Jacksonville Pool Plaster Experts, Tempool Inc. http://www.tempoolinc.com pool, swimming, plaster, pebble, remodels, water falls Wed, 02 May 2012 18:14:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Belleza Remodel http://www.tempoolinc.com/belleza-remodel/ http://www.tempoolinc.com/belleza-remodel/#comments Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:55:14 +0000 admin http://www.tempoolinc.com/?p=5627 Since 1992, we’ve remodeled thousands of pools, many of which are commercial jobs. Whether the remodel is for the city, a resort, neighborhood, or condo/apartment complex our number one goal is to make the client happy. We don’t leave the job until we accomplish this all important goal. We were  recently hired by Crown Pools to remodel the pool and spa at Belleza Condominiums, an upscale development in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. The manager of the complex wanted to refinish the interior, update the tiles, and add new internal light fixtures. She requested a navy blue tile, which apparently was in very limited supply nationwide. We were able to locate the tile through a distributor in Arizona. Being a commercial pool, the surface of the tile would need to be baked with a non skid finish. We had the tiles shipped to West Palm Beach to have this process done and within three days we had the tile. During this time, our remodel crew went to work prepping the pool and spa for the tiles and new plaster. The pool was drained and the guys chipped out the old gutters to make room for the new plaster. Within a week the new tiles were installed and the pool/spa was ready for plaster. The spa was finished with pebble and the pool would get Krystalkrete. Two different finishes meant we’d have to use two pump rigs.

The plaster crew started mixing at 7 am and finished troweling before lunch time. By the end of the day the pool and spa had been acid washed and were ready to be filled. After the pool has been filled it typically takes about a week for the chemical setup and to work out minor kinks that come with all remodels.

Belleza remodel pics

 

Old spa

Draining the pool

Remodel crew

Old finish deteriorating

Chipping out the gutters

Cleaning up the gutter chippings

Plaster crew prepping

New tiles

Filling in the gutters

Pump rigs

Troweling the steps

Pebble finish in the spa

Best plaster crew in the business

Almost lunch time

Acid washing

Finished product

Finished spa

 

 

]]> http://www.tempoolinc.com/belleza-remodel/feed/ 0 Caribbean Island Pool Finish http://www.tempoolinc.com/caribbean-island-pool-finish/ http://www.tempoolinc.com/caribbean-island-pool-finish/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:59:06 +0000 admin http://www.tempoolinc.com/?p=5510 A few months ago I was contacted by a home design and engineering firm out of Nashville to consult on and apply a Hydrazzo finish to a pool on a small private island in the Caribbean. The design group is known for their work with Country Music Artists. I later learned that Tempool would be bidding to finish Faith Hill and Tim McGraw’s pool at their new vacation home. I was provided with the specs and some drawings of the pool and entered a bid. A few days later we were awarded the job.

When we plaster pools outside of the U.S. there are always unique challenges and hurdles to jump. This job would prove to be no different. I was only allowed to bring one of the guys from my plaster crew, and due to the labor laws of the tiny Island nation we would have to use a certain amount of local labor. We would also be limited on the tools we could bring and our mixing/pump trucks obviously would not be accompanying us on our journey.

Robert and I packed the essentials and boarded a small plane that would fly us to the island where we would take up lodging for the next two days. After a bumpy puddle jumping flight we got settled in our hotel. The next morning we took an even bumpier hour long boat ride to the island where we would be plastering the Hill/McGraw’s swimming pool.

The mixing methods that are used in the Caribbean differ greatly from the way we do things in the States. The hydrazzo finish would have to be mixed in 55 gallon drums with hand drills and then transported to the trowlers with 5 gallon buckets. With the help of several locals, Robert and I applied the pure white hydrazzo finish in 6 hours. After making the hour long trek back across a small stretch of the Caribbean to our hotel we downed a couple beers and ate fried fish for dinner. The next morning we would head back and polish the finish.

The polishing took about two hours and the pool turned out fantastic despite the challenges. The builder was extremely happy with the finished product (we’re hoping this leads to more work with the design group in the U.S. and abroad). Robert and I headed back to Jacksonville and a busy Monday. This was a weekend job. No rest for the weary.

-Jon Temple-

 

View from the deck

Preparing to mix

Mixing with 55 gal drums

On the job

Bucket application

Local worker

Robert Abinuman

Polishing the finish

Jon polishing

Our transportation

 

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