concrete pool restoration & inspiration

by | Sep 21, 2022 | All Things Home, Exterior, My House | 48 comments

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When we sat down as a family and talked about what we would want in a future house, the boys requested a pool.  They befriended a neighbor one court over in Minnesota who had a pool and often invited the boys and other neighborhood kids over for impromptu swims and planned pool parties.  It was a highlight for them during the summer and the idea of having our own pool to do the same was very appealing to them.  So, we put that on the wishlist, but let them know we might not end up with a pool.  It wasn’t a top priority.  I really did keep that request at the forefront of my mind when I was looking at houses and most of the homes we seriously considered had pools.  The house we ended up purchasing does have a pool, but technically, it’s just a big concrete hole in the ground without pumps, filters, or even water.  (And, of course, I’m all nervous about someone falling in!)

But, out of all of the pools we looked at (along with houses), this one was my favorite.  Despite the neglected state, it is a beautifully-shaped pool, well-situated in the yard, and I like the hardscaping around it.  A huge part of buying this house, though, was making sure this concrete pool could get up and running again.  We didn’t want a concrete hole in our yard and we didn’t want to spend a few thousand dollars to have it removed and filled in.  That would sort of defeat the purpose and it wouldn’t be fun money to spend.

So, we had a pool expert/contractor that came highly recommended by our realtor come out to do an inspection of the old concrete pool and an estimate to do the necessary repairs and purchase new equipment. Our initial idea with the pool is that we could get a cover on it and then address it in the spring, but the first thing the contractor said when he saw a picture of this pool was, “We need to get water in that pool as soon as possible.”  The good news is that, while it hasn’t been used as a pool in a while, it was filled with water until recently.  The previous owner allowed it to be a duck/frog pond since she enjoyed watching the wildlife.  It’s my understanding that the pool was drained to show the house since an empty pool looks better than one filled with scummy water.

As a newbie pool owner, I learned that an empty pool is susceptible to damage from changes in the ground temperature.  Freezes can cause cracks in the concrete shell of the pool, but hydrostatic pressure can even displace the pool pushing it up out of the ground!  Just look up “popped pool” and you’ll see what can happen.  It’s pretty crazy.  So, getting this pool repaired was pushed to the top of the list.  We got an estimate for repairing and recoating the concrete shell, fixing the coping along the edge, replacing the tile, jacking out and replacing some of the concrete around the pool for better drainage and adding new pumps and filters (the old ones were removed.)

concrete pool restoration & inspiration | miss mustard seed

Of course, it’s not an inexpensive process, but it actually wasn’t as expensive as we thought it would be and it is an important part of bringing this house back to life.  Jeff and I were both bracing ourselves for an outrageous number that would make us second-guess moving forward with purchasing this house, but that wasn’t the case.  It’ll be worthwhile and, once we spend the money to get it up and running again, then it’s about maintenance.

concrete pool restoration & inspiration | miss mustard seed

The contractor is coming out next week to blow the lines, measure for a cover, and put a plan together for starting the work so it can be completed in time to get water in the pool and get it covered before winter sets in.  We’ll then be ready to open it up in the spring.

concrete pool restoration & inspiration | miss mustard seed

I love the landscaping that’s been done around the concrete pool and the house, but it is all overgrown and untended.  I’m going to wait until the spring to see what comes up or blooms and then decide what to pull out and what to plant.  (I’m also still in a boot for my broken foot and gardening in an orthopedic boot is not ideal!)  The sweet autumn clematis is definitely staying!  It’s one of my favorite vines and I love it hanging over the fence.  I’m going to see if I can transplant some to other areas of the yard, too.  We will have to replace the fence, but that can wait a while longer.  I think it has a bit more time before it completely disentigrates!

concrete pool restoration & inspiration | miss mustard seed

I have already made some choices for rehabbing this pool.  I was initially going to keep it this light, off-white, but after looking at pictures of pools, I decided to go with a medium gray concrete.  It makes the water a softer blue as opposed to the bright turquoise that you typically see in white pools.  Here is a picture of a similar concrete pool with a medium gray finish…

medium gray concrete pool inspiration | miss mustard seed

Photo via The Wet Edge

Of course, I like the blue tile that is currently on the pool, but it is in sad shape and beyond simple repairs.  The tile will be redone in this 1 x 1 glass mosaic pool tile in the color Tidepool…

Islamorada Tidepool Blue 1 x 1 mosaic pool tile | miss mustard seed

We’ll select a medium gray grout that will tie into the color of the concrete coating the shell of the pool.  I think it will be lovely and I can’t wait for the work to get started.  Even though it’ll be a few months before we can use it, it’ll be nice to have it covered, safe, and ready for use when the warmer weather returns!

