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Pool painted with hi-build epoxy (over epoxy)in March 2004 by end of year paint chalking badly and deteriorating fast. Paint made by Poly Solutions in Pa. Easiest paint ever installed but not lasting. Company says they don't understand why but more than happy to replace paint. Question is how much effect should Calcium Hardness have on super hard epoxy finish? I know pool has had a leak which could account for some loss in hardness but can't detail balance history for year. Sanitizing w/PPG accutabs so should be maintaining some ch. that way. It's raining out and I'm just wondering if bad water balance could have caused paint to deteriorate. Oh, yeah, paint comes with a 15 year replacement warranty which the company will back up.




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Post New Topic | Reply to: "paint chalking badly"

I seriously doubt that CH had any effect on the paint becoming chalky. I would imagine that there is something in either the mixture of components at that factory, or on site that has cause this issue.

When epoxys break down thet tend to get chalky and will rub off and cloud.

That is what is happening, exactly. The paint clouds the water when the walls or floor are brushed or rubbed. What do you mean by something wrong with the mixture? Could it be improper mixing at the site or the wrong proportions in the mix, too much thinner? I thought epoxy was as hard as you could get as far as paint goes but maybe not. Thanks,Rob.

Ricky

Low hardness and very high chlorine levels will have a very negative effect on all paint and vinyl surfaces.

This condition I have seen after a pool has been unattended through the winter then super super super chlorinated.

Bill Tech II

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Bill Tech II

Bill,

I am curious what the reaction is that causes the resulting paint deterioration as you stated. I have seen other paint doing the same thing but most were older paint jobs and I assumed that they were just worn out. Anyway, I don't want to replace paint and have it happen all over again in two years. Remembering that this pool was sanitized with cal hypo exclusively which should have added a small but constant amount of calcium to the water, I never observed the ch lower that 250 over the last year. I might add that this is a small commercial pool with moderate bather loads. The filter sand must be replaced due to the paint clogging up the sand.

Ricky,

I painted pools between 1964 and 1968.

I really do not know what is happening, but Ramuc paint told me the chalking was caused because of the high chlorine levels, also Kelly paints told me the same things about epoxy paints.

Also vinyl will react to high chlorine levels by losing its softener and becoming brittle.

Bill Tech II

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Bill Tech II