Texture

The second most frequently asked question from our customers is, “How is a particular pool finish going to feel?” Our pool finishes provide varying degrees of texture, from light to medium and ultra smooth. Our finishes are divided into three distinct categories; Quartz, Pebble, and Polished Marble. Texture is primarily determined by the type, shape and size of the aggregates in the pool finish. The general rule of thumb is the smaller the aggregate the smoother the finish. Pebble finishes carry the misconception of feeling rough. While some pebble finishes can feel rough, more often than not there are other issues at play like overexposure or chemical buildup on the surface from improper water chemistry. Lets explore our different textures based on product category.

Starting with Quartz, we have 3 different products including SunStone, SunStone Select, and Krystalkrete. Quartz finishes are made up of coarse graded crystalline quartz, ceramic color coated quartz aggregate, and portland cement. SunStone and Krystalkrete use the same sized aggregate called T-Grade while SunStone Select uses a smaller aggregate called S-Grade. Our Quartz products when exposed and cared for properly have a light texture.

Our Pebble finish products include CrystalStones (natural & smooth) and SunStone Pearl (ice). The Pebble finishes are comprised or river pebble, ceramic color coated quartz aggregate, and portland cement. CrystalStones Natural uses a 6/10 sized pebble and CrystalStones Smooth, SunStone Pearl, and SunStone Pearl Ice use an 8/16 sized pebble. The smaller 8/16 pebble is slightly smoother than the larger 6/10 pebble. SunStone Pearl Ice adds 1-4mm iridescent glass bead which is very smooth.

All of our Pebble products have a medium texture that provides a bit of traction for people who are active in their pools. Exposure techniques can have an impact on the texture. Some applicators expose the Pebble finishes with water wands and others expose the aggregate with nylon brushes. The use of the water wands exposes more of the aggregate while the brush technique exposes less of the aggregate leaving it flush with the cement.

For more information on exposure techniques read our blog on the topic here.

Lastly our Hydrazzo and Hydrazzo Classico are made up of crushed marble, ceramic color coated quartz aggregate, and recycled glass. These finishes are not only CL Industries smoothest pool surfaces, they are the smoothest finishes available in the market. Hydrazzo and Hydrazzo Classico are polished with a water driven polishing tool (The Triton) after the finish is applied to the pool. The polishing process leaves the finish extremely smooth.

At CL Industries we pride ourselves on manufacturing a finish for every pool. Whether you’re looking for a finish with a bit of traction or the smoothest pool surface in the world we’ve got you covered. We always recommend viewing finished pools in person as well as touching the physical sample tiles before making a decision.