We have a few other large projects starting over the next 2-4 weeks that needed to be done and I’ll share about those in future posts.  The work seems a little overwhelming at times, but I remind myself that – number one, we bought a fixer-upper so we could redo things in our own style without having to rip out perfectly good work and, number two, we bought at the lower end of our price range so we would have the money to put into larger projects right away or as they come up.  So, I need to take a deep breath and enjoy the transformation process.  It’ll be a bit chaotic, but it doesn’t last forever and it’s always worth it in the end.

For those who are vertan concrete pool owners – any advice?

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    48 Comments

    1. Marcie

      I absolutely loved having a pool when our girls were young, and I loved taking care of it, too! Some people look at it as a lot of work (and money), but not me! If you enjoy using a pool, you will enjoy taking care of it..that’s my philosophy!

      • Bernie

        When our kids were young, we bought a house with a pool. It was great for a while…until they declared one summer that it was “too hot to swim”! Oy! (South Florida)

    2. Carol M

      If you are having new concrete poured, have them make some umbrella holes for you. We have them all around our pool and our friends really enjoy them. You can move umbrellas as needed.

    3. Heidi

      Looks neat! I definately see the potential you are talking about! What type of fence will you be doing? Repair or new?
      – Heidi from Ohio

      • Danielle

        Marian, we put in a pool 4 years ago and it’s the best decision ever. You guys are gonna love having a pool! Our pool in Gunite with a pebble tech finish. Happy to share pool info with you if you have any questions. Congratulations on your new home!

    4. Beverlee

      I also loved having a pool and taking care of it. Pool Sweep! It automatically sweeps the pool with jetted water and saves a lot of brushing. I think Costco has pool supplies. A personal preference, but I like light, clear water so I can see to the bottom, as in…..’what is that in the bottom of the pool?’ you will enjoy this.

      • Sandy

        The grey color will be a plus! Swimming in different ones I notice I squint less with a darker color pool. Very excited for y’all. This will be such a blessing to have and enjoy.

    5. Robin

      So excited to follow along in your new adventures! Though we don’t know each other personally I feel like your an old friend and look forward to seeing what your up to each day ?

      • Kay Grogg

        Me, too, Robin!

    6. CathyR

      Not sure if you follow Young House Love but their downsizing /pool adventures are worth a look. Are you doing salt water or chlorine? I’m guessing chlorine would be easier on the concrete surround. I’m going to love following the changes in your home❤️

    7. Paige

      I’ve owned three concrete pools. The best resource I’ve found for All Things Pool Maintenance is http://www.troublefreepools.com. It’s a free resource and the people on the forums there love to help new pool owners with any questions or problem-solving.

      You’ll love the grey finish with the blue tile. It’s going to be very pretty!

    8. Laura R.

      I love your ideas and I think you’ll love the darker pool finish! My daughter and son in law have the darker finish and it’s just beautiful. While I understand the beauty of the Autumn Clematis, it’s considered highly invasive. I’m a native plant fan and would like to recommend that you seek out a native alternative that offers benefit to wildlife. Check out Doug Tallamy’s book “Nature’s Best Hope.” A yard full of natives will bring more birds, butterflies, etc. Anyway, anxious to see the transformation of your new home!

      • Theresa

        Agree with Laura – Sweet Autumn Clematis is highly invasive and will spread like wild-fire. This season, we have watched our neighbor’s vine spread up and over their garage roof into an adjoining yard, covering the top of a tall holly and a row of azaleas. It’s advancing for our plantings next 🙁 It also is very attractive to bees, so beware of that in high-traffic areas.

