How to Paint a Fiberglass Swimming Pool or Jacuzzi?

Answer 1

Fiberglass Swimming Pools and Jacuzzis are known for their strength and durability, but they do suffer from wear and tear, eventually requiring a little cosmetic help after 15-20 years of use. Even then cosmetic issues are usually limited to the top layer of the gel coat.

A fiberglass patch kit can be used to repair cracks or holes prior to painting. Typically these kits are available at your local marine supply or paint supply store.

A simple 7-step process is all it takes to restore your fiberglass pool or Jacuzzi to its original beauty.

1. Strip off the old gel coat, or top layer which is usually white or blue, with a sandblaster (recommended) or you can hand sand using an orbital random sander. Take care not to cut into the fiberglass or resin below the gel coat. Rented sandblasting equipment may work well if you are only refinishing a Jacuzzi, but it might be worth it to hire an outside contractor to remove the gel coat in a pool. Inexpensive rented sandblasting equipment cannot handle the job of an entire pool.

2. Repair any holes, cracks or deep impressions revealed by sanding with fiberglass putty such as Fibre-Shelkote putty. After it dries, lightly sand the putty smooth.

3. Use water to clean the pool and let it dry completely.

4. Wash the pool down with pool solvent right before the first gel coat application to remove any remaining grease or other debris.

5. Tape off lights and other fixtures in the pool with painter’s tape.

6. Roll on the first coat of the gel coat with a felt roller, covering the entire pool. A gallon of gel coat will typically cover 60-80 square feet. It is best to do the walls of the pool first and then the bottom.

7. Roll on a second coat once the first coat is completely dry with no tackiness; this usually takes around 1-4 hours depending on direct sunlight exposure and temperature. A third layer of gel coat is optional. Pools and Jacuzzis must remain empty until the gel coat is fully cured; three full days for outdoor facilities and five full days for indoor facilities.