The Epoxy Pool Paint

 

See our client's testimonials on the right-hand side of this page, dating back to 2001.
(All testimonials are on file for verification.)

This is Rian, one of our first customers who's pool we painted with our epoxy paint in 2001, he wrote us this letter in 2006:  

Thank you Pool Solutions, You have saved me money, time and effort. My pool is now a showpiece in my garden. I was giving up hope trying to overcome the problems with Black Algae sticking on the sides and the floor of my marble plaster pool, nothing helped to clean them. The pool had to be scrubbed and treated on an ongoing basis.  I personally spent more than R500 per month for a period of almost a year to try and keep my pool clean from algae. The percentage success achieved – none.  The answer came when I found out about Pool Solutions' epoxy paint for swimming pools The process was very simple. One call and a quotation (at almost half the price of a new marble plaster cover or equivalent to 20% of a fiberglass lining).  I was ready to accept the job.  The painting was done over a period of three days in 2001. The impressive part was the preparation and scrubbing and cleaning. I almost considered not to paint, the way the pool was cleaned. The paint job was done with great efficiency and it was clear that the contractor had the process under control.  The final result was a smooth finish where algae could not stick. If any form of algae formed they could simply be wiped away by hand or the sucking power of the automatic pool cleaner. It has now been more than 6 years and the surface is the same as on day one – no stains or colour changes.  The overall maintenance effort has been reduced by 80% and the pool’s chemical stability has increase to the point where pool maintenance is no effort whatsoever. Rian Olivier Menlo Park, Pretoria South Africa June 2006 Webmaster's note: During 2009, Rian confirmed he is still using his pool with the original epoxy coat still intact after 8 years! He is available as a reference on request. During 2010 Rian moved to a new home and we renewed his swimming pool at the new house in February 2011.

Rian is just one of many of our many happy customers.

We offer our clients a 3 YEAR GUARANTEE on our pool paint against de-lamination.

That's not all; should you need to do pool repairs for whatever reason within the three year gauarantee period outside our guarantee conditions, we will replace product for you at our factory input cost level (no profit intentions) within the three year period. We believe in friendly service and long-term customer relationships and once you are a customer, we hope you will stay our customer.

Knowing how misleading warranty offerings can trick clients into buying, especially by companies who are relatively new to the swimming pool paint industry, we do not use eleborate claims to lure customers, but have kept our promises for more than 18 years. We can offer references of clients that had our product installed for 10 years ago. See our testimonials on the right. If you see elaborate warranty offerings, please request references to verify the warranty period advertised. We have seen a number of newcomers in this market come and go, or changing their trading names within a few years.

Tip: Confirm the creation date of an advertiser's website domain here: http://co.za/whois.shtml for .co.za domains. If they advertise a 10 year warranty but only registered their swimming pool paint website or trading name a year or two ago... well, you decide!

Our guarantee is not an indication of expected life span, but like all warranties, ensures peace of mind that you will have free support to overcome any product or application related problems for a considerable time after application, and we will still be in business when you need us.

Expected lifespan under controlled water conditions as per recommendations can be 8 to 10 years as reported by many of our clients. After this time, should the top layer starts to wear thin, re-application of two or three new colour top layers is easy and cost effective.

Even our DIY clients can enjoy this piece of mind!

Yes, we will go the extra mile, selling our product to thousands of successful DIY clients from 1998, we are confident that you can do the job according to specifications.

When making use of one of our listed dealers/contractors you can rest assured that they have contractually undertaken to adhere to this guarantee. No teething problems will ruin your investment.

Our full guarantee and conditions can be viewed on the Guarantee page.

 

The following links will take you to the relevant information on this page quickly,
or click on the floating links on the left.

Prices - Size calculator - online quote request (Quote page)

Benefits of an Epoxy Pool Paint System

Discovering the secret

DIY - Can I do it myself and save?

Why 4 layers?

Prevent permanent damage in time

No more algae stains - the proof

The pitfalls - why buy our swimming pool paint?