        • Adrienne

          One way to control Sweet Autumn Clematis if you want to keep it but worry about it spreading is to cut it back every year before it sets seed. This will keep little babies from coming up everywhere.

      • Lynne

        I had one Sweet Autumn Clematis 10 years ago. Now I have a zillion of them on my property. I can’t get rid of all the little sprouts growing everywhere! I am constantly pulling them up in the grass and out in the woods.

        • Addie

          Lynne,
          To get rid of it safely….
          On a hot sunny day, map out where you want to draw the line.
          Home depot sells 30% white vinegar. To that squeeze a good amount of Dawn Dish soap.
          Spray this on..heavily and let the sun do the rest. Be VERY careful NOT to get it where you want to keep the grass or the plants. It will kill EVERYTHING!!! Watch if it is in an area where the water will run downhill. Try to spray the leaves more than the dirt. After a day or two go pick up all the dead plants and kiss them goodbye!!!
          I used this method also on Vinca….considered the worst to get rid of!!!! Worked like a charm.
          Good luck…..some areas may need more than one dose.
          Oh!!! This is totally safe for you and pets…unlike Roundup.

      • Kay Grogg

        I always enjoyed seeing Wild Autumn Clematis growing on fence rows as I would drive to the rural Appalachian Mountains school where I taught. I asked the biology teacher what it was and he called it “Virgins Bower”. He said in old days, brides would use this wild flower to make a halo to wear on their wedding day and would carry it in their bouquets. The day after the wedding, the poor bride would have a red rash across her forehead and on her arms as this plant can also cause allergic dermatitis. ??

    9. Colleen

      Your family will really enjoy having a pool! They are work, but well worth it! We have one and love it. Sadly we did put the winter cover on last weekend. If you have the opportunity for a salt water pool go for it! So much easier for maintenance and easier on the swimmers eyes too! You may need to remove what appears to be old pine trees off to the side. The wind blows the needles into the pool and makes a mess! Good luck with your new home! I’m going to enjoy seeing the changes you will make! 🙂

      • Pam

        I agree – Salt water chlorination is better for many reasons.

      • Camille

        I agree with the salt water pool!! Sooooo much easier to take care of, softer on the skin, hair and swimmer’s eyes.

    10. Taria

      We built a pool at our last home. It was fun and something we needed to have once. Your boys are a great age for one. That pool is going to be beautiful once made over. My son’s current home has a beautiful pool that was the first project when they bought the home. It wasn’t cheap to update but is beautiful and often used. Good luck on your new home adventure. We
      wish you years of happiness there.

    11. Teresa

      Marian, glad you jumped on this project first and have a great pool expert and company to get the job done right. I dont know if you have talked to them about what route you want to go but more pool owners have converted over to salt water pools versus chlorine in the past few years. From my understanding, they are easier to maintain and cheaper than chemicals as well. I would definitely talk to your pool person about your options. We had a pool when I was young, and I know my Mom was always trying to get the PH right. Being a newbie pool owner, there will be some trial and error, but I know it will be amazing. I would image from looking at the pics the pool will need to be resurfaced and replacing the fencing around the pool and yard as well. The good thing is you have two boys whose job during the summer months will be keeping the pool clean…lol.

    12. Cheri

      You know we love our pool! Your family is going to make so many wonderful memories around this pool with family and friends. You might realize, like we have that we stay home in the summer at our own oasis, and take trips when it is too cold to use the pool. Your choices for color/tile/etc. are perfect!

    13. Christine McD

      Highly recommend a salt water pool. So much more enjoyable than chlorine!

    14. Niki VanEch

      Hi Marian –

      I too loved Autumn Clematis and it is sweeping over a deck railing but want to pass on my experience with it. Highly invasive, it roots everywhere you don’t want it too and try getting it out of prickly thorn schrubs ? and throughout the flower beds. Sadly I regret bringing it into my garden. Looking forward to seeing your plans for your new abode.

    15. Linda

      Pool will be beautiful ! You two have a great plan, anxious to see the end results !

