Overall Rating:
5 out of 5
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| Color looks great 9/11/2007 11:32 PM |
| By Thomas |
| "The pool had a few small cracks and stains. Used the Zeron Bikini Blue. It rolled on and covered the cracks. Pool looks great!" |
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Overall Rating:
5 out of 5
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| Great product 6/10/2008 9:04 AM |
| By f150hiboy |
| "This product s pretty amazing. My pool was beyond hope, with all the surface plaster completely gone and having chips and pits 1/4" to 1/2" deep, lose crumbling plaster in areas, it really was a sandblast job that was needed. I used the Gunzite primer then coated with Zeron. Although the chips and pits were still there (just way to many to fill in, but if you only have a few, they should be patched with the proper type plaster), however it did smooth them out a bit and the entire pool came out looking pretty good. Sure there were a few runs and rough spots, but this was not any fault of the paint, it was due to the extremely poor condition of the pool. When filled with water, I was still very pleased with the results!
Here are a few tips I can suggest:
1. Buy more primer/paint that you calculated. They will take back unopened cans if returned in less that 30-days and you will not have to stop in the middle of your project to wait for more paint. I ended up short 4-gals of Primer (the plaster really absorbs this stuff) and 2-gal paint.
2. Buy the thinner made for this paint. This stuff is extremely messy and sticky making it hard to get off your hands, tools, shoes, etc.
3. Pressure wash, pressure wash and pressure wash again! If you have bad plaster you cannot pressure wash enough to break up loose bits, especially after the acid wash when surface plaster is eaten very thin and flakes off. Throughout the course of the job, I must have pressure washed 20-times. Don't even think about just using a garden hose to rinse unless your plaster is already in perfect condition, and even then I would recommend you buy or rent a pressure washer, as it's worth every penny!
4. Once dried, the paint is extremely slippery and that's a big problem on steps and in the shallow end of the pool. You need to do something to counter act it. I tried adding silica sand to the paint and mixing it in. First I put too much and the paint would not dry (remained soft). Then I put less and it was better, but I am not happy with the way the shallow steps came out, still too slick. Experiment with how much sand works best for you. I read 1lb per gallon was the right ratio, but that did not seem to have enough traction.
5. Follow the instruction on the can for mixing and outside temp when working. Applied it on a hot day (95 deg) and the paint actually had bubbles forming on the paint in some areas.
The smoother the pool plaster is to start, the better the job will look when completed, but in a case like mine where the plaster was beyond hope, I thought it came out pretty well considering and will enjoy the pool for many summers to come!
P.S. Used the Icy Blue color for the bottom and painted over the bad tiles with Bikini Bottom Blue. If you don't like the look of a vinyl liner style pool (the blue sort of gives it that look, but we love it), better stick to using white." |
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Overall Rating:
5 out of 5
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| One and Done 9/24/2008 6:42 PM |
| By BC |
| "You need to keep in mind that this is epoxy paint. That means that a catalyst needs to be mixed into it and that you will have limited time to work with the paint once it is mixed. It also means that this is some of the most tenacious paint you can buy. This is not your typical Latex Semi-gloss that you might use it the kitchen. If it dries (cures), then its basically yours for life.
Here’s what I know:
Prep:
This is more than a one day project. Drain the pool and use a power washer to clean the heck out of it. Then use TSP as directed to further clean, kill, and etch the exiting finish. power wash again. Watch the weather for consecutive sunny days and allow the prepped pool to dry. Allow an extra day so that nooks, crannies, cracks, and pinholes get good and dry. Tape off anything you don’t want to be permanently painted.
Painting weather:
You’re looking for a dry, windless 60-70 degree day. The warmer it is, the less work time you have with the paint. If the surface is too hot, the paint will bubble, too cold and the paint will not cure. The pool will need a week to cure, ideally without any rain. You really don’t want rain within 24 hours of the paintjob.
Enlist Help:
My team consisted of me, my brother, and my wife. They sat on the deck enjoying a beer while I labored in the pit of despair. If you know someone that is savy with the roller and WILLING to assist, then sign them up. This paint is very heavy and the first hour of painting is much more enjoyable than the sixth.
The Paint:
Only mix as much paint as you think you can use in the pot life of the paint. I did two gallons at a time. Don’t try to mix it in the one gallon pail the paint comes in. Fork over the cash for a five gallon bucket. Each batch gave me a 90 minute window to work with (it was about 65 degrees out). Had I mixed more I would have been screwed. This stuff goes on easy but slow.
A little advice for mixing… Mix the stuff in the pool. It is after all what you intend to get the paint on.
Anything else should have drop cloths, masking tape, etc. in place BEFORE the first can of paint is ever cracked open. Wear rubber gloves! You will get both the paint and the catalyst on you immediately and often so don’t plan on taking breaks to stroll around the back forty or run in the house for a drink. You will soooo regret it. Incidentally, once this stuff gets on the bottom of your shoes it is at the same time slippery and sticky as all get-out. If you jump out of the pool and walk on the grass (smart right?), you will certainly track grass and other debris into the pool where it will be glued to any surface you walk on.
Expect that all brushes, rollers, pans, buckets, and clothing that come in contact with this paint will be destined for the garbage. Again there are no breaks, once you start painting you have to finish.
Clean up:
You used drop cloths, gloves etc., so cleanup should be a snap. You will want to have a change of shoes waiting poolside (see glue shoes above). The pool surface sets up fairly quickly however anything else it touches stays wet for a long time. Paint that did not have any catalyst mixed into it never really dries. It just gets gooey. I would not recommend throwing drop cloths or work clothes into your washer/dryer soon after the paint job. Anything unfortunate enough to get paint on it (I have a tendency to rub my nose) may be removed BEFORE IT IS CURED using MEK. You can buy MEK in the solvent isle at your home center for $25 a gallon. Yes, you should have some on hand. Mr. Murphy loves this paint.
Bottom Line:
Take the time to prepare the pool surface and your work area, be cautious and you will be just fine. The end product looks fantastic. Don’t spread it too thin and you will have true one coat finish that dries to a mirror shine. The pool looks like new and hopefully I will not need to touch it for eight years!
Good luck with your project." |