Swimming Pool Replastering vs Resurfacing: What’s The Difference Anyway?

As we see every year (and in particular this year), the early part of each year for pool owners is spent getting their pools prepped and ready for the eventual summer season.

For some pool owners, this could include a full remodeling project or a full renovation project ( here’s the difference between those if you want to catch up on that this spring ).

Part of either one of those projects could include a resurfacing or replastering project for the interior of an inground swimming pool by your local pool contractor.

But the question is – what’s the difference between getting your pool resurfaced vs. replastered?

The two words sound very much the same, so it’s extremely easy for homeowners (and some pool contractors for that matter) to get the two mixed up.

Add to that the somewhat scattered resources around the internet, that can further confuse pool owners in our area.

To help you out, below I give an extremely simple, brief explanation of both and what the primary difference is between the two.

1. What Resurfacing Is

Pool resurfacing is the process of removing and replacing the swimming pool interior of an inground pool.

The most common inground pools can be made out of concrete, vinyl or fiberglass, which ultimately defines what kind of surface that will need to be replaced.

2. What Replastering Is

For concrete pools, plaster is used to coat the interior of the pool.

Over time, that plaster can degrade to the point where it needs to be replaced – in a project called replastering.

That new plaster can be customized in a number of ways with a brand new finish, which allows pool owners much more freedom during a replastering project.

3. What The Difference Between Resurfacing & Replastering Is

Piecing everything together, the difference between resurfacing and replastering is that a replastering project is a specific kind of resurfacing project.

Replastering is essentially a resurfacing project for a concrete pool (which, again, uses plaster as the protective coat over the concrete base).

How a resurfacing project or replastering project is done can depend on a lot of factors, which I won’t elaborate on here, and can largely depend on your local pool contractor’s expertise or preference of application.

So for pool owners in the north Dallas metroplex, I hope you come away from reading this with a better idea of the difference between a resurfacing and replastering project — and which one you’ll need to get ready for the fast-approaching summer here in Texas.