The concrete shell of a well-built backyard swimming pool can last a lifetime, but the inner surface that covers the concrete will need to be replaced every 15-20 years. Even an otherwise beautifully designed and situated luxury pool feels a little seedy once the bottom and sides begin to look ragged because of chips, cracks and discoloration.

You have several choices when it’s time for pool resurfacing. You may want to consider a radically different alternative to your current surface material if you’re planning to resurface as part of an overall pool remodeling project. You’ll want the surface to match the color, design and richness of your newly upgraded swimming pool and any new coping, decking or landscaping you choose.

The most common and least expensive swimming pool surfacing option is plaster. Plaster, also called marcite or whitecoat, has been used to surface pools for more than half a century. Although a well-applied coat of plaster can last for years, it won’t be as durable as some of the newer surfacing materials. Plaster has a nice, smooth feel when it has been properly troweled after application by skilled craftsman, but it’s considered very plain-looking by some people. Today, however, colored plaster options are available for a more customized, artistic look.

Fiberglass for pool resurfacing is a somewhat newer product on the market. Applying a layer of fiberglass yields a smooth surface like plaster, but one that should last longer and is less prone to discoloration because it’s non-porous. Brushing dirt and algae off of fiberglass takes less effort, too. Because fiberglass is flexible, it’s less likely than plaster to crack, chip or “pop” if the ground shifts or settles.

Pebble or exposed aggregate pool surfaces originated in Australia in the 1960s and have become hugely popular in the United States in the last two decades or so. These pool surfaces consist of thousands of small pebbles embedded in a cement base. Some people don’t like the roughness of pebble compared to plaster, but it does offer a very safe non-slip surface. Pebble mixtures come in a variety of colors and some have particles with light-refracting properties that add sparkle under the sun or certain artificial lighting.

Other aggregate materials such as quartz, marble or glass each have their own unique appearance and come in a range of color choices. As with pebble, each consists of particles in a cement base, which often is itself colored to complement the aggregate. Like pebble, they’re all more expensive than standard plaster surfaces, but also more durable. Quartz is one of the hardest minerals known, second only to diamond. Quartz for pools takes the form of small beads of sand-like silica coated in a specialized ceramic. Marble for pool surfaces is crushed to a small, uniform size and polished for a smooth feel. Some marble mixtures have crushed abalone shell added for color and light reflection. In surfacing products like Beadcrete, glass spheres embedded in the base give color and refract light to create spectacular visual effects.

Tile surfaces can create some of the most artistic pool designs, but it’s also the most expensive. While almost all pools are built with a decorative band of tiles at the waterline, fully tiling a pool is another proposition altogether. But for those who want the most premium surface available or want to incorporate a one-of-a-kind design into their pool, tiles are the way to go.

The dedicated professionals at Hop Cassidy Pools can help you remodel your old pool into one that’s fresh and new, including an attractive new surface applied with care and precision using the materials of your choice. The time to upgrade is now, so that your remodeled pool is ready to go for the swimming season. Hop Cassidy is a premium Scottsdale swimming pool builder that’s been serving homeowners and contractors in the Valley of the Sun for more than 25 years with quality Phoenix pool construction and remodeling services. Call today for a consultation with a Hop Cassidy representative at 480-905-8780.