Plaster for a pool – types and technology

Selecting the appropriate plaster is essential for pool finishing. The plaster has an impact on the pool’s durability and upkeep in addition to its appearance. Understanding the options and the technology underlying their application is crucial, as there are many different kinds available.

Every variety of plaster possesses unique qualities that render it appropriate for varying circumstances. There’s a plaster that will work for you, whether you want something that adds visual appeal or something that provides durable protection.

This post will walk you through the most popular varieties of pool plasters and how to apply them step-by-step so that your pool looks fantastic and lasts a long time.

Type of Plaster	Technology
Cement-based Plaster	Applied in layers to create a strong, water-resistant surface. Often used for pools due to its durability.
Polymer-modified Plaster	Enhanced with polymers to improve flexibility and adhesion. Ideal for pools that may experience movement or settling.
Waterproof Plaster	Specially formulated to resist water penetration. Requires careful application to ensure a seamless, protective coating.

Basic work on finishing a pool with your own hands

The pool bowl, which is made of concrete, is not yet prepared to take in and hold water. The bed has to be leveled, smoothed, waterproofed, and the surface refined.

The proprietor will have to handle:

• plastering the pool;
• additional waterproofing of the bowl;
• finishing the tank with decorative materials (PVC film, ceramic tiles, etc.);
• installation of equipment.

Certain technologies and pertinent materials are used for each step. The pool bowl won’t have its final look and be usable until all the work has been completed. This is insufficient at times. The interior surfaces of the pool (walls, ceiling, slopes) must be protected if it is indoors due to the high levels of moisture exposure.

For a pool, selecting the proper plaster is crucial for its overall finish, water resistance, and durability. This article will walk you through the various varieties of plaster that are available, ranging from more sophisticated materials like quartz and pebble finishes to more conventional cement-based options. The main procedures for applying pool plaster will also be covered, guaranteeing a durable, smooth surface that can tolerate repeated exposure to chemicals and water.

How to provide a pool with moisture protection

Water, which can seep through even the smallest pores, will eventually reach the iron reinforcement in the absence of dependable protection from a concrete or brick bowl. This will result in corrosion and a reduction in the reinforcement’s ability to support weight. Warm-weather-seeped water that seeps into the pores freezes in the winter, internally fissured concrete. A structure without protection won’t last very long.

Water also poses a threat to other building structures if a house’s pool is situated on top of them. Moisture condenses on the surfaces of the room as it evaporates from the bowl’s surface. As a result, the covering for the walls, ceiling, and slopes needs to be water-resistant and unable to allow water to enter the building structures.

The surfaces of the room are always damp because the walls and bottom of the pool bowl are continuously wet. Thus, plastering uses a variety of compositions. Water resistance applies to the second, and waterproofing to the first.

Purpose of the plaster layer

Plastering the pool simultaneously resolves three issues:

• create a smooth, monolithic, homogeneous coating suitable for finishing;
• if the pool is outdoors, additionally protect the bowl material from defrosting, which can occur when water gets into the pores of the concrete;
• isolate the material of the pool bowl body from moisture and corrosion of the reinforcement in reinforced concrete.

Types of plasters used

Choose the plaster for the room’s walls and the pool tank itself before plastering the pool, taking into account the features of the operating mode. Consider the cost when selecting from a variety of plaster compositions, as it has a significant impact on the owner’s financial outlays, installation ease, and other factors.

The fundamental ingredients of plaster compositions are binders, fillers, and modifying additives that add new functional qualities.

The most common materials utilized as binders are various kinds of cement and synthetic materials.

The type of binder used can vary in pool plaster.

• mineral (cement, lime, etc.);
• silicate (binder – liquid glass);
• acrylic (binder – acrylic resins);
• silicone (organosilicon polymers have hydrophobicity);
• polymer – cement;
• asphalt.

Another factor that sets compositions apart is the application location:

• facade (used for outdoor work), weather-resistant, frost-resistant, high-strength;
• designed for indoor use – internal;
• for indoor and outdoor work – universal.

• for leveling – rough or regular;
• for finishing – decorative;
• to perform certain functions – special.

Waterproofing plasters

There are two categories of waterproofing mixtures based on their mechanisms of action:

• hydrophobic (surface or volumetric non-wettable, water-repellent);
• waterproof.

