Your pool probably needs resurfacing if the surface is rough underfoot, stained in ways a clean won’t shift, flaking or chalky, hollow-sounding when tapped, cracked or losing water. One sign on its own doesn’t always mean a full resurface, but two or more together usually do. Here are seven signs, what each one means, and whether it always calls for a resurface.
If you’re unsure, an inspection is the way to find out. We’ll tell you straight, including when the answer is “not yet”. Our pool resurfacing page explains what the job involves.
1. A rough surface
If the floor or walls scratch your feet or snag swimwear, the top layer is wearing away and exposing the aggregate or the render beneath it. Years of sun and chemicals do this. It can also come from aggressive water, where low pH etches the surface.
Always a resurface? No. If the cause is the water chemistry, balancing it and treating the surface can help. If the finish itself has worn through, it needs resurfacing. See why a pool surface goes rough for how to tell.
2. Stains that won’t shift
Stains that stay after a proper clean and a chemical rebalance often mean the surface has become porous and is holding the colour.
Always a resurface? No. Leaf tannins, metals and scale are often treatable. Stains that keep coming back through a worn surface point to the finish. Our guide to pool stains sorts the causes.
3. Flaking, chalky or peeling surface
If you see flakes in the water or a chalky residue on your hand after touching a wall, the finish is breaking down. It tends to show first on steps and at the waterline.
Always a resurface? Almost always. A finish that is coming apart can’t be patched into something lasting.
4. Drummy, hollow-sounding render
Tap the surface with a coin or the handle of a screwdriver. A solid sound is good. A hollow sound means the render has lifted away from the shell. Pools with drummy render often show it first near the steps and the floor.
Always a resurface? It needs repair, and a resurface is the sensible time to do it properly. Painting over drummy render fails with it. Read what drummy render is for the detail.
5. Cracks
Fine hairline cracks are common and often only in the surface. Wider cracks, cracks that grow or cracks you can feel with a fingernail are another matter and may be in the shell.
Always a resurface? No. A single crack may be repaired on its own. Several, or cracks that move, need a proper look. See pool crack repair.
6. Losing water
If the water level drops faster than evaporation explains, something may be leaking. It could be the surface and shell, a fitting or a pipe.
Always a resurface? No. Many leaks are at fittings, not the surface. Work through why your pool might be losing water before you decide anything.
7. A tired or dated look
Colour fade, patchy tone, worn tiles and cracked coping can make a sound pool look neglected. If the shell is in good order, a new finish is a cosmetic and practical upgrade, and a good time to look at tiling or coping too.
Always a resurface? No. It’s your call. If the pool is sound, a resurface is a choice, not a repair.
Signs that are not a resurfacing problem
Some things look like surface trouble but aren’t:
- Cloudy water. Usually filtration, circulation or chemistry.
- Green water and algae. A sanitiser and balance problem, not a failing finish.
- Scale on the tiles at the waterline. Often high calcium hardness, and cleanable.
- A one-off stain. A leaf, a bit of metal or a dropped item can mark a good surface.
Fix the water first. If the problem stays once the chemistry is right, the surface is the likely cause.
What to do next
Count how many of the seven signs you can see. One or two mild ones can wait, and a good clean-up and rebalance might be all you need. Three or more, or any of drummy render, flaking or cracks, and it’s time to get it looked at. Early beats late, because damage underneath tends to grow. If you want to know what it will involve in cost and time, see what drives the price and how long it takes.
Honest inspection: if your pool just needs a clean-up, we’ll tell you. If it needs a proper resurface, we’ll show you why and quote it before we start.
