A Guide to Swimming Pools

If a pool is painted without care a whole host of problems are likely to occur. Always remember that a pool is a specialised structure and should not be treated as just another wall to be painted. For various technical reasons, most paints do not last when submerged in water. Coo-Var Swimming Pool Paint is a carefully selected blend of chlorinated rubber, pigment and solvent. In its dried form it will withstand constant immersion in normal pool water providing both an attractive decorative finish and a long life protective finish.Our Technical Services Department can provide information for specific application and ancillary items such as steel support structure over indoor pools. Please contact us on 01482 328053.

SURFACE PREPARATION
Surfaces to be painted should be free from nibs, cavities and other imperfections. Any mould or oil stains must be removed. Moisture content of concrete should be below 7% prior to application of any coating.

New unpainted concrete pools

If a swimming pool is being constructed with a view to treatment with Coo-Var Swimming Pool Paint a uniform wood float finish to the concrete is preferable to a steel trawled finish, which is more likely to produce a film of laitance or scum on the surface and may lead to poor adhesion or blistering of the enamel. To prevent back pressure the construction of the pool should have included a waterproof membrane on the soil side. Allow the structure to dry out thoroughly before painting (normally at least 28 days). The surfaces should then be treated with Acid Etch diluted three times with clean water:- Wet the surface with fresh clean water from a hosepipe and then apply the Acid Etch with a sweeping brush or turks head brush. The operator should wear rubber boots and gloves and wear suitable ey protection. The surface will foam vigorously and bubble. When the reaction has subsided, hose down to wash away loose particles of sand and all soluble materials until the washings are totally clean then leave at least 24 hours to dry out (i.e. less than 7% moisture content). If in any doubt contact Coo-Var Technical Services to be sure.

PREVIOUSLY PAINTED POOLS
If the pool was previously painted with Coo-Var Swimming Pool Paint and is in good condition it is safe to proceed after scrubbing down to remove dirt etc and roughen the surface to help adhesion. Old perished chlorinated rubber coatings must be removed by thorough scraping. All loose edges should be removed. After many years wear and tear it may become necessary to remove all the old coatings by grit blasting Finally, remove all debris and dirt. If the pool is in a hard water area, white carbonate deposits will be clinging to the old paint after cleaning down. These should be removed using Acid Etch diluted three times with water.

COATING APPLICATION
Application conditions for Coo-Var Swimming Pool Paint must receive careful consideration, the weather being one of the chief factors. A warm, but cloudy day is ideal as it is not desirable to apply the coating in direct sunlight. Never work when the concrete is damp (e.g. morning dew or after rain) or if rain is likely before the paint will have had time to dry.