Our Services
Every trade,
in-house.
From draining the pool to the final walk-through, every service is performed by our employees with our equipment. No subcontractors. Explore each trade below.
Pool Resurfacing
Proper resurfacing requires quality materials, superior surface preparation, excellent workmanship and a solid warranty. We build all four into every project.
Pool surfaces need to be replaced and renovated, just like other parts of your home. Like anything that sees a great deal of use, swimming pool interiors wear out over time. Signs it is time: plaster that is peeling, flaking, cracking, rough to the touch or discolored, deep structural cracks, rust stains, peeling paint, or fiberglass fibers starting to wear off.
Our skilled tradesmen use the traditional method of hand-applying two coats of plaster, working the material to a smooth surface at the ideal thickness. This flat, hand-troweled finish provides the water-tightness a perfect swimming pool surface needs.
Hand-troweled, two coats, ideal thickness
Our skilled tradesmen hand-apply two coats of plaster, working the material to a smooth surface at the ideal thickness. That flat, hand-troweled finish is what gives the pool its water-tightness.
Plaster pools are filled immediately. Pebble finishes are acid washed 1 to 2 days later, then filled.
Plaster that is peeling, flaking, cracking, rough to the touch or discolored. Deep structural cracks. Rust stains coming through. Paint peeling off, or fiberglass fibers starting to wear.
Well-maintained water chemistry genuinely prolongs the life of a finish, and owners often keep a surface well beyond the point it should have been redone.
Surface Preparation
The #1 factor in how long your resurface investment lasts, and the one most contractors never discuss.
Bond strength between the old and new pool surface determines the performance, durability and longevity of the resurface. The goal is a clean, rough-patterned surface free of bond-inhibiting materials.
Bond coats, chipping and sandblasting are the traditional methods in our market. They do not provide the best adhesion between new plaster and the pool shell, often fail within 1 to 3 years, and in some cases risk damaging the pool structure. Material bonding is not covered under the plaster manufacturer’s warranty.
Classic Pool Plastering performs its resurfacing work with Ultra-High Pressure (UHP) Water Blasting, also known as 40K Water Jetting and Hydro Blasting: water blasted at pressures up to 40,000 PSI removes the existing plaster and simultaneously cuts a superior anchor pattern for the new plaster to grip.
The best material bond guarantee in the areas we serve
We made a significant investment in UHP equipment and education for our team, and we back the result. Ask any contractor how long their material will stay bonded. Then ask us.
UHP water blasting at up to 40,000 PSI
All existing plaster is removed with water blasted at pressures up to 40,000 PSI, creating the best possible profile for new plaster to adhere to. We do not use this process because it is easier or cheaper for us. We use it because it produces the longest-lasting replaster investment for the customer.
UHP surface preparation results in bond values up to 50% stronger than more invasive methods, and plaster can be removed this way over and over without the harm traditional stripping causes.
We are always asked how long a plaster finish will last. We are never asked how long the bond will hold the finish to the pool. That second question is the important one, because a finish rated to last 7 to 10 years cannot get there if the bond fails first.
Classic Pool Plastering offers a 7-year bond warranty on every pool surface we install using our process. We can offer it with confidence. No other company can offer this same guarantee using inferior methods.
Material bonding commonly fails 1 to 3 years after the work is done, and most contractors do not warrant it at all. They market the plaster manufacturer’s warranty instead, which does not cover bonding to the pool surface.
Water jetting lets us forgo acid and bond coat entirely, with superior results. Acid wash and bond coats are completely unnecessary. We also do not need to sandblast paint on pools that were painted before prep.
It removes weather from the equation too. Contractors using a bond coat have to worry about rain washing it out, and about cold nights crystallizing the moisture still in the coat and causing it to fail.
Air hammers and chisels chip away the existing surface. It is time consuming and leaves a very inconsistent surface to replaster over.
It is also harmful to the pool itself. Every chipping pass removes some structural gunite or shotcrete, reducing the strength of the pool, and micro-cracking usually results. The concrete cover over the reinforcing steel gets thinner, sometimes exposing steel to water, which is where rust staining starts.
Chip out a pool enough times and it may need major reconstruction. If you are not the original owner, it is nearly impossible to know how many times it has already been done.
A bond coat glues new plaster onto old. Whether it works depends on the existing surface, the type of coat, how carefully the contractor inspected before applying it, and how widely it was used.
Resurfacing does not mean layering plaster on plaster on plaster. If there is more than one layer, the outer layers must come off completely. Work should only ever be performed on the original plaster layer.
