The cost of painting a concrete pool comes down to three things: the size of the pool, how much preparation the old surface needs, and the paint system it takes. Painting is the least expensive way to renew a pool interior, and the one with the shortest life, so it suits a pool whose shell and render are still sound.
The size of the pool
Paint is priced on the interior area: the floor, the walls, the steps and any bench seats. More area means more paint and more hours of preparation, so a small pool and a long family pool are very different jobs.
The preparation
Preparation decides how long a new coat lasts, and it is where two quotes for the same pool can differ most:
Loose paint taken back on our pool repaint in Rose Bay
- Loose and flaking paint has to come off. Paint laid over a failing coat fails with it.
- Cracks are chased out and patched, so they don’t open up again through the new coat.
- Hollow or drummy render (it sounds hollow when tapped) is cut out and repaired.
- The surface is cleaned and acid washed so the new paint bonds.
A quote should say which of these it includes. If one doesn’t, ask.
The paint system
A pool is repainted with the same kind of paint it already has, or stripped back first so a different one will bond. Changing the system costs more in preparation, and the number of coats affects the price too. The colour you choose makes little difference to the cost.
Patching the wall before the new coat, on the same Rose Bay job
How long it lasts and how long it takes
Acrylic and chlorinated rubber pool paints usually last about 3 to 5 years, and epoxy about 7 to 10, depending on the preparation and how the water is looked after. Epoxy can’t go over another type of paint without the pool being stripped first. A worn pebble or quartz pool is usually better resurfaced than painted. From draining to refilling, the pool is usually out of action for about one to two weeks.
When paint isn’t the answer
If the render underneath is breaking up, the pool loses water, or the old paint keeps failing, another coat only buys time. A rendered finish such as pebble or quartz, or full tiling, costs more but lasts much longer. Our guide to pool resurfacing costs explains what sets the price of those finishes, and paint, resurface or retile compares the three.
Getting an accurate price
A price you can rely on needs someone to look at the pool: the old coat, any cracks or hollow patches, and the steps and edges. Photos help you get a first idea. More about our pool painting, or see one of our jobs: the pool repaint in Rose Bay.
