That is the story of a pool transformation. However, I wish to begin off by saying that the “earlier than” photographs of this pool are usually not some wretched hole-in-the-ground swampy “earlier than” photographs that make the “after” photographs all of the extra engaging. The “earlier than” photographs of this pool are, for my part, actually lovely. In actual fact, the pool and the yard surrounding it had been what offered us on this home. I’m a water individual. In my household, we’re all water folks. We might spend all day within the water. And this pool is massive sufficient to do laps in! And surrounded by timber! We liked the pool! We liked the brick coping (the bricks across the pool’s edge) and the unique waterline tile–whats up solar form (couldn’t be extra good for us!)! Hell, even the little selfmade pergola state of affairs had its appeal. If we might have left the pool as-is, imagine me, we’d have.
We liked the unique coping and waterline tile of the pool
After we purchased the house we knew that the pool wanted new tools and replastering. What we discovered after shopping for the home was that the pool additionally wanted new electrical and new plumbing. In actual fact, a number of tradespeople warned us: “{the electrical} work on this pool is so previous, I’d be afraid to swim in it for concern of being electrocuted” (yikes). Effectively, that was sufficient for us to re-allocate funds for a loo transform and add it to the pool funds so as to make it secure and swimmable. The toilet transform might wait — in any case, there was no actual hazard of being electrocuted within the previous bathtub.
This was our first time ever engaged on a pool, so I used to be coming at it from a spot of complete ignorance. After interviewing half a dozen contractors, we employed a licensed pool contractor to information us via the method. What I rapidly discovered is that the plumbing and electrical work had been all situated across the pool, that means that we would want to interrupt up and take away all of the cement within the surrounding space, together with the coping and the waterline tile so as to get to {the electrical} wires and piping.
I don’t know the place I used to be anticipating the pipes and electrical wiring to be situated in a pool — I suppose I had by no means given in an excessive amount of thought!?! However I used to be shocked as soon as I noticed that we needed to demo all the pool and surrounding space so as to make the pool secure to swim in. The very first thing that we requested is that if it was going to be potential to salvage the tile and brick coping. The reply was a “possibly.” We went into demo day hoping for the very best.
It’s at all times laborious to look at one thing be demolished, particularly one thing lovely and one thing that you just’ve simply spent a wholesome portion of your life financial savings on, however hey, typically you simply should dive in, huh? So we took a deep breath, paid the deposit and started to empty the pool — which took three hoses and three days.
As soon as the pool was drained the demolition crew got here via and demoed the floor space of the pool and the encompassing areas. Sadly, the coping and waterline tile crumbled through the demolition and had been unsalvageable.
Now that the method was underway it was time to make some design selections. We might maintain the form and dimension of the pool the identical, solely take it from 9 toes deep, to 6 toes deep within the deep finish. Making the pool extra shallow would make it cheaper/quicker to warmth and make it a bit safer, too. Additionally, since we had been eradicating the present diving board for security causes, there was no motive to have the pool keep that deep. Different massive selections to make had been:
1.) The pool was beforehand surrounded by a cement floor, what did we wish to substitute the cement with?
2.) What sort of coping did we wish?
3.) What did we wish to use for waterline tile?
4.) What sort of end did we wish the pool to have?
We started to consider the general vibe and the way we wished the area to really feel. All of us agreed that we liked the look of the previous pool, so we determined to goal for a design that may make the area really feel sort of prefer it had at all times been there, so making a design that match with the general vibe of all the property drove our design selections. Timing additionally guided many choices. Decided to complete the pool in time for the new L.A. summer season months, the whole lot that we had been searching for wanted to be IN STOCK. This proved to be very difficult, particularly throughout COVID since there have been a whole lot of shortages, delivery delays, and objects from abroad caught on the docks.