Manufactured coats designed for underwater use are acceptable if the pool has never been replastered and the plaster is solid, and only if the applicator follows directions. Glue coats, or homebrews, are simply glue with additives, not designed for underwater use at all. New plaster stays semi-permeable until it hydrates, so water reaches the back of it, re-emulsifies the homebrew and destroys whatever bond existed. That is where hollow spots and pop-offs come from, and the only true fix is replastering the whole pool again.
Because of the problems with chipping and bond coats, some companies sandblast to etch the existing surface, rough enough to bond but smoother than chipping.
Some believe the etching alone is enough to bond the new material. Others still add a bond coat on top of it.
Pool Surfaces
From the elegant simplicity of white plaster to a rainbow of pebble and glass finishes, today’s options are better than when your pool was built. We guide the look, the science and the budget.
Quartz: durable, slip resistant, chemistry-proof
White Portland cement, limestone sand and water. It has been the standard since pools were first built and still is, for good reason: economical, clean and smooth to the touch. Once filled, it gives the water a bright sky blue tint.
Pigments and dyes are added so the water reflects the colors of nature rather than a standard blue. Ask about pronouncing the mottling effect for more depth and movement. It stays an economical choice.
Natural, pure, non-fading quartz aggregate enhanced with Portland cement. The aggregate is smaller than pebble and comes in a wide range of colors.
Quartz stands up to even the harshest pool chemistry, and it is both comfortable underfoot and slip resistant. For commercial properties we recommend it over standard white plaster for the extra durability.
A colorful mosaic of tiny pebbles tightly fused with white Portland cement, then lightly buffed to a rich surface.
Pebble costs more than white plaster and gives you more back. As sunlight moves across the water it throws a whole spectrum of color.
- Stain resistance
- Non-slip surfacing
- 24 distinct color options
- Natural elegance
Extremely durable, smooth, colorfast and less chemically reactive than any alternative. Tile opens up the widest range of looks, from a simple waterline band to a fully tiled interior.
Water color is one of the most overlooked decisions, and there are enough influences on it that any honest contractor can only tell you what happens in most cases. We will educate you on the factors and advise you toward the look you actually want.
Size and depth. The deeper the pool, the more refraction, and the richer and darker the color. It is the same reason the ocean looks pale at the shore and dark at the horizon.
Surrounding materials. Red-toned and gold-toned hardscape near the pool, plus a lot of green shrubbery, trees and lawn, can push a normally blue hue toward aquamarine.
Sunlight. Full sun refracts more light and shows the color off. On cloudy days, early mornings, evenings, or in shade, the water reads much clearer.
Water chemistry. Water that is out of balance distorts the hue, and pools on well water with high metal content can cast green. A sudden change in hue is worth a chemistry check.
Distance versus close-up. Some of the most beautiful water colors use grey pigment in the cement. The water reads a stunning blue from across the yard, but some people do not like the grey of the steps and shallow end when standing at the edge. Decide which matters more to you.
Tile & Coping
The edge is where craft shows. Waterline tile and coping installation that finishes the pool with durable, colorfast detail.
Pool tiling is extremely durable, smooth, colorfast and less chemically reactive than the alternatives, with endless options to create a look that is entirely yours. We install waterline tile and coping as part of a full resurface or as its own project.
Michigan freeze-thaw cycles are hard on coping and tile lines. Broken tiles, loose or separating coping and failing mastic are exactly the repairs we handle every season, and correct installation is what prevents them.
Waterline tile and coping, detail that lasts
Waterline tile. The row directly above the pool finish and just below the deck, typically 6 by 6 inches, with the water sitting about halfway up it. Tile is necessary here because plaster and other pool finishes are not meant to be exposed to sun and the elements.
Spa walls and spillways. When water flows from spa to pool it pulls the eye to the spillway. Watch that grout and tile colors do not clash, and consider widening a spillway, adding a second, or capping it with coping.
Raised bond beam. The part of the wall elevated above the decking, and the most visible tile in the pool. Smaller 1×1, 2×2 or 3×3 tiles work well here, and it is the usual home for accent tile.
Trim tile and spotters. A small line of non-slip tile at the outside edge of steps and seats so swimmers can read the depth. Spotters are diamond-set tiles, typically about 12 inches apart.
Glass. The most expensive option and worth it: made from recycled glass, it is the most durable and least porous of all pool tiles. It comes in mosaic format so it wraps curved surfaces completely, colors can be mixed into artwork, and some carry an iridescent coating that shifts as light and water move over it. In an all-tiled pool the effect is mesmerizing.
