It’s spring and you’ve probably been looking at your pool wondering if “this is the year” – will you update the look and feel, fix those cosmetic cracks in the plaster or wait another year. Getting the right pool solar heater and a fresh new finish for your pool will really make it look and feel refreshed. The good news is that you don’t need to keep looking and dreaming and once you make the decision to pull the trigger you’ll never want to look back.

Picking a New Finish

There are four distinct types of finishes available featuring Pebble Technology. These include: Pebble Tec, PebbleSheen, PebbleFina, and BeadCrete.

PebbleTec is the original pebble pool finish and combines the enduring elegance and durability in a package taht delivers exceptional value for your pool refinishing needs. It is available in 18 colors and offers a more natural look for pools, spas, and water features.

PebbleSheen is a more elegant version of PebbleTec that features a colorful mosaic of tiny pebbles that are tightly fused and then lightly buffed. This brings out a gorgeous pool surface that is incredibly strong and stain resistant while still reflecting light in a way that will make your guests ask what it is. PebbleSheen produces a finaly textured pool surface with the look of rich granite and is available in 16 brilliant colors, some of which actually incrorporate small seashell pieces to add that extra glitter and sparkle.

PebbleFina is one of Pebble Technolog’s latest innovations. Where as the other finishes will have a pebbled feel, Pebble Fina will be smooth and durable but still affordable solution for resurfacing your pool. The look features colorful aggregates sourced from around the world but creating European-inspired colors and drawing from the ancient Greek and Roman use of pozzolans that were mixed into the cemenet to provide strength and durability in a dense mixture that resists etching.

BeadCrete, like PebbleFina is a newer pool surface technology and features tiny, solid, glass spheres that are locked into the aggregate maxtrix by polymer-modified cements to create a brillian 3-dimensional effect. BeadCrete is the only patented glass finish available on the market today and is applied in a similar way to other PebbleTec finishes. It can be applied to prepared masonry surfaces such as swimming pools, spas, water features, and fountains to create an eye catching look that will reflect light with crystal-like accents producing a brialliant array of hues and shades throughout the day.

Surface Feel

In the past, all Pebble Tec pool finishes had a textured feel that was originally used for beach entry pool surfaces and unlike traditional plaster is similar to the feel of an orange with slight bumps and grooves accomodating the pebbles. Pictured above is BeadCrete Saphire and while it is difficult to tell from a two dimensional photo, the surface has slight bumps from the glass beads. However, as you can see from the pool photo above that, it also produces a beautiful look that reflects the sun brilliantly.

Today however, if you want that smooth texture of plaster then you can select PebbleFina.

Lighting and Reflectivity During the Day and Night

How do you want the pool to reflect in the sunlight? Is this a pool that you are wanting to shine during the day, or at night when illuminated by torches and accent lights?

Depending on your answers to this question, one finish may be better than the other. Additionally make sure to ask to see examples about how the pool surface changes depending on lighting.

As you can see from the image above, the way the pool looks during the day is dramatically different than how it looks at night. We’re way beyond simple white plaster or blue fiberglass lining here – this is an investment that you’ll be looking at for many years so it is critical to make the right selection.

 

Benefits of Pebble Tec

Pebble Technology pool surfaces are among the most trusted in the world and are backed by both our own warranty as well as the manufacturer’s warranty.

The company owns quaries in 7 different countries on 4 continents to ensure that they have the finest pebbles available and are able to maintain the highest quality standards vs simply buying stone on an open market.

Compared to conventional plaster surfaces one of the biggest difference is that the base of Pebble Tec finishes are composed of silica or quartz instead of crushed marble as others use. While marble may sound nice, this is highly suseptible to damage and erosion from harsh pool chemicals that you use to keep the pool safe for your family. It also produces a significantly harder surface that will resist physical damage and etching.

Finally PebbleTec finishes are only available to a select group of builders – Barrington Pools is the only one in Illinois – who are trained on the proper installation and maintence. This ensures that whether this is a new pool surface or a resurfacing / pool renovation project that it will last and be as eye catching in 10 years as is the first day the pool is filled with water!

How Long Will Pebble Tec Last?

Traditional pool resurfacing materials require a high level of maintenance and will only last 5-10 years before it needs to be replaced. We generally would expect a Pebble Tec surface to last upwards of 20 years with proper maintenance.