Waterproofing compositions stand out among other special compositions because of their density, which prevents water seepage. Substances that can fill even tiny pores, like aluminum, sodium aluminate, or ceresite, are used to increase the density. Moreover, GS (liquid glass) is added. These kinds of compositions can be made on their own.

Hydrophobization, or the application of mixtures that repel water (non-wettable), is an additional technique for producing a moisture barrier. In this instance, the coating’s entire volume or just its surface may be hydrophobic.

Cemmix CemAqua is one example of a contemporary hydrophobic mixture (3D hydrophobization). Pool bowls should be made of bulk hydrophobic compounds, according to experts, as surface ones need to be updated every few years. Simultaneous application of both hydrophobization techniques yields optimal protection.

The most widely used waterproofing plasters manufactured by businesses are:

• Barallastik;
• Dichtengsschlamme;
• Gidroplaster;
• Consolit 540;
• CR 62 by Ceresit;
• Gidrolast;
• Koverkol;
• Bauta.

Moisture-resistant plaster for pool walls

Surfaces in the room with the pool are coated with materials that both repel water and let air flow through. The wall material is protected and allowed to breathe thanks to water-resistant plaster. Use manufactured or store-bought cement mortars to level the surfaces.

The choice of composition is based on the type of wall:

• for concrete or brick – Azolit VSh;
• for different types of bases – Ceresit CR 65;
• for stone or brick – EC mixture.

Polymer-infused moisture-resistant blends are applied as decorative or leveling materials. Dufa Kratzputz, for instance, is used for leveling (acrylic resins are the basis). STUC Deco and STUC Granito—cement-polymer mixtures with a microco-cement, an inventive, highly adhesive substance that is applied even to the tile—are used for decorative purposes.

Self -preparation solution

Guidelines for plaster preparation in pools affected by cerezitis:

1. First make cerezite milk. To do this, take 1 volumetric part of ceresitis for 10 parts of water.
2. The resulting emulsion is closed by a mixture of CPS (cement-sand from 1: 1 to 1: 3).
3. The prepared solution is used for half an hour.

Getting the liquid steel composition ready:

1. Dilute 1 part of the HS with five to ten parts of water.
2. The prepared CPS is shut up with the resulting solution.

Since this composition is absorbed two to five minutes after the batch, they are somewhat ready to develop. Even water-flowing fissures are sealed using a ZhS solution.

Tools and devices

Utilize the same instruments and equipment that the long-term investors use to plaster the room’s walls or the swimming pool’s bowl:

• kelm;
• grater;
• bucket;
• trowel;
• spatula (several sizes);
• brushes;
• rule;
• rollers;
• level;
• roulette;
• plumb line;
• mixer;
• containers;
• Lighthouse strips;
• Vetosh.

Remember to wear personal protection equipment.

Preparation of a plaster mixture for the pool

The plaster solution is ready right away before the pool is plastered. Use a clean 60–90 liter capacity for kneading. SS – dry mixtures are mixed with a mixer after being added to a predetermined volume of cold tap water.

In the event that the solution is prepared independently, the bulk ingredients are combined first, followed by the liquid additives being dissolved in half the amount of water and then being added to the dry mixture and mixed with a mixer.

Using a mortar and pestle, mix the solution by adding liquid additives and water to a revolving container, then adding bulk ingredients and the necessary amount of liquid to create a dough with the right consistency.

It is imperative that you adhere precisely to the manufacturer’s recommended water amount and mixing order. The quantity of water is the only exception; when blending, pay attention to the consistency. Allow the mixture to "simmer" for ten to fifteen minutes after mixing, and then repeat the process. In order to distribute the settled heavy particles evenly throughout the dough, the finished mixtures are mixed before plastering.

How to plaster the walls and floor of a pool using technology

Achieving a solid bond between the plaster coating and the concrete base is crucial when plastering a pool bowl. This is why a specially designed technology is used to plaster pools.

Plastering the tank’s walls and bottom can be done in two ways:

• plastering on a grid (done with conventional cement-sand mortar compositions for leveling purposes);
• adhesive method.

Because it is used to improve the adhesion of the leveling coating to the body of the bowl of a rigidly fixed reinforcing mesh, the first method got its name.

The second method involves covering the tank’s surface with an adhesive plaster layer that is more sticky.

The ease of work and the composition of the plaster itself are the advantages of the first method. The grid’s metal rusts and becomes unusable when water seeps in, which is a drawback. The plaster tumbles off the bowl’s walls and bottom.

