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Make your pool a different colour |
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Dare to be different. Instead of the usual blue-hued swimming pool, introduce colour on the inside and allow nature to reflect its own special beauty.
Located in Johannesburg the rimflow pool, which features a stunning circular deck, was finished using Cemcrete’s Light Royal PoolCrete. The effect is incredible. In bright sunlight the water seems to shimmer and shine, on a dull day, there appears to be more depth to the water but it still looks clean and clear.
Finished with a sandy shade, the water will tend to have a greenish cast while green or turquoise will emphasise nature and its surrounding colours.
In the early days of swimming pools, new pool owners did not have a whole lot of choice. The pool shell was made from cast concrete and the finish was usually whatever pool paint was available. There was not a huge choice.
In the 1950's gunite opened up new possibilities in terms of swimming pool construction. Nevertheless, in the early days, choice of finish was not varied and most pool floors and walls were plastered in the same way as any other surface. By the early 1970?s marble plaster had made an appearance. Essentially a mixture of white cement and granular white marble dust, it produced a beautifully smooth, waterproof finish. Once filled with clean water, the white-skinned pool appeared magically blue and had a sparkle, which its predecessors could never have produced.
As environmentalists encouraged homeowners to mirror nature, more and more people wanted natural colours for their pools. Charcoal was a particularly popular choice in the 1980?s although clean vivid blue which mirrored the clear African sky never did lose acceptability.
In recent years, technology has advanced beyond imagination, and you may be amazed to discover that there is now a huge choice when it comes to the colour of your swimming pool.
PoolCrete was developed in 1969 and was the first proprietary marble pool plaster to be manufactured in South Africa, says Willie Bosch marketing director of Cemcrete. It was designed specifically for local conditions, and we have been manufacturing it since 1973.
It was, of course, white in colour, and it stayed this way for about a decade. Ironically, the development of PoolCrete colours was motivated by a need for a finish, which would make plastered koi ponds and rock pools look more natural. Quite simply, marble plaster was too white and the commonly used bitumen products were considered by many to be too black.
”In the 1980’s, we developed Charcoal PoolCrete”, says Willie. It was meant for fishponds, and it was only after a few brave people used it in their domestic pools that it became popular. In fact it is still one of our most popular colours.
”During the 1980’s we expanded our colour range. Most people still wanted blue pools and the range reflected this. As time went on, architects and developers began requesting an even broader colour range and gray, turquoise and green became popular”. According to Willie, the development of the lodge market has played a major role, not only in pool colours, but also in pool design.
More and more people started building pools that would blend with their surroundings and sandstone became a popular colour. Rock-work was also being included around pools and surrounds were no longer just flat surface. We have noticed that in recent years there has been a move towards building pools that blend with a setting rather than being a focal point as they were in the past. This applies not only to the lodge market, but also to domestic pools. Residential pools have also become smaller and smaller and people generally pay more attention to the total picture created with landscaping, colours and other factors.
Today our PoolCrete range includes nine colours which vary from White to ery dark Mega Blue.
Another finish that uses white cement is the relatively new exposed aggregate pool surfacing plaster. Natural quartz aggregate is mixed with the cement and various additives, including pigments, which produce a stunning range of colours.
Of course there are other options particularly for those who are not building a plastered pool.
In the Eastern Cape, chip tile is a popular finish. Even though it can be relatively costly, colour options are unbeatable.
Fibreglass pool manufacturers also produce shells in a choice of colours. The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) lists 24 possibilities including grey, yellow, brown, black and red. Whilst these are commonly used as a finish for hot water spas, blue and white remain the most popular option for swimming pools.
The bottom line is, there is a choice and if you are building a new swimming pool, be sure to explore all the options. You are, after all, part of a very special rainbow nation. Click on any of the images below to enlarge. | Sky blue : | Light royal : | Portland grey : | |  |  |  | | The perfect foil for plants, a cyan-inspired hue adds the life and sparkle of a sunny day to a residential pool in Johannesburg | A magnificent effect is acheived with right royal colours and a huge, lavish fountain in the pool at Caezars in Gauteng. | Chosen for the natural effect it creates underwater, the grey of the pool shell complements the grey rocks incorporated in the imposing rocky water feature of a pool in Mauritius. | | Abbotsford green : | Sandstone : | Mega blue : | |  |  |  | | Materials, colours and a freeform design inspired by the earth meld together to create an unusual effect in the barren landscape of Madikwe. | Chosen to reflect the sandstone of nearby Table Mountain and to complement the terracotta hues within this Mediterranean-style Cape Town garden, sandstone PoolCrete is quie literally from the earth. | The combination of painted walls, dark blue tiles and a pool shell plastered with Mega Blue PoolCrete creates a magical backdrop for a sophisticated water feature. | | Turquoise : | Charcoal : | Light royal : | |  |  |  | | Stone and thatch combine with greenish-blue Turquoise creating a natural effect in a pool in Ellisras. | A colour developed for fish ponds, charcoal looks natural and produces warmer water | Simply stunning; this pool was finished using Cemcrete's Light Royal PoolCrete. |
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