How to easily determine if you are dealing with a reputable business

The difference between normal paints and epoxy pool paint

Why re-marble plaster will not solve your problems

Send me more information by email please

See our iist of registered contractor (Applicators page)

Gator - The best Pool Skimmer

Our Guarantee

Swimming pool calculators - click here

Request more information by email - click here

   Request a Quotation online - click here

Phone us:
Celéne     083 227 6663
Gerhard   072 603 8895
Philip       083 455 9632
(Mon-Fri 08H30-17H00)

Give us the measurements of your pool, (+/- length, width avg. depth or circumference), we will quickly do the calculation and give you a price estimate. If you are interested in a full installation we will refer you to the nearest contractor who will follow up with a visit and a written quotation.

We deliver DIY kits country-wide by courier.

 

Download Information Quickly

Click here and use the login form on this page to gain access to our download page or to request information by email.

For those technical-minded folks who would like to know everything, please read on ...

You can save a Bundle with our DIY Pool Paint packages

 

Our pool paint factory is situated in Pretoria, we will ship the package to your street address.

Our DIY instructions are very complete and will be included in the package, or you may download it from the Downloads-page.

 

 

 

Water Storage Tanks exclusively available at
lowest rental cost to our DIY customers in Gauteng. More info...

 

 

For DIY Help Videos and a short overview of the application process:

Click here

 

Can I do it myself?

If you can answer YES to ANY ONE of the following questions,
you can save a bundle by doing it yourself:

 

 

 

 

FREE Bonus Products included with DIY Orders: P16 grinding disks (1 per 10m2 - all DIY orders)

 

For a short overview of the application process: Click here

The price? - Click here

Our DIY package offers:

One tough, industrial-rated, solvent-free primer epoxy with a bonding strength of up to 400psi to the pool surface. (This is a trade secret that has given us the edge.)

No less than THREE thick gloss top-coat layers ensures a longer life span.
(4 Layers in total including the Primer layer)

We will supply you with the epoxy paint material to apply one primer coat and three gloss and chemical resistant top-coat layers for that long-lasting durability.
Every layer consists of a two-part epoxy resin and hardener combination.

We can email you our  full application instructions right away Click Here.

or

Download all the information directly to your desktop - Click here

 

 

In general, the thicker the epoxy layer, the longer the lifespan of the coating. Whilst this a good feature offered by our three-layer Topcoat system, the higher viscosity of a thick topcoat product offers less penetration capability into the substrate. A thick topcoat epoxy does not offer deep penetration into the substrate and the same bonding strength a specialised concrete primer can achieve. This is why we utilize a specialized industrial concrete epoxy primer for penetration and bonding, followed by three durable topcoat layers.

Video: Bond-Strength Test

 

The better the penetration of the epoxy into the substrate, the less chance of delamination. Therefore, penetration and bonding strength are the main reasons we incorporated a primer layer. This can only be achieved utilizing a lower viscosity epoxy concrete/cement primer. Following this, the primer is also chemically matched to the Topcoat layers to create a "chemically fused" bond with the thicker topcoat epoxy layers to prevent inter-layer de-lamination.

Our epoxy system consisting of a specialised industrial-rated primer epoxy for concrete and plastered surfaces, combined with the three topcoat layers was tested to offer up to 500Psi (Pounds per square inch) or 2.8Mpa (Nm per square millimetre) bond strength to marbelite, concrete, cement and fibreglass surfaces, causing substrate breaking under test -
so there you have our well-tested secret from experience, and it makes sense, doesn't it?

Don't settle for less!

SA Quality Product

 

With our latest developments, upgrading from the traditionally older type epoxies to the latest technology epoxy resin and curing agents, we have overcame many problems associated with older type swimming pool paints.

We tested an industrial-rated concrete primer epoxy to provide us with the highest possible bonding strength. It will never come loose from your swimming pool when applied on a solid dry surface. Our solvent-free primer is not thinned down with solvents or water. It has been specially selected for its tested use on challenging industrial concrete surfaces.


