Select Your Coating

See the section on "Surface Preparation" before coating any surface.

For Uncoated Pools

If your pool is concrete

You may choose any of the fine Olympic Pool Coatings: acrylic enamel (2 - 3 years service), synthetic rubber or chlorinated rubber (2 - 3 years service), or epoxy (5 - 8 years service). Each has its unique advantages, although epoxies offer the longest life.

If you have bare plaster or marcite

Again, any of the Olympic products may be used, with epoxies offering the best amortized value. If the existing surface is rough, prime first with Gunzite. If smooth, prime first with POXOPRIME II before application of POXOLON 2 or ZERON finish coat.

If you have a fiberglass pool

The epoxy system is your choice. Over GUNZITE PRIMER, apply either two coats of POXOLON 2 or one coat of ZERON.

For steel or aluminum

Again, epoxy is your choice. Both of these surfaces require a special primer before the application of the finish coat.

If your pool is sandblasted

On your sandblasted surface (concrete or plaster) you may choose the Olympic system that best fits your service and application requirements. Remember, although more attention must be given during application, epoxies offer the longer life. Steel, aluminum and fiberglass all require the epoxy system.

Previously Coated Pools

Olympic recommends using the same type coating to recoat a previously finished pool. This assures the best possible adhesion between old and new.

How to Determine What Coating is on Your Pool

Immerse a small chip - about 1" - in denatured alcohol. If it dissolves, it is a water-based acrylic. If not, immerse a small chip of the existing coating into a solvent blend of 75% mineral spirits and 25% Olympic No. 1108 SOLVENT or Xylol. Wait 30 seconds and rub the chip between your thumb and forefinger. If the chip dissolves, it is a synthetic rubber-base coating.

If the chip does not dissolve, then immerse the chip in 100% Olympic No. 1108 SOLVENT or Xylol. If the chip then dissolves, it is a chlorinated rubber coating. If it does not, it is an epoxy.

Use the same type finish for refinishing. REMEMBER that a synthetic rubber base coating can be applied over a chlorinated rubber coating but a chlorinated rubber coating cannot be applied over a synthetic rubber. However, you may convert old rubber base to epoxy by first applying FUSION PLUS Conversion Coating.

On New or Unsurfaced Pools

For Smooth Concrete Surface
System Primer Coating # of Coats
Epoxy* Poxoprime II Zeron 1
Epoxy* Poxoprime II Poxolon 2 2
Chlorinated Rubber None Paralon 2 2
Synthetic Rubber None Optilon 2
Acrylic None Hydrolon 2
For Plaster Surface
System Primer Coating # of Coats
Epoxy* Poxoprime II Zeron 1
Epoxy* Poxoprime II Poxolon 2 2
Chlorinated Rubber None Paralon 2 2
Synthetic Rubber None Optilon 2
Acrylic None Hydrolon 2
* Use Gunzite on all rough plaster and concrete and on sandblasted surfaces.
For Gunite Surface
System Primer Coating # of Coats
Epoxy Gunzite Zeron 1
For Aluminum Surface
System Primer Coating # of Coats
Epoxy Bonderite Zeron 1
Epoxy Bonderite Poxolon 2 2
For Steel Surface
System Primer Coating # of Coats
Epoxy #219 Steel Primer Zeron 1
Epoxy #220 Steel Primer Poxolon 2 2
Olympic Pool Products are not recommended for stainless steel.
For Fiberglass Surface
System Primer Coating # of Coats
Epoxy Gunzite Zeron 1
Epoxy Gunzite Poxolon 2 2
One coat of Zeron may replace two coats of Poxolon 2 in all cases where epoxy is used.