Gunite is applied through a pressured hose with a mix of cement, sand, and water. During this process, there will be overspray around the pool area. To limit exposure or damage to surrounding objects, you will see our crews erect tarps to protect your home. These tarps are designed to protect from the large pieces that are being applied, but you may notice a light film or residue around the area as well. This is nothing more than aerosolized product, but it is an overspray and can potentially dirty or damage patio furniture and other items around the home. If you have anything nearby that is a concern or don’t want damaged, it is always best to remove it from the area or cover it prior to our crews arriving.
Do not water your gunite until 24 hours has passed from initial application. It is recommended that you water your gunite at least twice daily. During the warmer months, three times minimum is best. You cannot put too much water on new gunite, so feel free to water away. It takes 30 days approximately for the gunite to cure, so you cannot hurt it by watering it for the full 30 days. The recommendation is that you at least do it for two weeks post application.
Rest assured, the gunite crews did not mess up your pool! These holes are left intentionally and do serve a purpose. They are weep holes, and they are design to allow any ground water to come through them.
Gunite is the concrete shell of your pool. It is called gunite because of the way it is mixed and applied. It is a mixture of cement, sand, and water applied through a pressure hose, producing a dense hard layer of concrete similar to the concrete you’re already familiar with.
Your pool is most vulnerable to “cave ins” between the time of excavation and application of gunite. We do our very best to recognize unstable soils and prepare your pools to avoid cave ins, but we’re not 100% successful all the time, especially when we get heavy rains. If your pool does cave in, there can be costs associated with sending crews or heavy equipment back out to mitigate this. We will be sure to communicate this to you if it happens.