We further developed and perfected a gloss epoxy top-coat that is 100% algae resistant and highly chemical resistant.  Normal HTH Dry Chlorine, HTH drifter packs and pool acid can be added directly into the swimming pool without the fear of staining.  Algae infestation is completely blocked and you will enjoy a permanent clean, shiny surface that can easily be kept clean with minimum chemicals.

Unlike many pool paint products that are prone to structural breakdown in submerged conditions due to the absorption of chemicals, water and sunlight, the chemical reaction between our high-solids formulation Epoxy resins and hardener components, forms circular, molecular "honeycomb" structures that are virtually impenetrable by other substances.   Does this mean our product is indestructible? No, please see our FAQ page for a list of pool chemicals we have found can stain the product and the chemicals we have tested which we can safely recommend. High metal content clarifiers and water treatment products may cause discolouring.

 

As a pool owner for many years, I know the frustrations you may be experiencing to keep it crystal-clear, blue and stain-free, especially if you have a marble plaster pool. The constant attention this type of swimming pools need on a weekly basis and the amount of chemicals you need to administer, is just taking the joy out of owning a swimming pool.

After trying different products on the market to resurface my swimming pool with disastrous results, battling for months afterwards to remove the constant clogging of the filter system due to the small pieces blistering off the walls, I've had it with swimming pools.


In 1997 I discovered a product called an epoxy paint. I was told that this epoxy was used to paint ship's hulls, afterwards I thought:


"If this could work on a ship's hull to provide protection in
the harsh conditions of the ocean,
Why will it not work on my swimming pool?"

After testing the product and seeing the results, I bought into the concept.

Today I am the proud owner of a swimming pool that will catch the eye of every visitor, is an absolute pleasure in summer times, requires low-maintenance and enhances the tranquility of my garden, click on the picture link below and visit our Photos page for more examples.

                                                                         Click here to enlarge
The final result of this discovery is that you too can now benefit from our investment into the research and development of a DIY pool paint system that is specifically designed and tested for submerged marble plaster, industrial concrete and fiberglass surfaces. 


Read on to learn what is the difference between older technology Polyamide curing agents and our latest developments implementing the latest technology in epoxy curing agents and UV-stable pigments in our pool paint formulations.

Is your marble plaster pool suffering from water loss?  It could be that the pitting of the porous marble plaster structure has caused small leaks where water is leaking through.   Pitting caused by severe algae growth and overdosing with chemicals, might have softened the softer spots on the pool where algae could penetrate deeper and deeper.
 

Pitting is a result of adding too much chemicals over a long period of time which will soften the marble plaster. Another factor is aggressive water conditions due to LOW CALCIUM or "Total Hardness". If left untreated for too long your pool can be permanently damaged and caused to leak.  Swimming pool repairs can become an expensive exercise.  The pool below was repaired from severe pitting deterioration in 2000 and coated with our specialized epoxy pool paint.

In 1997, our first epoxy pool paint product was applied on an old neglected pool.  We re-visited the swimming pool in 2000, 2005 and in 2008 to see how it was performing.  After ten years, the swimming pool paint was still performing well.  Look how algae accumulated on the steps and sides over a long period of time on spots where the pool cleaner never passes, could easily be wiped away by hand:

Before spending your hard-earned money on just any off-the-shelve pool paint or so-called swimming pool epoxy, do at least a little bit of homework.  Here are a few tips on how to make sure you buy a good product from a company that stood the test of time:

• First determine that you are dealing with a pool paint supplier that has a track record, offer a guarantee with long-term references up front and have been operating under the same name (manufacturing epoxy paints for swimming pools of course) for many years. As we have experienced with disgruntled customers contacting us, many will offer you ridiculous guarantees, but in three year's time they have changed their name again and you have no grounds for a guarantee claim.
  
  
• Some pool paint suppliers claim that they have been in the market for 25 years plus, yet they cannot offer swimming pool client references older than a year or two and their existing company name is less than two years old. We have seen these companies come and go over the past 17 years.
  