Natural stone. For a classical or Mediterranean feel, with a textured look that ties into patio and deck, especially when matched with the coping. Flagstone, travertine, slate, sandstone, bluestone and semi-polished granite.
Porcelain. A staple of pool finishing for decades. Hand-painted with detailed designs or supplied as mosaic, and now available textured, including a textured-glazed version that gives a bolder edge to any pool border.
Plenty of designers deliberately mix all three. With the right balance of color, texture, scale and detail it reads as one continuous design.
There are two tile materials suitable for water immersion in a freezing climate: glass and porcelain. Glass is extremely dense and absorbs no water at all. Porcelain is slightly less dense and absorbs a very small, acceptable amount.
Ceramic is more porous. Stone such as slate and marble is far less dense, layered and porous. Used at or below the waterline here, those materials mean guaranteed early failure, usually within 1 to 3 years of installation.
If you want the slate look, there are many slate-look porcelain tiles for the waterline that will last decades.
Adequate preparation and cleaning before installation, and the quality of the adhesive and grout, are what actually determine how long waterline tile lasts.
All of our tile is set in polymer-modified thin-set mortars carrying a lifetime warranty, suitable for water immersion and freeze resistant. Tile is grouted with hydraulic, colorfast grout.
- Chip away and remove the old tile, leaving the surface clean and free of debris
- Grind down or build up with a mortar bed so there are no high or low spots and the tile sits flush with the plaster
- Cut tiles for detail work around curves and spillways, where the craftsmanship really shows
- Spread a pool-specific thin-set bonding agent along the waterline
- Lay pool-specific porcelain tile, pressing each piece in by hand or rubber mallet, then let it set until firm
- Grout with a rubber float and sponge off all excess
Coping is the cap on the edge of the pool or spa. It covers the top of the bond beam, frames the pool, and ideally creates a non-slip surface and something for swimmers to grab.
Precast concrete. One of our favorites to install. Custom ordered after our craftsman measures your pool, set on a mortar bed with matching grout. Edges in bullnose, mesa, safety grip and square-nose. Textures in standard salt, sandblast and stamped slate.
Paver coping. Matches a paver deck. Bullnose concrete pavers are the most popular and carry 8,000 PSI strength. Paver wall caps work where a wider, thicker coping suits the design.
Poured-in-place. Poured into molds along the pool edge rather than set as pieces, so it suits thicker coping and lots of curves, and it gives the deck cleaner lines. It anchors into the beam with re-bar, essentially becoming one with the pool. Often recommended when the beam is badly deteriorated, since it cuts how much beam rebuilding is needed, and it is frequently the most economical choice.
Natural stone. Sandstone and quartzite for a rugged, earthy look with real durability and a non-slip texture that suits families. Travertine for something sleeker, with a naturally non-skid surface that stays cooler than concrete or brick, in beige, caramel and gray.
Brick. Classic, warm and rustic, and exceptionally durable. Single or double bullnose, and Safety Grip. Curves and mitered corners demand precise, well-planned cuts.
- Drop-down. Hides the rims and makes the water surface read as flush. A seamless finish.
- Square. Clean and modern, with several variations.
- Bull nose. Traditional and heritage, with softer rounded edges. Available with a raised safety grip edge, which most jurisdictions require on commercial pools.
- Tumbled. Intentionally uneven edges for a rustic look.
The coping forms the seal at the top edge of the pool, and it is the single item that determines whether your waterline tile and plaster stay watertight.
No water should penetrate from the outside of the pool or from the deck into the coping, because it will eventually seep into the tile and plaster. Once there it freezes, expands, thaws and repeats, and that cycle is what makes tiles fall off and plaster blister.
A common complaint from owners who have had waterline tile repaired or fully replaced is that the new tile does not stay bonded. Proper repair or replacement of the coping is very often the actual fix.
Decking
The surface around the pool matters as much as the one inside it.
We replace existing decks with the new, innovative stone and cement-based materials available today. When budget concerns are primary, one of the many beautiful and durable deck overlay options is the right call, and we will tell you honestly which situation you are in.
We also replace lifted sections of concrete, so the deck is safe as well as beautiful.
Deck and overlay options for every budget
Whether you are replacing a small section or redoing the whole backyard, we handle any size job. Concrete becomes a genuinely durable product when it is installed properly, with control joints to minimize cracking and rebar for tensile strength.
Available in salt, broom, washed or stamped finishes.
Brick pavers come in a multitude of colors and can be laid in unique patterns. They are highly durable, their color and material will not fade over time, they are easy to clean and maintain, and they can add value to the property.