    16. Darleen

      I also have a sweet autumn clematis- it is on a metal garden trellis with a dark purple spring clematis and they both coexist just fine. They are the privacy wall between myself and my neighbor’s garden. I do cut them both down in the spring to nubs. I do not have much trouble with the autumn clematis; except for the bees but it is my way to support them without having a hive. The trellis sits at the far edge of the garden so it is not in my pathway. If the vine gets too wild or leggy- I just cut it back. I have not had to pull it out from other nearby plantings- mainly because I cut it back so drastically in the Spring. I am in garden zone 6.

      We had a pool growing up, so much fun- you guys will love it- luckily my dad found pool maintenance and daily cleaning a relaxation and not a chore.

    17. Nancy Brooks

      I had a pool for over 25 years. I wish I’d had a professional teach me how to take care of and keep the PH regulated when we moved in instead of learning on my own by trial and error. Also, a heater would have served us well. We didn’t use it much because the water was too cold and I live in GA. We took out our pool and put in a patio in its place about 7 years ago. When your neighbor’s trees shade your pool, not much to do. I wish you the best and I know your boys will love it. Can’t wait to see you transform this house.

    18. Kate

      Love your plans for rehabbing the pool.

      While you mentioned that the fence will ultimately be replaced. it might be a good ideat to fill in the missing or very rotted boards now. (You can probably get single boards at a local lumberyard or one of the Big box home places.) Not only will it help keep unwanted critters out, there may be a liability issue with your homeowners insurance if the fence is not fully intact.

    19. Sharon Miller

      Please know I am not an expert on pools. I have good friends who have had one for 25 years. And the last one, they had put in when they relocated. So, they have recently removed the salt system. The company who they have worked with for 14 years, recommended removing it. The salt system was not the original system to the pool. The pool company said they found the salt to be hard on the mechanics of the system and the liner in the bottom of the pool. So, they went to a chlorine system I believe. They weren’t happy with something about the new chlorine system and returned to the original way they took care of the pool. The company that told them to put the salt system in, advised them to replace it. Thats all I know. Just wanted to throw that in, since so many were recommending the salt system.

    20. Cathy Skivington

      You’ve made some excellent suggestions…. We built a saltwater pool about 15 years ago… your skin feels so soft and silky unlike the chlorine. We also installed 24/7 pop up cleaners on the bottom of the pool so it was constantly cleaning itself…. No need for any vacuuming…. And it was always spotless! We were the first in our area to do a dark navy/black color but it was a game changer…. Just stunning!

    21. MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!)

      Marian, your pool is going to be so nice once all the repairs are done. You are all going to enjoy it so much. The colors you have chosen are perfect! So glad that you are doing the repairs now. Your boys are going to be so excited to use it. Thanks for sharing with us!

    22. Marianne Miller

      I know nothing about pools, but I can’t wait to see the results of your plans coming to life! Is there any chance they can salvage some of the old tile. You could make a mosaic with it or use it to adorn an outside table!

    23. Irene Kelly

      So glad you are addressing the pool issue immediately as I said in an earlier post concrete pool’s without water pop out of the ground. You and your boys will love the pool next year. Not only is it enjoyable to use it is beautiful to just sit by and see the water. Very relaxing ! Plus you will gather a lot if new friends which can be a problem if you don’t control it. Enjoy all the projects you do to enhance your home. Ask lots if questions of your trades people good ones will be generous with advice & info.

    24. Nora

      Oooh I’m very jelly. It’s going to be so lovely. And tons of fun for your whole family.
      I looked up ‘popped pools’. Yikes!! That’s amazing. Good to get this project started asap.
      I’m so excited to see each little step of your journey.
      Take your time. All the boxes etc will all be there. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

    25. Karen Heath

      I know nothing about pools but I have some experience with Sweet Autumn Clematis. Check on the outside of the fence to see if there are seedlings that you can use in other spots. They drop soooooo many seeds I always spent a lot of time pulling up babies in the spring. If you don’t see signs of this throw out a bag of garden soil under the area where the seeds will fall to encourage growth. Good luck!

