blue or black for a blue hue. For a Caribbean green hue, go with a green, brown, or tan finish. The shade of your pool or spa water will be influenced by its shape, location, lighting, water depth, and will vary depending on the time of day. The color of your pool water will always be uniquely yours!
By its nature, colored plaster will accentuate all of the characteristics normally found in white plaster. Mottling, for example, can be more pronounced in colored plaster than in white. Colored plaster may also exhibit pigment stains, streaks, unevenness of color and more noticeable checking and crazing. Also, variations of shade will exist between color sample chips and mixed plaster. Over time, the color may fade completely or grow gradually lighter and will often not be the precise shade that was anticipated. It’s important to note that none of these conditions are considered a deficiency of the product.
If you are planning to have multicolored lighting in your pool, this may not be the best choice, as the lighting colors will not show up against dark plaster. A dark color also makes it hard to see the bottom of the pool, which can be a safety concern when there are small children nearby.
Pro: A different look. Darker colors make the water surface more reflective, which is sometimes desirable.
Con: Costs slightly more than white plaster. Also, the shortcomings inherent in white plaster are more apparent and pronounced in colored plasters, especially the darker shades. Surface mottling, streaks or unevenness of color, even crazing and check cracks are more noticeable. We don’t recommend colored plaster because many clients are not happy with the look (mottling, etc.) after a period of time.
If you are on the fence about going with a colored surface, consider a white plaster with colored aggregate (colored quartz or pebble aggregates) to get a similar effect with less maintenance.
When it comes down to it, darker surfaces are higher maintenance but are also aesthetically pleasing. In the end the application process is more of an art than a science and you can trust Advanced Pool & Spa to provide you with the best service available.
