Tag: durability

Keystone Introduces Panorama Supra Pavers

Keystone Hardscapes (Minneapolis, MN) has added the Panorama series to its Supra line of pavers for outdoor applications. With rectilinear shapes, riven surfaces and rounded edges that suggest the look of cut flagstone, the units install quickly and are made of durable concrete colored with iron oxide pigments to prevent UV-related fading. For details, click […]

#36: Glass-Tile Finish

12 4 farley video artBy Mike Farley

I could easily have done a whole sequence in this video series about materials used to line the insides of pools, spas and other watershapes. From plaster and paint to pebbles and hydraulic terrazzo (and more), there are many paths my clients can take in deciding what to do with interior surfaces.

But really, there’s only one finish I want to discuss as these What Is It? videos hit

Deckorators’ Voyage Composite Decking

Deckorators (Prairie du Chien, WI) has launched Voyage, a line of vertical-grain, simulated-wood deck boards designed with textured embossing for enhanced traction. Available in four colors – Sierra, Tundra, Costa or Mesa – the strong, lightweight base material has a fiber-like structure similar to wood but experiences no thermal expansion/contraction. For details, click here.

#33: Flagstone Decking

3 20 farley video artBy Mike Farley

Of all the videos in this series, this is one in which I covered almost all of what I had to say about flagstone decking while on camera – a fact that doesn’t leave me as much as usual to write about in this introduction. But as always, I’ve spotted a few areas worth additional comment.

One small point needs more emphasis than I gave it, for example, and that has to do with

Magic Plastics Offers CR2 Check Valve

Magic Plastics (Valencia, CA) manufactures the CR2 back-flow preventing check valve. Designed to protect heat exchangers from damage that may be caused by in-line chlorinators while also maintaining full system flow, the units are corrosion-resistant and feature a half-pound-spring-loaded gate that can be installed in any operating orientation. For details, click here.

OpenAire Offers Retractable Pool-Roof Systems

OpenAire (Oakville, Ontario, Canada) has published a brochure on its capabilities in designing, manufacturing and installing retractable roof enclosures for aquatic environments. With aluminum truss systems that can span more than 165 feet in width, the units withstand temperature extremes, snow loads, high winds, seismic disturbances and more. For details, click here.

Durable Pool Plaster, Revisited

Five years ago, Kim Skinner wrote about what was involved in making pool plaster durable. A lot has come to light and been studied and evaluated since then, he says -- more than enough to warrant preparation of a detailed, side-by-side update on the subject. By Kim Skinner

In December 2010, WaterShapes published “How to Make Durable Pool Plaster,” an article filled with what I knew about making reliable, discoloration-free pool plaster – including basic information about both proper and improper plastering practices.

It should come as no surprise that, since then, research has continued and our understanding of issues involved in the proper mixing and application of these cementitious finishes has continued to grow.

This article will cover these developments, discussing in greater detail the

Aquron Offers MGS Mortar and Grout Solution

Aquron (Rockwall, TX) manufactures MGS Mortar and Grout Solution, a material designed to protect and waterproof concrete by enabling mix water to initiate hydration and thereby reduce pore sizes and void spaces while improving workability. This results in greater durability, increased impermeability and better freeze-damage and chemical resistance. For details, click here.