    26. Chris

      Your pool will be a magnet for your sons and their friends during the impressionable teen years. Better for you to host the summer gatherings than wonder where the kids are hanging out. Plus it will be such an asset as Jeff gets involved with his new congregation. Many blessings will flow from your pool!

    27. Laurie

      Great color choice on pool!

      I bet you are going to change the paint colors inside! The ones there are so not you!

      Don’t divide the clematis, it takes a pro and a greenhouse.

    28. Kelley

      I love my pool but I caution you about going too dark…as snakes are more attracted to dark pools…and in our case…so are alligators

    29. Jennifer

      I was first drawn to your blog because of MMSMP and watching you transform furniture and collect all the things.Despite that I have thoroughly enjoyed watching you take your blog in a slightly different direction. I love your energy and enthusiasm in all that you do. It’s infectious and fun to hear about. I was actually inspired by you to start my own furniture refinishing/repainting business. I now have a booth at a great antique mall where I live. I love that you learn about something and decide you want to do that thing-like knitting those gloves. You’re never afraid to try new things and that inspires others. I love you new/old house and I hope it turns into everything you want it to be. My next dream is to buy and old home in my town and to bring it back to life. I live in Texas and great old homes can be hard to come by-they’ve either already been bought and fixed up and too expensive when they sell. Or they are in very bad shape and need lots of work. I’d like to find something in-between. But mostly I wanted to say that I love following your blog and seeing what you’re doing next. I will be excited to see the entire house eventually and what you do with it.

    30. Cindy Coghill

      You’ll be so glad you have that pool for Maryland’s very hot and humid summers that extend longer on each end than the northern states have.

    31. Robin

      One thing to consider with the pool concrete color – the darker the finish the more heat it absorbs. If you want warm pool water in the summer then a darker finish is fine. It’s not refreshing in July/August. I know someone who installed a pool with a darker finish because they liked “the look” and now have to purchase ice during the summer and dump it in the pool before parties otherwise it’s like everyone taking a bath together. I have a light shade, not stark white, in my pool and I love the way it looks and feels. We’re in the same geographic area and you will be glad to have a convenient spot to cool off next year!

    32. Judy

      We have a French gray gunite pool – love the teal color of the reflected sky on the water. Also, have sweet autumn clematis zone 6 on a 6′ bamboo tripod and cut it down in late fall/early winter to 6-8″. Has never reseeded or gotten invasive. It regrows vigorously and the vines have gotten longer, but are easily chopped off to control or shape.

      • JC

        We had a gunite pool in our last home and while it was some upkeep….we had neighbors decidious trees hanging over the fence and it was a chore at times keeping up with leaves in the pool, but the fun and smiles that having a pool brings far outweighed it! So many good memories await you all next year! Love the color choices you picked and they are right you need to have this refurbished, filled (expect a huge water bill with a notice that you guys are using too much water?), and covered.
        Love your Sweet Autumn Clematis. I love that vine. We used to have one 2 houses ago. When all else is ending for the fall this is so lovely to see in full bloom. I love when the delicate flowers gently blow in the breeze. Enjoy all the beauty around you and the process of it all!

    33. Dale

      We have had both chlorine and salt water pools. Salt water pools are sooo much better than the chlorine on so many levels. And much easier as far as maintenance goes. They aren’t salt water like ocean water; they use salt to generate chlorine and do so in such a way that you NEVER smell that horrible chlorine smell or have your swim suits fade.

    34. Joyce Ruiter

      I too would HIGHLY recommend salt water, so much better and so much easier. Also, for some the chlorine makes tender areas of skin hurt, one of our daughters could not swim in a chlorine pool because it would be painful on delicate areas. Everyone that swam in our pool loved the salt water aspect. Enjoy the pool!!

    35. Vicki

      Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to this new journey with you! So happy and excited for you all!! ?

    36. Ellen

      I would love to follow along on this journey! I also live in Maryland and have a very similar situation with a pool that was built in the 70’s. My husband is so afraid of what it will cost that he has just avoided dealing with it. We tried putting a band aide on it but ultimately the pool just won’t function properly without big repairs/a rebuild. I question if it would be less expensive to just fill it in! Please let us know how this project works out for you!

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