  
• Obtain references that are at least as old as their advertised warranty period.
  
  
• Hot tip: Go check out the creation date of their website domain here: http://co.za/whois.shtml for .co.za domains. Enter the name of the website e.g. "poolsolutions" (the .co.za part will automatically be added, do not enter "www" at the front of the name). Search down the list and find the field "Creation date". For international dot com domains you can follow this link: http://whois.net.
  If a website advertising pool paint is not as old as their warranty period, be careful!
  
  
• Many swimming pool paint formulations have been inherited from traditional indoor floor coating formulations. Many of these epoxy formulations have never been upgraded with better curing agents and protectors to provide a longer lifespan in the harsh environment of permanently submerged and chemically-rich conditions of a swimming pool. We have developed and finalised our own product formulation specifically for swimming pools by 2003, phasing out the traditionally-used Polyamide curing agents and replaced it with the latest technology in curing agents used in traditional floor epoxies. This has greatly improved stain resistance, early water-spot resistance (no staining or pigment wash by rain after 2-3 hours of drying 25deg C, 6 hours during colder winter conditions) and non-yellowing qualities as you can see on our more Technical Products page. In 2007, we have upgraded to the latest high-grade Rutile Titanium Dioxide base pigments that offers 3-5 times the protection against UV-light radiation as well as chemical-resistant and UV resistant liquid colourants. We are constantly testing and improving our product with the latest technolgy as it becomes available.
  

• If a supplier is shy on technical data relating to his product, he is probably not in control of the testing and development of the product and the technical skills to develop further or keeping up to date with the latest technology is lacking.
  
  
• Beware of the pitfalls in this market, read our product page and FAQ for more information on quality and tests performed to measure the performance of our product against some of the readily available products still marketed today.
  
  
• We don't claim to have an indestructible product. It has limitations and an expected lifespan of 8-10 years, depending on how it was applied and how the customer maintains his swimming pool water. We will compare our product to fiberglass linings and marble plaster, we will tell you straight-forward the advantages and shortcomings of each. We will give you the facts, the choice is up to you, the customer. Each product type has its marketplace at a certain price level. Read the next section for a comparison.

Here we answer questions: FAQ

You can read more about our tests and developments on the Technical Page.

 

If you ask your local swimming pool shop owner about pool paints or epoxies, he might advise you to rather apply marble plaster again.

First of all, I don't blame them!  Many have had a bad experience with cheap, DIY, of-the-rack paint products from a local hardware shop. 

There is however a huge difference between a single-element paint and a two-part, specialized epoxy pool paint system. Our epoxy formulations are very specialized combinations, consisting of no less than 15 different ingredients, carefully selected and measured to provide specific qualities especially for submerged surfaces.  The final product consists of a resin and hardener main components that chemically react and bind to form a hard, enamel finish.

Marble plaster

The reasons your pool got stained and lost its colour in the first place is due to the fact that marble plaster pools are- and always will be, prone to algae infestation.
The more algae, the more you add acid and other deterrents, softening and eating into the marble plaster to create even more microscopic space for the algae to settle and grow.  It is an ever-increasing cycle that will keep on repeating itself.

Applying marble plaster again will not solve the problem.  It is a costly exercise for a temporary solution.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass, like an epoxy coat, is not prone to algae infestation. Although quite expensive it can be a quality solution that can last for many years if installed by experienced and reputable fiberglass pool builders. But, there are sometimes other problems related to fiberglass linings; The accumulation of moist behind the fiberglass lining, especially where fiberglass is installed on existing structures, might cause lifting of the lining from the base structure, causing bubbles, cracking and leaks later on. This is a problem we have encountered many times. Considering the price tag on fiberglass linings, it can be a costly exercise should it result in the total loss of the lining within a few years. When fiberglass is applied later on as an upgrade, the possibility of the top edge underneath the coping stone to pull away and allow water to enter behind the lining is also a problem, with the same results already mentioned.

