Signs Your Pool Needs Resurfacing
Plaster pool surfaces degrade gradually through a combination of chemical exposure, physical wear, and the cumulative effects of freeze-thaw cycles in the Boston climate. The first visible sign is usually roughness — plaster that once felt smooth becomes increasingly abrasive underfoot and on bare skin. This roughness is caused by calcium hydroxide leaching from the plaster surface, leaving a porous, sandpaper-like texture. Swimmers with sensitive skin notice it first; the practical consequence is that algae and calcium deposits adhere more easily to a rough surface, making routine maintenance increasingly difficult.
Staining is the second common sign. Plaster that has become porous absorbs metal stains, tannin stains from organic material, and calcium scale more readily than new plaster. When staining no longer responds to stain treatment chemicals or requires increasingly aggressive acid washing to address, it is typically an indication that the surface has degraded beyond the point where treatment is cost-effective. Etching — visible pitting in the plaster surface — and spalling, where sections of plaster separate and expose the underlying shell, are more advanced deterioration that typically necessitates near-term resurfacing.