The same stones we use for coping work on the deck. A deck uses a thinner quartzite or sandstone mortared to a concrete sub base. Travertine is another alluring option in cream and beige tones, and it can be sand set the same way pavers are.
We often find concrete decks that are structurally in great shape with very few cracks, but stained and discolored. That is the moment to consider a coating overlay rather than a tear-out.
These textured coatings give a non-skid surface and real aesthetic range, and they adhere to both new and aged concrete.
Repair
Over a decade of pool repair experience across Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio. Large and small.
Sometimes the right course is a full resurface. Sometimes a simple repair is the best decision. Concrete pools rely on a dense plaster layer to limit leaking; holes in that layer lead to leaks and more severe problems. We will tell you which situation you have, then fix it.
The cost of pool repair drops significantly with basic preventative maintenance. We repair any and all of the following:
DIY leads to disaster
Kits exist. We highly discourage them. Missteps are disastrous and costly. Unless you have exceptional troweling, concrete and construction skills plus the tools, let professionals plaster your pool.
Freeze-thaw damage: exactly what we fix
Over a decade of pool repair experience across Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio.
- Patch small areas of defective plaster or pebble
- Replace broken tiles or coping pieces
- Reset loose coping without paying to replace it
- Replace mastic around the pool and spa
- Fix cracks in pool or spa steps
- Replace lifted sections of concrete
- Replace copper plumbing at equipment, cracked skimmers and leaking lines
- Replace damaged or worn covers, or upgrade to automated
Concrete is porous, which is why a dense plaster layer is applied inside concrete pools. Holes in that layer lead to leaks and to more severe problems.
Sometimes a simple repair is right. Sometimes, with a faded, stained, rough or peeling surface, resurfacing the whole pool is the better decision because the problem only grows through the seasons. We will tell you which situation you are in.
Plumbing & Equipment
Upgrade or replace existing pool equipment and automate water chemistry.
There are equipment solutions available today that allow accurate and cost-effective automated control of water chemistry. With quality service support and these automation advances, you extend the life of the pool surface: well-maintained chemistry is the single biggest factor in how long any finish lasts.
We also replace copper plumbing at equipment, cracked skimmers, and leaking lines.
Well-kept chemistry makes any finish last
Remodeling the surface is the right moment to replace old, inefficient equipment. Energy companies also run rebate programs that encourage exactly this upgrade.
- Advanced motor technology can provide savings of up to 30%
- Proper water flow management and variable drives can deliver savings of over 50%
- Design advances have produced the quietest pumps ever made
- Reduced heat and vibration mean dramatically longer pump life
- Optimized fuel and air mix control gives superior efficiency and faster heat-up
- Certified low NOx emissions outperform current industry standards for exhaust
- Technology advances have enabled even quieter performance
- Non-corrosive exteriors stand up to both extreme heat and extreme cold
- More efficient water flow allows smaller pumps or lower pump speeds in most cases
- Removing backwash valves further increases hydraulic efficiency
- Rinsing cartridges instead of backwashing saves hundreds and even thousands of gallons a year
- Large capacity cartridges give maximum surface area, more dirt trapping and fewer cleanings
Special Projects
Customize your existing pool structure, and add the tools that protect your investment.
Sun shelf: in the water and out of it at once
A flat, shallow area, usually around 6 inches deep, before the pool drops away.
Owners add one to lounge in and out of the water at once, to give small children, a pet or someone less mobile a safe place to cool off, and because shallow water warms earlier in the day than the deep end.
An 8 foot or deeper pool can be made shallower: more kid friendly, quicker to heat, better for water volleyball. If the pool is simply too big or too small for how you use it now, we can modify its size.
We specialize in safety cover installation, professionally installed for peace of mind through the closed season. With a range of colors available, a safety cover also looks considerably better than a water-bagged or lock-in cover.
Commercial Solutions
We do what we say, when we say, for what we say, with only the highest quality.
Classic Pool Plastering specializes in meeting the needs of Pool Builders, Construction Companies, Property Management Companies, HOAs, Multi-Family Housing Communities, Hotels, High Schools, Swim Schools, Municipalities and all other commercial pool owners. Fully licensed and insured, with experienced people, workmanship and equipment on every project.
Five-year workmanship warranty
We are so confident in the quality of our work that we offer a 5-year workmanship warranty, the best in the industry for the areas we serve.
Evaluated against current health and building codes
Ready when you are.
Tell us about your pool and we will contact you to set up an appointment.