Epoxy paint

Epoxy paint coatings have the advantage that it cost much less to install, is easy to repair and can even be applied as a very cost-effective DIY solution. Epoxy coatings can easily be refurbished by re-applying two new top layers at 50% or less compared to the original full installation cost. Much less, (approx. 25% of original installation cost) if you re-apply yourself as a DIY job.

General maintenance on an epoxy-coated pool is a breeze, with reduced algae growth requiring less chemicals to maintain water clarity, but for best results and a longer lifespan, the swimming pool water should generally be kept within balance and should be tested at least once a month.

Limitations: The ageing process on the epoxy coating is a gradual thinning process known as "chalking" until after a normal life expectancy of 8-10 years of service, you will notice the primer layer starting to show through in certain spots, then it is time to re-apply two new and thick top-coats. Re-application if you do it yourself can be done for +/-25% of original installation cost. Although our product is well-tested and performs very well when the recommended chemicals are used to maintain the water, it is however subject to be damaged by certain aggressive products that might reduce the lifespan or appearance. See our FAQ page for more information. Special attention should be given to test the Calcium Hardness after filling the pool. Total Hardness (Calcium content) readings below 300ppm will cause increased chalking of the paint and will reduce the lifespan.

A common enemy

A swimming pool enemy not many pool owners are aware of, is low alkalinity and especially low Total Hardness (low Calcium Hardness). The staining and pitting on marble plastered pools, severe chalking of epoxy coatings or discolouring an deterioration of fibreglass linings are many times caused by low calcium levels. If this condition is not corrected and tested once in 6 months, it will cause damage and even your epoxy-coated pool will be severely effected by excessive chalking, reducing the lifespan of the product.

Testing the water every six months for "Total Hardness" will prevent the calcium levels to fall too low and the water to become aggressive to the epoxy paint layer. Total hardness as also indicated on some water test strips (see picture below) and must be kept well between 350-550ppm regardless of swimming pool shops' recommendations, ideal levels indicated on print-outs by water test machines are too low and not on par with the latest research findings. This is not a fluctuating condition and only needs to be checked after filling the swimming pool with fresh water. Test every six months or so.

The type of test strips shown below can test for "Total Hardness" and are available from many hardware stores (Makro, Builders Warehouse etc.) The Insta Test 6 Plus test strips can be ordered to be included with your DIY epoxy paint package from Pool Solutions.

Visit our Calcium Chloride requirement calculator:

 

A well-developed epoxy paint system consists of two main elements namely an EPOXY RESIN and a CATALYST (HARDENER) as well as many other additives.  Our own product consists of no less than 15 different elements.    The combination of the two main binding elements does not rely on the evaporation of solvents and air-drying like most single element paint products.

 

Of-the-rack paint products are sometimes advertised as an “epoxy” and are even offered with a B-Part additive to be combined with the A-part "epoxy resin". Be careful that this is not a normal paint with a bonding liquid additive added in small quantity. It is normally advertised that no specialized primer layer is required and only one or two top-coats are applied. The bonding strength of these paints are weak when it comes to resistance to reverse osmosis. The thin nature of the paint will cause it to easily laminate under certain conditions. Paints do not form chemically ring bound structures to resist foreign element penetration into the coating. A true epoxy system will normally have an A to B-part ratio of between 2:1 to 4:1. Our product has been tested on concrete and marbelite and offer bond-strengths up to 400 psi (2.8 MPA) and results in concrete substrate breakage.

 

It is a scientifically proven fact that large percentages of solvents or water in the formulation will adversely affect qualities like bonding capability, colour stability and penetration resistance to water and chemicals. These products are commonly found in normal paints or watered-down epoxy products. In a specialized epoxy system, chemical binding of the Catalyst molecules exactly weighted to match the molecular mass of the Resin part, causes a chemical reaction which forms microscopic circular structures almost like a honeycomb structure.  This circular formation is thousands of times stronger and thus less prone to penetration by water, chemicals and in our case, 100% immune to algae infestation. We offer a high-solids 90%) formulation with zero (primer) or very low solvent (10%) content in the Topcoat.

