20 Gorgeous Pool Designs with Alternative Finishes

Swimming pools have always been considered a luxury addition to a home. They can be simple swimming pools or luxurious additions to your home’s landscape. For so long, swimming pools have been constructed similarly, using plaster as the pool’s finish. Plaster has served its purpose through the years, but as technology has continued to move forward through the years, finding alternatives to plaster has been one thing those in the pool business have continued to work toward. If plaster finishes have been used for so many years, you may wonder why it would be important to find other alternatives for pools. If you have ever owned a pool, and for more than just a few years, then you probably know that plaster deteriorates over time. According to pool plaster alternatives plaster can start to chip, stain, and crack. It can become less than attractive, it’s high maintenance, and don’t forget the effects it can have on your feet if it’s left unkempt; scratching, cutting and roughing them up. If you want to re-do your pool’s surface to a newer, more practical and beautiful appearance, here are some ideas for better alternatives to your pool’s surface.

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Aggregate finishes

Aggregate finishes are typically a combination of materials that give your pool a unique and beautiful finish that’s durable and lasts for years. The finish contains stones, river-pebbles, crystals coated in ceramic, and/or glass. These materials are then combined with a type of pigmented plaster that has a cement base. This is one of the most desired finishes with many pool owners choosing it today, according to swimming pool. It’s not only about durability, but creating a beautiful, aesthetic look for your pool, too. Aggregate finishes come in two forms: polished and exposed aggregate. Polished aggregate uses more finitely crushed pieces of the materials for a smoother texture, while the exposed aggregate leaves enough exposure of the materials that it adds a bit of traction to the finished surface.

Tile

A tile finish is the most pricey finishes of all the choices, but definitely one of the most beautiful, too. There are a ton of options to choose from when it comes to tiling your pool’s surface, meaning the sky’s the limit when it comes to color and design options. You may choose to tile the entire surface of the pool or use a combination of finishes. That’s kind of a personal preference, and whether you base that of the preferring the way it looks to have all tile, or maybe your budget only allows for a partially tiled surface. You can choose to use stone, ceramic, or porcelain tile for your finish, and that too, is a personal preference. Texoma pools explains tiled finishes, saying that it is a longer installation process than other finishes, so if you are in a time crunch to complete your pool, you might want to take this into consideration.

These are the two main alternatives for pool finishes other than plaster and it all depends on your preference and budget as to what you choose. If you don’t mind more maintenance on your pool’s finished surface, plaster is a budget-friendly option and there are more choices for plaster finishes today, than many years ago. Colors and better technology have made it an option that many pool owners are still sticking with. If you want to add a more aesthetic and unique look to your pool, upgrading to a higher quality and uniquely different finish, may be a better option for you.

Talk to different pool finishing experts in your area to get better detailed information will help you to make the best decision for your pool and budget. Seeing the finished product in a showroom along with pictures of completed pools will also give you a better idea of what your pool could look like with the different finish options. To give you some ideas and and a little inspiration, here are 20 gorgeous pool designs with alternative finishes.