inorganic pigments

Fading colored plaster is quite common, note Kim Skinner, Que Hales and Doug Latta. But it can be prevented with relative ease, they add, through awareness of a handful of factors driving color loss -- the first step in making sure problems don't arise with your clients' pools.

Why Colored Plaster Fades

Having a beautiful pool with a colored surface, especially one with a quartz or pebble plaster finish, is a popular choice among pool owners, and understandably so. The color adds ambiance to the setting and can make the water wonderfully attractive and inviting. That's why pool owners are willing to pay extra to have that special color enhance their water and by extension the entire backyard. With that investment in aesthetics, consumers rightfully expect the attractive appearance they've paid for to last a long time. In turn, builders, remodelers, and plasterers are motivated to provide colorfast surfaces that endure the dynamic swimming pool environment. Unfortunately, as we all know, that's not always the case - colors do sometimes fade. Because the interior pool surface is such a dominating

Colored plaster and aggregate finishes are found in more and more watershapes these days. But as Que Hales, Doug Latta and Kim Skinner discuss, not all pigments are created equal -- and knowing how to choose among the options can be the key to a project's success.

Pigments and Pools

There are few things prettier than the classic sky blue that results from the combination of white plaster and clear water. In recent times, however, amazing and even startling colors and color combinations are appearing within swimming pools and other watershapes courtesy of either integrally colored plaster, white plaster paste coupled with colored aggregate or colored paste with a colored aggregate. Various textures are also available courtesy of these finishes, with surfaces ranging from