 

Except for the enjoyment you and your family will get from of an aesthetically pleasing swimming pool, a well-looked-after swimming pool has also been proven to be an important asset to any private property owner. 


Any estate agent will confirm that a swimming pool that is in bad shape, is not an asset to your property value, but a definite turn-off, it will turn away many prospect buyers who just isn't ready for the hassles of owning a swimming pool that is in bad shape, or they will use it as a bargaining chip against you.


A sparkling clean pool with crystal-clear blue water will always have that emotional influence on any potential buyer, especially if you tell him how it is possible to own a swimming pool without the normal frustrations.  Use this to your advantage as a seller.

You need a quality pool paint epoxy to stop the on-going deterioration of your pool.  Don’t allow your investment to reduce in value.  The money you spent to enhance the appearance of your swimming pool will be an investment that will return a 300% or even a 500% of the amount invested in a quality epoxy coat.

Change your swimming pool into an asset, adding value to your property. The condition of your swimming pool has a direct influence on your property value.

For instance, if your pool is stained and looks like it is in need of constant attention, it might have an adverse effect on the price offered for the property. This is because a swimming pool is a high point-of-interest to any potential buyer.  On a property valued at R1m, your well-kept garden and good-looking pool contributes approximately (5-7%) R50000 to the value.

But let's be very conservative: If your pool draws negative attention you can expect to loose R25 000 on the offer!  (2.5%)  If your pool will cost you R8000 (depending on the size, this is a general average), and you can get the full R1m for your property because you have a beautiful garden and the pool that looks inviting, the amount spent to refurbish your pool yielded a return of 400%.

 

Whether you choose that a contractor/dealer do the full installation or decide to make use of our DIY packages, you can save money:


TO SEE OUR PRICELIST OR TO REQUEST A QUOTE - CLICK HERE


I have already shown you how you can:

• Save thousands compared to fiberglass
• How new marble plaster will not solve the problem, it is money wasted!
• How you can increase your property value
• How you will further save up to 50% on swimming pool chemicals
• How easy it is to maintain your pool in an excellent condition without the frustrations and regular maintenance
• How algae infestation is prevented with our 100% immune epoxy coat
• How you can easily apply the product yourself and save thousands

You can spend hours walking from pool shop to pool shop trying to find the magic chemicals that will transform your pool into a crystal-clear sparkling pool.  But doesn't it make a lot more sense to skip the learning curve and get to the root of the problem?

Click here to order a DIY package or to request an Email quotation.

 

I trust we will hear from you soon and I hope you have enjoyed our web site, remember to visit all our other pages for even more information.


Sincerely,




Author: Philip Smit
Owner and Trustee
Dynamic Solutions 111 Business Trust (IT 4093/05)
Also Trading online as www.PoolSolutions.co.za

ONLINE quotations - For quotation request - Click here

aANLYN KWOTASIES - Vir kwotasie versoek - Klik hier

083 227 6663 (Celéne), 072 603 8895 (Gerhard), 083 455 9632 (Philip)
(Mon - Fri, 09h00 -17h00)  
packaged per order only, contact us to arrange for collection in The Willows, Pretoria.
Fax:  0866 572412


Email:

Visit our online information request form: Click here

P.O.Box 74170
Lynnwood Ridge
Pretoria, South Africa
0040

Internet Banking Details

================================

Acc Name:         Dynamic Solutions 111 Trust
Bank:                FNB (Lynnwood)
Branch code:    252045
Acc. No:            62092096166
================================

Visit our prices and quotation request page - Click Here

WEB SITE TERMS & CONDITIONS

DISCLAIMER

Dynamic Solutions 111 Trust (t/a Pool Solutions), the owners, affiliates, agents or employees will not be liable for any claim whatsoever relating to injuries, health conditions or loss of life under any circumstances during the use of any product supplied, during application, thereafter and during the use of the swimming pool.