Using Olympic Pool Paint
Olympic pool paint is manufactured by Kelley Technical Coatings makers of world class pool coatings and paint products. With pool coatings from Olympic, pool maintenance is easier with better surface coating and unbeatable durability. Using pool paint like Olympic paint is not just like applying ordinary wall paint. You may need extra help in selecting as well as preparing the pool area for this do- it – yourself activity.
Olympic Pool Paint – 8 Great Techniques:
- For newly constructed pools, the building materials used are greatly considered when choosing the ideal Olympic pool paint. Pools may be made of concrete, fiber glass, plaster, aluminum or sandblasted and each of these may require several techniques to waterproof and prepare the entire pool surface before pool paint is applied.
- For previously coated pools, Olympic pool paint requires the same paint coating type to be applied again to assure the best possible adhesion between the old pool paint to the new coat. If you cannot determine the type of pool paint used, you can send a paint chip sample to Olympic paint for analysis.
- Before applying Olympic pool paint, clean your pool thoroughly with the use of Olympic No. 910 Pool Washing Compound (tri – sodium phosphate) in warm water. This will clean the pool surface without leaving any soapy film on the surface than can interfere with pool paint adhesion. With the use of a brush with a long handle, firmly scrub the pool surface then rinse the residue off with water. Allow the entire pool surface to dry before proceeding to acid etching.
- Use 10 percent solutions of muriatic acid to acid etch the entire pool. Acid etching allows the surfaces of the pool to open allowing the new paint coat to penetrate and adhere. Pools that are made of concrete and plaster are recommended to do acid etching before applying a fresh coat of Olympic pool paint. Same goes for previously painted pools. Brush the acid on the pool walls and floor; the acid will temporarily bubble. Rinse with clean water after the bubbling ceases. After etching, the pool surface should look and feel like sandpaper when it is etched perfectly.
- Prevent injuries by wearing protective eyewear, gloves and mask, never pour water into acid.
- Olympic pool paint comes in many types. Each type has its own advantages to make your pool look like new. Always wear protective clothing when painting the pool, use gloves, mask and protective eyewear to prevent splashes. Epoxy coatings are Olympic pool paint with an epoxy base (Poxolon 2 System and the Zeron System). These are best applied after sanding any glossy area, spot priming any bare spots as well as “squeezing” the epoxy-based paint to allow for better coverage on a porous surface. Allow epoxy-based Olympic pool paint to cure and dry according to product specifications before filling it with water.
- Rubber – based coatings on the other hand (Paralon 2 and Optilon) are made of chlorinated or synthetic rubber. These must be applied in a completely dry pool surface to prevent blister formation on the paint surface. 2 coats of rubber – based paint are required for a perfect coverage. Allow this paint to dry for at least 5 days before filling the pool with water.
- Acrylic Olympic pool paint (Hydrolon) may be applied even on a damp surface. 2 coats of this Olympic pool paint is necessary for a beautiful finish but allow to completely dry for 3 days before filling with water.
