quartz

A Plastering ‘Watch List’
Taking control of the plastering process is within reach of any quality-oriented designer or builder, declares Kim Skinner.  To help you on your way, he offers this step-by-step guide to managing what should happen on site before, during and after plaster application takes place.      
2018/1.2, January 24 — Tile Precision, Mastering the Plaster Phase, Odd Fountain Fix and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS January 24, 2018 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
Grand Effects Offers Illuminated Bowl Bases
Grand Effects (Irvine, CA) supplies illuminated stone bases for use with its lines of fire…
Watching pH
What happens when the water added to a newly plastered pool has had a chance to interact fully with its new surroundings?  That's a big question, writes Kim Skinner -- one that has implications for the long-term appearance and maintenance of countless watershapes.
Bicarb Start-Up ABCs
WaterShapes recently published a pair of my articles on techniques for filling newly plastered swimming pools with water and starting them on the path to a long, successful service life.   In the second of those articles (click here), the focus was on the bicarb start-up method and the effect this approach has on the establishment of a durable plaster, pebble or quartz finish.  But rather than being a step-by-step description of how the bicarb start-up works on site, the article was about
Happy Plaster
Picture this:  You've just completed the installation of a beautiful new swimming pool - a real step up for the home and its backyard.  The clients had their hearts set on its dark-gray interior finish:  They'd heard it would help warm the water on sunny days, and they liked the thought that the pool would look more like a beautiful lagoon than a pale swimming hole. The plaster crew
Picking a Path
Once a new swimming pool is filled with water and turned over to its owners, the designer and builder have completed their work:  Let's assume that the results have met or exceeded the clients' expectations and that everyone is pleased by the outcome.   If all has truly gone well, little will occur in subsequent weeks to change the general sense of