Pool resurfacing: deep renovation to the shell
When the tiles, render or an old finish fail across a pool, patching tends to move the problem around. We strip the pool back to the shell, removing the old tiles, render and every added layer. Then we renew it in PebbleCrete or with new tiles.
Send photos → discuss the work → site assessment if needed → quotation
Upgrades & repairs for hotels and villas · Drained works
When a pool needs deep renovation
Regrouting and tile repair suit a pool whose tiles are sound. Deep renovation is the next level, for pools where the layers behind the surface have failed.
- Tiles or mosaic coming away in patches, or sounding hollow over large areas
- Render or an old finish lifting off the wall, with loose fill behind it
- Layers added over earlier repairs, raising the surface and hiding the problem
- Leaks through the shell, joints or fittings that cannot be reached without taking the surface off
- Worn terrazzo, sandwash or plaster that no longer comes clean
What we strip and what we renew
We take the pool back to the shell. The old tiles, the render and every layer added since the pool was built come off. This lets us see the concrete itself, repair cracks and weak joints, reset or replace fittings and waterproof where it is needed. The shell is then rendered through, ready for the new surface. You choose between two finishes:
- PebbleCrete: a seamless finish in a wide range of colours, carried through the floor, walls, steps and benches
- New tiles: mosaic or large-format tiles (such as 60 x 120 cm), laid and grouted on the new render
Combining work in one shutdown
With the pool empty and open, deep renovation is a good time for other drained work. We often rebuild steps, replace old lights, add fibre optics, renew the coping and rework the pump room in the same shutdown. Any electrical work — including isolation, earthing and earth-leakage checks — is carried out by a licensed electrician as agreed with you. We plan the shutdown around your bookings and agree the programme for the individual project.
Inspection first
We start with an on-site inspection and tap-test the surface wherever we can reach it. We tell you plainly whether regrouting and spot repairs will do, or whether the pool needs to go back to the shell. Hidden problems may only appear once the pool is drained and stripped, so work can go in stages. If the shell shows structural damage, we say so and agree the next step with you and your engineer — or, if you don't have one, with our partner engineer.
What to send for a first discussion
For a first discussion and a quotation, send us:
- Photos of the pool, with close-ups of loose tiles, hollow areas or lifting render
- Your villa, hotel or resort location in Phuket or elsewhere in Thailand
- The approximate pool dimensions and whether it uses skimmers or an overflow
- Whether you prefer PebbleCrete or tiles, and any other work you want included
Where we have done this
CompletedPrivate Residence, Bang Tao — pool stripped to the shell
Pool renovation: strip-out to the shell, the old light conduits sealed and new ones run, new pumps, fittings reset, new render and finish
The pool filled, beside the lawn
The old mosaic and the layers under it came out down to the shell. We reset the fittings, rendered the pool through and laid a new finish.
CompletedKata Sea Breeze — Bar Pool
Full finish renovation of the Bar Pool
Pool bar and water-level views
The Bar Pool was taken back to the shell, re-rendered and finished in PebbleCrete.
CompletedPrivate Residence, Chom Tawan
Pool renovation
The pool over the palms and the hills
The old blue mosaic came off and the shell was taken back to sound concrete. The pool was then refinished in PebbleCrete.
CompletedPrivate Villa, Cape Yamu
Pool renovation: terrazzo out, PebbleCrete Glass in
The finished pool from the drive
The worn terrazzo came off back to the concrete. We re-rendered the shell and steps and laid PebbleCrete Glass.
CompletedPrivate Villa, Laguna — French Grey
Pool tiling in large-format tiles, pool coping and steam room seating
The finished pool towards the lake
We tiled the pool in large-format 60 x 120 cm tiles, made the coping in PebbleCrete French Grey and finished the steam-room seating in PebbleCrete Glass.
CompletedGuesthouse, Kathu
Pool renovation: the old tiles and dolphin mosaic removed, a new finish, cracks in the overflow repaired, and the area around the pool renewed
The finished pool from the terrace
We took out the old blue tiles and the dolphin mosaic, refinished the pool, repaired cracks in the overflow and renewed the area around the pool.
CompletedPrivate Villa, Naithon Beach — Royal Blue
Pool renovation: tile out, PebbleCrete Supreme in
The finished pool from the head of the terrace
The tile came off, the shell was surveyed point by point, and the pool was refinished in PebbleCrete Supreme Royal Blue, with PebbleCrete Glass Nightfall Pearl on the coping, the surround and the entry ledge.
Further reading
- Pool interior finishes compared
- Renovating an older pool without demolition
- Planning the whole-life cost of a pool finish
Articles on the site of PebbleCrete, the manufacturer of the finish we apply.
Guides on this topic
When to renovate a hotel or resort pool in Thailand: seasons, rain and keeping the hotel open
In Thailand, hotels and resorts keep busy periods clear by doing pump room, surround and waterline work with the pool open, and save drained shell renovations for quieter booking windows — timed around the rains and the site's groundwater, because an open shell needs dry conditions. Starting with an on-site inspection lets you separate urgent repairs from planned shutdowns.Logos, patterns and step markers in a pebble or glass pool finish
Logos, geometric patterns, colour zones and contrasting step finishes can be laid by hand directly into a PebbleCrete or PebbleCrete Glass surface, or set into an existing tiled pool. Work inside the pool is done in a drained, dry pool after an inspection, so it is planned together with any other drained work; logos in walkways and decks are laid outside the pool.Pool tiles coming loose in Phuket: causes, inspection and repair options
In Phuket, pool tiles usually come loose for a few reasons: daily heating at the waterline, water that slowly dissolves cement grout, movement in the shell or terrace, bedding that has aged, and earlier repairs that did not hold. Open joints then let water into the bed behind the tiles. This guide explains what an inspection looks at and how to choose between spot repair, regrouting and taking the pool back to the shell.See PebbleCrete samples at our showrooms in Phuket
PebbleCrete finish samples and colours can be seen at our showroom stand in the Thai Watsadu home-improvement store in Thalang, Phuket, and at our showroom in Sa Khu (Thalang, Phuket). Open Monday to Saturday, 9:00–17:00.
Questions we are asked
How is this different from regrouting?
Regrouting renews the joints between sound tiles. Deep renovation removes everything down to the shell and builds a new surface.
Can we choose tiles instead of PebbleCrete?
Yes. After the strip-out and new render, the pool can be finished in PebbleCrete or with new tiles. We bring samples so you can compare.
Does the pool have to be drained?
Yes. The strip-out, the render and the new surface are all done in a dry pool. Draining a pool in the wet season or on sites with high groundwater needs care, so we check site conditions before emptying the shell.
Related work
Regrouting & tile repair
Missing grout and loose mosaic tiles trap dirt, leave sharp edges and let water reach the render beneath. We drain the pool to regrout tilework, replace broken tiles and re-line or tile worn fibreglass pools.Pool steps & anti-slip
Steep ladders, missing handrails and smooth or worn entries make a pool awkward for guests. We plan how people get in and out, build concrete steps and shallow ledges in PebbleCrete, fit handrails and apply anti-slip coatings.Pool remodelling
If an older pool no longer suits your villa or resort, we can remodel the existing concrete shell, layout and circulation without demolishing everything.Tell us where the pool is and what you want changed.
Send photos → discuss the work → site assessment if needed → quotation
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