Protect Your Plaster, Quartz, Pebble & Polished Pool Finish | Where to use MicroGlass plaster preservation system | MicroGlass LLC

Frequently Asked Questions about MicroGlass

Thinking About Trying this Unique Product?

Here are the simple answers to the most commonly asked questions regarding the unique MicroGlass Pool Plaster Preservation and Renewal System.

NEW POOL PLASTER

  1. Is this for plaster only? Or can it also be used on pebble and other aggregate interior finishes?
    • The unique technology of MicroGlass works on just about any type of cementitious product. That includes:
      1. Essentially all brands and configurations of white pool plaster / Marcite.
      2. Essentially all brands and variations of polished quartz  and other polished finishes.
      3. Essentially all brands and variations of exposed aggregate interior finishes, including pebble and quartz
  2. Will this affect the warranty from the plaster or aggregate interior manufacturer?
    • Interior finish manufacturers should be delighted to have you apply our product, because it will certainly increase the lifetime and enjoyment of their product, while also reducing the likelihood of plaster damage or problems during chemical startup. Nonetheless, you should check with your manufacturer to see if this will have any effect on the warranty.
       
  3. Who can apply this product?
  • We strongly suggest MicroGlass is applied by qualified pool professionals or contractors.
  • MicroGlass may seem simple to install but preparing the pool finish (acid washing, sanding, repairing cracks or spalling) requires a skilled expertise that is best done by a professional.Note – instructions are available in English and Spanish.
  1. Is it possible to see this product applied on someone else’s pool first?
    • YES! Please call us at 941-208-0777 (or use our contact us form) to make arrangements to see the product in action. (NOTE – This may require travel and schedule flexibility on your part.)
  1. What if there’s a problem with the finish?
    • We strongly recommend spot-testing MicroGlass before a complete install, but in the rare event of a cosmetic issue, just contact us and we’ll advise on a solution. 
  1. How much longer will my plaster last?
    • This is somewhat challenging to answer because pool plaster lifetimes tend to vary quite a bit based on composition, manufacturer, maintenance, geography, and other factors. (For example, pool finishes in Southern California tend to last longer than on pools in the northeast.) However, as a general rule, MicroGlass will typically enable your pool interior to last at least 50% longer than it would have under identical conditions without MicroGlass.
    • As a generality in the US:
      1. A typical pool plaster will normally last 8 to 12 years. If conditions are kept the same, the 8-year plaster should now last at least 12 years, and the 12-year plaster should now last at least 18 years.
      2. A typical pebble finish will normally last 10 to 15 years. If conditions are kept the same, the 10-year pebble finish should now last at least 15 years, and the 15-year pebble finish should now last at least 22.5 years.

EXISTING POOL PLASTER

  1. Can MicroGlass be used on any type of pool interior finish?
    • Any cement-based pool interior finish (e.g., plaster, Marcite, aggregate interiors, etc.) is a good candidate for this product. It is NOT appropriate for any plastic, vinyl, fiberglass or other non-cementitious interior finish.
    • NOTE – If an acid-wash service is performed on the existing pool to prepare the surface for MicroGlass (eg to remove scale or stains), the surface must be neutralized. To neutralize the surface, make a simple solution of water and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) or soda ash (sodium carbonate). Apply this solution anywhere muriatic acid was used, rinse the surface and allow the finish to dry before applying MicroGlass.
  1. How old can the plaster be for this to still work?
    • Age is less of a factor in determining if MicroGlass is a good fit for an existing pool. What is more important however is the overall condition of the plaster. For example, if the plaster has worn down to the gunite, or is otherwise severely chipped, spalling or damaged, MicroGlass may not help.
    • Similarly, if the plaster has become overly porous (what the plaster industry often refers to as “soft”) due to chemical abuse or other problems, it may be too late for MicroGlass the help.
    • But if the pool plaster is experiencing typical craze cracking (aka egg-shelling, spider cracking etc) MicroGlass has been known to minimize the appearance of these cracks and improve the health of the plaster.
    • While MicroGlass is extremely effective at minimizing the appearance of craze cracking on the surface, MicroGlass is unlikely to mitigate the appearance of linear structural cracks occuring on the gunite or shotcrete shell. As a rule of thumb, structural cracks usually follow a fairly straight trajectory and are usually longer than 6 inches. Craze-cracking / check-cracking will typically spread in 4-6inch sections in a less linear pattern and may resemble a “spider-web” pattern.
  1. How much more life can we get out of an existing plaster finish when we apply this product?
    • There is no specific guarantee on how much longer the plaster will last, but in our 15+ years of experience, we’ve always gained at least another five years, and often see an additional 10 years or more of usable life in the finish.
    • Note that this is based on MicroGlass hardening the existing finish by filling voids, capillaries and micro-cracks. If the plaster finish is spalling, flaking, soft, heavily stained or otherwise damaged beyond basic microcracks, then the interior finish is compromised, and MicroGlass is unlikely to extend the lifetime by a significant degree. (In these cases, you should probably re-plaster the pool, and apply MicroGlass to the new finish.)
  1. When is MicroGlass NOT a good idea for an existing pool?
    • If your plaster is noticeably damaged, soft, or spalling, or your pool finish is not a cement-based product, then MicroGlass is NOT a good choice for you.
    • If your gunite pool shell is physically damaged, such as with a structural crack or leak, you will need to repair the structural damage first. MicroGlass will increase the hardness of plaster, but this will not fix a damaged shell!
    • If the finish is severely stained, it may require highly aggressive measures to restore the finished. At some point, there may not be enough plaster remaining for MicroGlass to do any good.
    • Ultimately, it depends on the condition of the existing plaster.
  1. Is this product safe around plants and grass?
    • MicroGlass is water-based, non-toxic, and environmentally safe. In fact, it’s FDA rated as “GRAS” (Generally Recognized As Safe). However, to be extra safe, it’s smart to minimize and wipe up or rinse off any overspray on non-concrete-based materials such as wood, plastic, metal, fabric or plants before it dries.
  2. Will MicroGlass affect the chemistry and / or maintenance of the water?
  3. After MicroGlass has been applied, the pool finish will be more impervious to chemicals. As a result, you will likely see less fluctuations in pH (because we’ve minimized the reactions with the pool finish), and overall slightly less chemical usage. You may want to check out the comments about MicroGlass and chemical usage from of a seasoned pool maintenance technician in this video. 

7.  Can MicroGlass be used to try to prevent the return of calcium nodules on an existing finish?

  • Yes. While the cause and depth of your calcium nodules will vary (with some nodules possibly originating in the gunite itself) in our opinion, MicroGlass is worth a try to either eliminate or slow the return of calcium nodules on an existing finish. We suggest this because to date, our industry does not have a clear- cut and fail-proof procedure to stop the return of calcium nodules.
  • While MicroGlass is an option to tackle calcium nodules on existing finishes, the success rate of using MicroGlass to stop nodule return on existing finishes should be considered  50% – 50%. With 50% of pools seeing some type of nodule return and 50% of pools seeing a reduction in nodule return following repairs and MicroGlass treatment. 
  • If you wish to try MicroGlass on a pool with calcium nodules we have advice and recommendations to give you the greatest chance at success in reducing nodule return. Just give us a call and we’ll direct you to those resources.  
 

Have other questions? Ready to give it a try?

Call us at 941-208-0777, or use the form below.