The lack of corrosive materials, as well as the coating’s longevity and dependability, are advantages of the second technique. The drawback is that execution is more difficult.

The gunning method is used to apply plaster mortar densely. In this instance, the solution sticks to the wall with greater tenacity than when it was applied by hand.

Manual application with reinforcement

Even a novice can use this technology quite easily. Do not, however, fool yourself. Such work needs to be done with extra caution.

Methodical completion of the task:

Step 1: Prepare the bowl’s bed before plastering the pool. Dust and construction debris are removed from the surface. freed from mold, grease, paint, and fat stains, as well as the previous coating (if repairs are being made). The seams in brick surfaces are one centimeter deeper. Concrete surfaces have notches and are bush-hammered. Breaks are "fixed." Extrusions are removed. After washing, the surface is dried.

Step 2: Prime the area and give it time to fully dry.

Step 3: Use dowels or anchors to fasten a mesh to the bottom and walls. Galvanized mesh was used previously. Fiberglass is used for the mesh in contemporary designs. At intervals of 30 to 50 centimeters, dowels are positioned around the edge of the mesh panels. Additionally, dowels are positioned in a checkerboard pattern across the whole panel (with the same spacing between each dowel).

Beacon installation is step four.

Step 5: Get a solution ready.

Step 6: Spray and primer applications of pool plaster are made. Align according to the rule by beacons. The beacons are taken out once the solution has solidified. Mortar is used to cover the grooves. Using a spatula, level. One day is spent drying the layer.

Step 7: Prime, dry, and coat the surface. wiped off.

Step 8: The plaster layer has fully dried.

Read the articles under the headings "Plastering" and "Types of plaster" for a thorough explanation of base preparation, beacon installation, and plastering.

Plastering a pool bowl using shotcrete

Gunning produces plastering of the highest caliber. The method’s main tool is a high-pressure cement gun. A mechanized supply of mortar is used, and when it is blasted out of the nozzle by compressed air, it strikes the base and becomes "sealed," forming a thick layer. The components are combined in the nozzle’s mixing ring chamber without any prior mortar preparation.

The nozzle is connected to the hoses listed below:

• material (through which the cement-sand mortar is supplied);
• water (through which water is supplied under pressure half an atmosphere higher than the air pumped by the compressor).

An empty loading tank is filled with the cement-sand mortar. Water is added to the mass as it enters the mixing chamber in thin streams, and then the mixture is violently blasted out of the nozzle.

The pool’s shotcrete plaster is composed of 6-8% moisture content river sand and M300/400 cement. For gunning-plastering work, excessively fine sand is not recommended as it causes the coating’s strength to decrease multiple times. Mineral additives, like ceresite, are used to increase the water resistance of the solution.

Control the water flow, using your eyes to determine whether there is an excess (the solution slides and flows down the wall) or a deficiency (the solution is dusty). The base surface is wetted prior to the shotcrete layer being applied. When spraying, the nozzle should be held between 70 and 90 centimeters away from the surface. Starting at the top, apply the solution to the bowl’s walls. The first layer is 15 mm thick, and the next layers are 8–10 mm thick.

Large sand grains initially bounce off the wall, while smaller ones become "imprinted" in the base’s pores. Coarse sand gets "imprinted" into the mortar that has already been laid as the layer gets thicker. After a day, the first layer is retained, wetted, and the second layer is applied. Avoid letting drafts in and moisten the plaster coating’s surface every two to three hours for ten days, then cover it with a film, burlap, or tarpaulin to stop shrinkage cracks from forming.

For your pool, selecting the appropriate plaster is crucial to guaranteeing a long-lasting and appealing finish. Depending on your preferences and the location of the pool, different plaster types—such as quartz, pebble finishes, and traditional white plaster—offer different advantages.

Though simple, the application process demands close attention to detail. To create a smooth, durable surface that will stand up to time and exposure to water, proper surface preparation, mixing, and application techniques are essential.

You can improve the appearance and usability of your pool and make it a lovely and enjoyable feature of your house for many years to come by learning about the different types of plaster that are available and the proper techniques for applying them.

Video on the topic

How to Properly Make Waterproofing in a Concrete Pool

PVC film for the pool.Samples and prices.

Pool bowl plastering. Pool Plus

Pool Plastering Technology. How to plaster the walls of a concrete pool bowl with your own hands