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New Orleans Swimming Pool Contractor

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Our New Orleans pool in Lakeview on Memphis St.

Pool in Lakeview

Here is our swimming pool being constructed for the month of April 2012.  It is in Lakeview and will feature a level spa, a swimming lap pool type of design, 2 benches, a suntan ledge with 3 bubblers.  As seen in the photos, this yard presented Jeff and Kevin Knott a challenge to get the plumbing to the location the homeowner desired.  We were forced to tunnel under his concrete slab/walkway.  The pool had a walnut french pattern travertine paver and the plaster color was a tahoe blue.

 

Pool in Lakeview

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Swimming Pool Renovation and Remodel in Kenner La.

Swimming pool renovation

 

We are currently working on a swimming pool renovation that my father built in 1975 when he was the gm of Catalina Pools.  He remembers the pool like it was yesterday.  The pool had existing Kool Deck that was naturally cracking, two leaking skimmers, a spa or hot tub needing attention, white plaster that was scaling, tile that was needing some updating.  So the first thing we did on this swimming pool renovation was drain the pool to prep the plaster and remove the tile.

 

Then we had to jack hammer/ remove the existing Kool Deck and brick coping that consisted of over 1,000 ft.2 and haul it all away.

 

The next thing we did on this swimming pool renovation was break out the old 2 skimmers and install 2 new ones.

 

Swimming pool renovation can totally change the appearance of your backyard.

The existing swimming pool beam was pretty beat up as the pool must have been renovated once since 1975.  So the elevation of the pool was too low.  I had to drill small pins/staples of rods into the existing swimming pool structure and loop and tie to the pins a piece of rebar.  I did this so if the pool ever moved the pool coping wouldn’t go fling off into the swimming pool.  Now was time on this swimming pool renovation to build up the beam and install coping and the new tile.

 

Next up on our plate was for Jeff and I to install a new pump, filter, heater, blower, 2 new timers, new valves including 2 new Jandy never lube valves.  His current valves were metal gate valves that were 1975 original.

 

This pool had an added on concrete porch that went up to the pool deck.  So when decking the pool I installed the same travertine material on his decking/pavers but in a tile form because his threshold going into his home was low and we can’t have water going into his home.

The next step for this swimming pool renovation was to plaster it.  The owner chose a Caribbean blue plaster color.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got the pool started up today with chemicals in on this swimming pool renovation.  I will get another photo in a few days when his furniture and chemicals in the pool water balance out.

 

 

 

Also check out what we did to his spas overflow/edge in this swimming pool renovation.  We chipped down the old thin brick ledge beam that had one small water outlet and installed granite built out the beam and made it wider/bolder and had the whole face be the outlet.  The look was outstanding.

 

 

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Pool renovation in Metairie

Replastering pool.

Replastering pool 101:

Here was a complete renovation and replastering pool we are near completition on in Metairie.  We installed two new skimmer, installed new PVC pool plumbing, installed new pool tile.  We also added all new travertine french pattern decking with new drain in the deck.  What makes this pool nice is we chose to install classic colored travertine coping and noche decking.  It is a nice bold contrast to outline the pool.  Also we plastered the pool with a fade resistant midnight blue plaster color.  We also installed a new stainless steel ladder and are installing a new diving board.  I thank Tim and Patty for letting me transform their old pool!!!

 

Replastering pool:  can revitalize your old boring pool because there are so many colors.  Traditional pools have white plaster.  Where today there are a lot of blue pigments available.

Replastering pool :There are other options for replastering pool /s.  Like Diamond Brite, Pebble Tec and Bead Crete but besides cost they can get rough.  A plaster finish should be smooth and traditional plaster initially is and down the road 10-12 years it becomes rough and that is when it is time to replaster.  What good is it replastering pool  when the initial product is already rough?? Older pools back before it was outlawed, builders would put asbestos in the plaster mix making the plaster last a VERY long time.  But for obvious reasons, the pool industry can’t put that into their plaster anymore.  I was common for a pool plaster to last 30+ years.  The key to replastering is not just to have a company come in and start mixing.  There are areas to look for/at to insure your pool from having a leak or plaster flaking off over time or even initially.  Also, the proper startup of chemicals and running the equipment is VERY important knowledge to have.  NOT ALL companies have the same knowledge/expertise!!!  Be cautioned, not to just go for the cheapest price as you should look at this process as a 12 year investment!

Replastering pool :  Do your homework/research before hiring a company.  See what they offer and test their knowledge when interviewing them.  Too many times I hear of somebody going with the cheap price to get messed over in the end and have an inferior product.  Put that on top of what different companies can provide for you.  For instance, we do not buy our colors locally and homework was done so that we are the only company known in the New Orleans area that provide the colors.  Remember, DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!  It will save you in the long run!

Replastering pool : can dramatically upgrade the look of your existing pool but besides that you can get the smoothness back!

 

 

If you would like us to give you a quote on replastering pool please email us at crystalpoolsla@gmail.com

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Westbank pool complete! Slate coping and more

Pool coping

Pool coping is the 1st foot of the decking , above the pool/tile.

Here is a project we just wrapped up in Nine Mile Point.  It features slate bullnose coping, a raised spa, a raised wall that has tile facing.  The deck material is SunDek and the color is bone white.  The plaster features a fade resistant midnight blue coloring.  The pool also features a suntan ledge, salt water, a seperate pump for the 4′ sheer decent waterfall.  This backyard has a wonderful New Orleans feel that ties in nicely with their existing slate patio with brick fireplace.  I thank Oscar and Jeri for choosing Crystal Pools to build their backyard paradise!!!

