One of the most challenging decisions to make during the construction of a swimming pool is regarding its interior surface. You can choose from various options including Pebble Tec and plaster.
Suppose you wish to reconstruct a pool or build an entirely new pool in the house’s backyard. In that case, you need to ponder over a few critical factors like pool maintenance, the natural surroundings, cost, durability, etc.
There are some core arguments in the Pebble Tec vs. Plaster debate. While modern Pebble Tec offers more versatile features and a polished finish, it’s not necessarily very durable. Plaster, on the other hand, is a time-tested reliable construction mixture that has been used for decades as pool surface coating.
What is Pebble Tec?
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In the last few decades, Pebble Tec gained its popularity besides plaster. Pebble Tec is well furnished with more features than plaster. It is available in different colors and design patterns that enhance the beauty of the poolscape.
Pebble Tec is also environment friendly as no colors need to be added separately.
What is Plaster?
Plaster is a construction material that is a mixture of lime or gypsum, water, and sand. It hardens on drying and is used as a coating.
Pool plasters consist of portland cement and other additives such as dust, marble, quartz, and limestone. For adding additional strength, a liquid acrylic fortifier is often used.
It is basically a type of finishing utilized to cover the inside part of the cement pool. It creates a watertight sealing and smooth inner surface. Plaster is also more budget-friendly than Pebble Tec.
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Which One Is Better – Plaster Or Pebble Tec?
Pebble Tec originates from the aggregate pebble finish that goes inside the pool. It can assure you richer color, durability, textured finish than plaster.
There are four options for this:
- Pebble Tec: This consists of larger pebbles.
- Pebble Sheen: This contains smaller pebbles and gives a smoother finishing.
- Pebble Fina: This is comprised of quartz finishing
- Pebble Brilliance: This is a combination of glass.
The reason why PebbleTech is more preferable is because of its non-slippery and stainproof surface and longevity.
But plaster is cheaper than Pebble Tec. As a plus point, plaster does not seem to irritate your bare feet, which Pebble Tec does.
Which One Lasts Longer?
With the flow of time, the pool plaster discolors and starts to collect bacteria. It also begins to get stains as the porous surface material of it is hard to clean entirely. To keep the pool fresh, clean, and lively, it’s advisable to replaster the pool within an eight-year loop.
With proper maintenance, the Pebble Tec pool surface can last almost 25 years because it does not degrade like plaster. Due to its durability and ability to hide chemical residue, it lasts a considerable amount of time.
Is Pebble Tec Too Rough Compared To Plaster?
Though Pebble Tec pool finishing is more expensive than plaster pool finishing, it does not provide a perfectly smooth surface. It can cause an irritating sensation if it is not installed correctly.
Not being so smooth, it provides a limited amount of grip. The presence of calcium and mineral build-up can also be a concern for pebble pool surfaces.
On the flip side, plaster offers a smooth finishing. There’s no record of plaster causing any kind of irritations.
Which One Costs More?
Pool plaster costs a lot less than Pebble Tec. Plaster only costs about $4 per square foot of the surface of the pool.
On the other hand, Pebble Tec costs a minimum of $10 per square foot of the pool’s surface.
The total cost of the pool surface for Pebble Tec and Plaster will make a significant difference.
Pool Maintenance: Pebble Tec Vs Plaster
Pebble Tec pools need high maintenance and care. Regularly scrubbing the pool and maintaining the chemical balance can make the pool look bright and clean, preventing it from scaling.
Pebble Tec pools should be cleaned every 2-4 years to remove algae, calcium, and other contamination that can cause staining and other problems. To do that, you must drain your pool first.
Pool plasters need to be cleaned almost every week as they get stained easily. Also, you need to be extremely careful about the chemical balance. In the case of a plaster pool, if you regularly clean the pool, you need to drain and acid-wash the pool every 5-7 years. If you fail to maintain the pool properly, you need to replaster the pool before the expected time.
Remember, regular washing pools with acid can be hazardous. It can cause chemical burns, lung damage, discoloration of the pool surface, and damage the pool surface if not done correctly.
Which One Is More Aesthetic?
Pool plaster is the traditional interior of the pool prevailing since the 1960s. The simple white, smooth, simple, chalky, and most importantly, classic vibe makes it unique. This classic marble-based style went through some significant changes and evolutions right after its popularity,
The Pebble Tec pool surface gained its popularity in the last couple of decades. Due to the variety of patterns and colors, it’s more preferred nowadays.
In the desert regions like Phoenix in Arizona, the Pebble Tec pool interiors can easily blend in with the natural landscape as if it was part of nature. The pebbles can easily cover thick cement layers and can enhance architectural aesthetics.
Color: Pebble Tec Vs. Plaster
Pebble Tec pool finishing is available in multiple colors and gradients.
- Emerald Bay
- Blue Wave
- Black Marble
- Black Pearl
- Midnight Blue
- Blue Lagoon
- Caribbean Blue
- Creme De Menthe
- White Pearl
- Jade
- Sandy Beach
- Moonlight Grey
- Tahoe Blue
- Sky Blue
You can learn more about Pebble Tec here. You can use the color tool that can discover your desired finishing in only three steps.
Firstly, choose your preferred color of the water. You can pick the color range from dark blue to light blue, even with the shades of green. Finally, you can choose your desirable pebbles for pool finishing.
Pool plasters are also available in various colors. The traditional white pool plaster offers the pool a very smooth and classic appearance. It’s the most popular one among pool plaster colors through the years.
Plasters don’t have a specific color, but they can be merged with different colors to add a new dimension to the poolscape. The most hyped color for pool plaster is medium grey.
Pebble Tec Vs Plaster – At A Glance
Here’s a quick overview of the core differences between the two types of pool finishing.
| Pebble Tec | Plaster |
| Exceptionally durable relative to pool plaster | Less stable compared to Pebble Tec |
| Won’t degrade as fast as plaster due to chemical misuse | Due to chemical misuse, it can degrade rapidly |
| Easier to clean and maintain | Difficult to clean and maintain |
| Expensive than plaster | Cheaper than Pebble Tec |
| The surface is rough and can cause an irritating sensation | The surfaces are smooth. |
| Available in multiple colors and design patterns | Has to be merged with different colors |
Pebble Tec is better than plaster in terms of longevity, durability, and design. Similarly, pool plasters are budget-friendly and smooth compared to Pebble Tec. However, both have their pros and cons. We hope our take on Pebble Tec vs. Plaster was a good read. You can now make an informed choice when deciding on pool landscape options. Here’s to you having a great summer!