Start it right, keep it simple.
A finish lasts as long as the water it sits in is balanced. Here is the first 28 days, the chemistry to hold, and the short list of do and do-not that keeps a pebble or plaster surface looking the way it did on day one.
Startup, step by step.
The steps below apply to every finish family. A coming-soon quartz finish will follow the same startup with its own cure note.
- 01
Fill without stopping
Fill the pool in one continuous run to the middle of the tile or skimmer. Stopping mid-fill can leave a ring on a fresh finish. Do not let anyone in the pool during the fill.
- 02
Brush twice a day
Brush the entire surface at least twice a day for the first two weeks. This removes the fine plaster dust a new finish sheds and keeps the surface even as it cures.
- 03
Balance the water early
Test and balance the water within the first day or two and keep it inside the published NPC ranges below. New finishes are most vulnerable to out-of-range chemistry in the first month.
- 04
Hold off on salt and heat
On a salt pool, wait the recommended period before turning on the salt cell. Keep the heater off until the finish has cured. Both are easier on the surface during the cure.
- 05
Run the filter continuously
Run the pump and filter around the clock for the first week so the curing dust is captured rather than settling back onto the finish.
The ranges to hold.
These follow the published National Plasterers Council ranges. Keep the water here and the saturation index near zero, and the finish stays out of trouble. Out-of-range chemistry is the most common cause of damage and is excluded from the warranty.
Salt pools: wait the recommended period after startup before running the salt cell, then watch calcium hardness, which salt systems can pull over time.
| Target range | |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.4 to 7.6 |
| Total alkalinity | 80 to 120 ppm |
| Calcium hardness | 200 to 400 ppm |
| Cyanuric acid (stabilizer) | 30 to 50 ppm |
| Total dissolved solids | Under 1500 ppm over fill water |
| Free chlorine | 2 to 4 ppm |
| Saturation index (LSI) | Hold near 0, between -0.3 and +0.3 |
The short list.
Do
- Brush the finish weekly once startup is done, paying attention to steps and corners.
- Test and balance the water on a regular schedule, not just when something looks off.
- Keep the saturation index near zero so the water neither etches nor scales the surface.
- Run the pump enough hours per day to turn the water over and keep it moving.
Do not
- Do not let pH or alkalinity drift low for long; acidic water etches the surface over time.
- Do not dump granular chemicals directly on the finish; dissolve them or broadcast over deep water.
- Do not let metals (from fill water, heaters, or some algaecides) sit in unbalanced water; they stain.
- Do not drain and refill on a whim; ask an approved applicator first, because draining a pool has its own risks.
Scaling, staining, etching.
Scaling
A white, crusty deposit at the waterline or on the surface usually means the saturation index is too high (hard, high-pH water). Bring pH and alkalinity into range and keep the LSI near zero. Persistent scale needs a pro.
Staining
Brown, green, or grey stains are typically metals (iron, copper, manganese) coming out of unbalanced water. A metal sequestrant and balanced chemistry handle most of it; severe staining is a service call.
Etching
A rough, eaten-away feel comes from water that has run acidic or soft for too long, pulling calcium out of the finish. Hold the chemistry in range going forward; deep etching is not reversible without resurfacing.
A printable care guide per finish family lands here once finalized. Until then, the chemistry table and the startup steps above are the canonical guidance. For warranty terms see the warranty page, and the full finish specs live in the catalog.
About care and startup
How long is the startup period?
The critical window is the first 28 days, with the first two weeks the most important. Brush twice a day, keep the water balanced, and hold off on salt and heat until the finish has cured.
Why is my new finish dusty or cloudy?
A new pebble or plaster finish sheds fine dust as it cures. That is normal. Brushing twice a day and running the filter continuously clears it within the first couple of weeks.
What chemistry keeps the warranty intact?
Hold the water inside the NPC ranges in the table above and keep the saturation index near zero. Damage from out-of-range chemistry is excluded from the warranty, so the chemistry log is your protection.
Can I use a salt system?
Yes, on finishes marked salt compatible. Wait the recommended period after startup before turning on the salt cell, and keep an eye on calcium hardness, which salt systems can affect over time.
How often should I brush after startup?
Once a week is enough for most pools once the startup period is over, with extra attention to steps, benches, and corners where debris settles.
Every Premium Pebble finish carries a ten-year warranty on the product itself. Color, bond, and surface integrity, registered to the install.
Installs go through trained, approved applicators who carry a five-year workmanship warranty on the work they do. The right crew, on the hook.
Looking to install Premium Pebble, or to become an approved applicator?