 

 

There are a variety of pool coping :

slate, flagstone, cantilever (whatever decking product you use such as Sun Dek), brick, bullnose brick, bullnose travertine, straight nosed travertine, granite and more.

 Pool coping

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Some more new projects

Pool work

 

Here are a few of our new pool work /s.  I will add photos to update these jobs as they progress.  One is in Bush, one in Gretna, the final photos are a renovation from Old Metairie.  The Old Metairie pool we added new tile and replastered the pool with a fade resistant midnight blue plaster.  The pool in Bush, far left photos, is 8.5′ deep with a diving board, has 3 benches, a suntan ledge with 3 bubblers and a umbrella hole, a hot tub, and raised tile wall. The Gretna job will have a raised stack stone wall, with an extra large suntan ledge.

 Pool work

Let Crystal Pools and Spas show you what excellent pool work looks like!  Call today!!

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Our Mandeville complete Renovation! ***Updated*** Completed!

Pool renovation

 

This pool had a horrible placement of steps into the pool, NO benches, NO pool light, a water feature built on wood legs, plumbing that leaked, the pool returns ran in 3/4″ pipe, minimal decking with brick coping, a gazebo that was not tied into the pool with great access, a top mount small sand filter.  We started this pool renovation by draining the pool, chipping the existing white plaster and removing the tile and brick coping.  Then it was time to install a suntan ledge to the pool with an umbrella hole.  We drilled into the existing pool structure with steel rods and set cinder block as a wall.  Then we back filled it with a  load of sand, after more steel was drilled into the walls of the pool and it was interlocked like a house slab.  We followed by pouring concrete over the sand and did the same for the steps/newly installed bench on this pool renovation.  We also, jack hammered the pool decking to install new travetine decking.  We also jack hammered new holes into the pool wall for 5 new 1.5″ returns and a new 1.5″ inlet for the Polaris pool cleaner.  Also we removed the old concrete skimmers and installed 2 new modern skimmers on this pool renovation.  We poured a new filter/equipment slab and replumbed the whole pool to the new equipment location.  We installed a new Pentair Cartridge filter.  We also poured concrete to make a new wall where the old steps use to be.

 

Now the cosmetics of this pool renovation :

We installed new tile around the ring of the pool and installed new travertine pool coping.  Next up was installing the french pattern travertine pavers with 3 steps going down as the pool was higher/on a hill than the house.  Lastly on this pool renovation we applied a medium blue plaster to finish it off.

Let Crystal Pools and Spas show you what a total pool renovation could make your pool look like!

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Help with swimming pool plaster colors

Pool Plaster options:

The swimming pool built today is has a huge new opportunity of new pool plaster colors to go with.  The prices can get pricey depending on the color you, the consumer goes with or the type.  There are a lot of different companies that make the pool  plaster dyes for the pool to even companies that bag their own products up, like Diamond Brite. The honest opinion of us at Crystal Pools and Spas is we do not see the benefit of certain products, like Diamond Brite because although they say they have a long warrantee on their pool plaster and their product will hold up better, it does not add up for us and here’s why.  As pool plaster in a swimming pool ages it get’s rougher and rougher causing you to have to re-plaster or resurface your pool on average of every 10-12 years.  Diamond Brite for instance has aggregate in it that gives the finish yes a stronger but also a up front rougher finish than your traditional pool plaster.  Your traditional pool plaster is very smooth, where a finish like Diamond Brite is more on the gritty end. They do have some companies that sell products that have aggregate in it but the difference is your contractor will buff the pool with special diamond pads.  The finish comes out extra smooth but the product is very expensive, not only for the material cost but it is very labor intense. For pools with a zero or beach entrance it would be good to go with a product that has pebbles in it to help with the look and slippery factor.

Here’s what Crystal Pools and spas uses for pool plaster color typically

For the money I recommend doing a colored pool plaster like a gray or better yet a brand new color that is out that is FADE resistant.  The pool plaster colors out there vary but one company in particular has a nice range of blue colors. They have less expensive blues out there but they have a tendency to fade a bit with chemicals and the sun’s UV’s.  That same company sells cobalt colors and the great thing about the cobalt colors is they do not fade much or even at all.  The problem with the cobalt blues is they are lighter colored so for instance if you look at their standard Tahoe blue color and want to achieve the same depth of color using the colbalt Tahoe you would have to use 12X the material causing the cost to rise. This same company came out with a new product in 2010, fade resistant colors.  On a scale of fading with the regular Tahoe for instance being a 2 and a cobalt Tahoe a 9.5, the fade resistant would be about an 8.  For the fade resistant products you need 2X the material than your standard color only driving up the cost a little in the grand scheme of your project.  White pool plaster color, what everybody did 20 years ago, has it’s color come from the actual white cement itself therefore it is the cheapest of all products.  Most people in today’s swimming pool market wants a custom pool plaster color to make their pool look differently from anybody else.  If you need any help with information with colored pool plasters email me at kevin@nolapools.com or if you are in the New Orleans or Baton Rouge area please give Crystal Pools and Spas an opportunity to build you your dream project or renovate your current pool.  There are also River Rok and Bead Crete pool plaster options but they get VERY pricey.  Thanks!

 

 

Hope this helps you choosing your pool plaster option!!

 

 

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