At an elementary level, a pool is to hold water for our enjoyment. There are many surfaces that will provide a water tight surface creating a pool. Surfaces such as plastic, vinyl and fiberglass are popular in portable pool products. In ground pools are primarily made out of concrete shells. The final surfacing of the concrete shells is often either plaster or aggregate. In recent years, there have been great enhancements in these products.

Plaster is what is used to finish the interior surface of the pool. It is used because the foundation material of the pool, typically gunite or shotcrete, is too porous to hold water. The plaster is watertight, and in an ideal environment will last twenty years. However, unless you can figure out how to keep your chemical levels at the ideal levels constantly, you can expect that you will need to have your pool replastered about every fifteen years or so. Recent advancements have incorporated color granuals to enhance the color of the pool.

Aggregate type finishes have been growing in popularity over the past 5-10 years. The most popular brand is Pebble Tec. The aggregate type finish adds color depth to the pool through a blend of naturally colored pebbles mixed in with the plaster. The result is a durable surface that resists staining and provides more design options. With a wide variety of colors available, your options are limitless when creating an ambience at your backyard pool.