Help with pool resurfacing options, new user

[BeePee]

My experience is with fiberglass boats but have some suggestions. The blisters need to be ground down. It is likely just the gelcoat that is blistered but blisters can form between the fiberglass layers as well. We will assume it is just the gelcoat. Anyway, you grind off the raised blisters and feather the edge of the ground area. You can then fill the defects with epoxy that has a fairing filler added. This thickens the epoxy so it is more putty or spackle like so it can be spread in the defects. Then you sand the repairs smooth and prep the rest of the shell and then paint with the aforementioned paint. This would be time consuming but pretty easy and you could do it yourself. I use West System epoxy for boat repairs and they have pamphlets that clearly outline how to do repairs like this.

The other option would be to remove all of the existing gelcoat and then redoing the entire shell with new gelcoat. This would be a big job obviously.

[aherber08]

Thanks for the help. I will be taking your advice on patching the blisters, as they do seem to only be in the gelcoat, not between the layers of fiberglass itself.

[aherber08]

Ok, I have a new question that relates....what about converting to a vinyl liner? It may cost a bit more, but should last longer/be less risky, right? Anyone done this before? I'm unsure of three things: 1) How the liner track would secure at the top of the pool? 2) how to convert the skimmer/return fittings to work with a liner, and 3) getting the custom made liner to fit nicely, because the pool is such a strange shape. Thoughts on any of this? Thanks!

[PoolDoc]

It's been done, but I've never seen it done myself, and don't know how well it can work out. I feel pretty confident, however, in say that if you can't find someone local to you, who's done it SUCCESSFULLY before, you should rule out that option.

[Machster]

What about a spray on liner..like the Rhino coatings?

[PoolDoc]

Dunno.

There were some resurfacing products, a few years back, that had 50 year warranties. I think some of them may have been like that. But, I'm not seeing ads for them any more, so I'm guessing they are out of business.

[Sean OBrien]

What about a spray on liner..like the Rhino coatings?

Are you referring to the bed liner or the epoxy? The epoxy would likely work as well as other epoxy pool paints (just sprayed on instead of brushed - which has pluses and minuses). The bed liner would seam problematic to me. I've seen the bed liner used to do some funny things before (painting an entire Jeep for example) and while it is durable, should you ever need to get at anything under it ever again - that would likely be problematic.