Reclaimed brick specified by a chevron sample
1.) The Pool Encompass
After a whole lot of analysis and throwing concepts round, we determined to exchange the cement across the pool with brick pavers. We landed on the pavers as a result of tiling all the area would have been prohibitively costly. We didn’t love the look of the cement that had been there earlier than however DID love the look of the brick ground on the higher patio, and so we determined to attempt to emulate that look. Sand-setting the bricks can be cheaper than grouting them in. As soon as we settled on the brick look, we forged a large web searching for the proper brick — however that really ended up being an issue — the brick that we had been discovering was too good — it seemed too new and subsequently didn’t actually match with the vibe of the remainder of the property. So we determined to go on the hunt for previous brick. Not solely would it not seem like the remainder of the home, however it might be extra sustainable as properly. We ended up discovering 800 sq. ft. value of BEAUTIFUL, reclaimed brick at a neighborhood stone yard and snatched all of it up. The one challenge was, the floor space of the yard is 1200 sq. ft. So we had 400 sq. ft. of area that may nonetheless want hardscaping. We thought of searching for extra reclaimed brick, carving out areas for crops, or cementing small “zones” for, say the outside eating space, however landed on the concept of tiling a 400 sq. ft. space of the yard that, as a result of structure of the yard, was raised. We name the raised space “the stage.” We spent just a few weeks sourcing cement tile for the stage too — and entertained a number of totally different colours and motifs, however couldn’t discover something that was “in-stock” that felt proper for the area. We wished it to really feel like a contemporary backdrop that would look good with a number of totally different finishes. As an alternative, we ended up deciding to make use of a sage-colored, hexagon cement tile from Zia Tile that we had ordered months earlier for our kitchen transform. Since we had been nonetheless ready on permits for our kitchen transform, we knew it might be months earlier than we’d want the tile for the kitchen, so we determined to tile the stage with cement tile that was initially allotted for our kitchen, and use brick on the remainder of the encompassing space. (And ordered extra of the identical tile for the kitchen ground!)
The brick and the sage would drive the colour selections for the remainder of the realm.
When the brick was lastly being put in, we had plans to put in it in a cross-hatch motif like the remainder of the property, however that’s after we discovered that in contrast to the brick on the remainder of the property in case you put two of those bricks side-by-side, the width of two bricks didn’t equal the size of 1 brick #oops! So we needed to suppose quick, and selected a chevron sample as an alternative. You reside, you be taught, you pivot!
On the left, the reclaimed brick pavers earlier than sand-setting and grout, on the best the pavers and coping absolutely put in.
2.) The Coping
Full disclosure, I had by no means heard the phrase “coping” earlier than Feb. 2021, however now I really feel I’ve explored each sort of coping identified to mankind! Ha! Impressed by the unique brick coping that the unique pool had, we appreciated the concept of utilizing a brick coping. However, I didn’t love how sharp the sides had been across the pool. In any case, my desires of sipping a mojito on the sting of the pool with my toes within the water didn’t embrace scraping my tush on the sharp fringe of the pool, so Jason urged bullnose brick coping that resulted in a spherical edge and I liked that concept. And bullnose brick coping was in inventory and straightforward to search out at most stone yards, in order that’s what we selected.
3.) The Waterline Tile
Waterline tile is used on the pool to stop a yellow ring from forming across the pool’s edge. Sure, I had desires of utilizing gorgeously uneven Moroccan zellige clay tile across the perimeter of the pool after having seen it utilized in so many fountains and swimming pools in Morocco (and after utilizing it in my kitchen at #JungalowByTheRiver). However, after speaking to fairly just a few specialists at tile retailers, I used to be suggested in opposition to utilizing a clay tile. The consensus was that “pool-grade porcelain tile” was the way in which to go for the pool encompass. I used to be instructed that it might final a lot, for much longer than clay tile and resist the wear and tear and tear that pool chemical substances can have on tile. Our contractor additionally made it very clear that the tile set up can be a lot quicker, cheaper and simpler with a porcelain tile. He didn’t flat out refuse to put in the zellige — however didn’t wish to be held accountable if it didn’t maintain up. So, albeit a bit dismayed, we went on a hunt for the proper *in inventory* porcelain tile. This was an actual problem. Porcelain tile that felt vibey proved tough to search out. We noticed a whole lot of tile with fairly patterns, however the patterns seemed like they had been printed on the tile, not a part of the tile itself. Plenty of it seemed too retro (not in a great way). A lot of what we noticed and appreciated was solely accessible by particular order, oftentimes with 12-20 week lead instances, and we couldn’t afford to attend that lengthy. After looking out excessive and low, we lastly discovered some porcelain tiles that basically liked at Mission Tile West in Pasadena who has a huge tile assortment. The tile we landed on, the 4X4 Sant Gervasi tile from Latin Accents *was* in inventory, expensive, however in inventory. However, very similar to the reclaimed brick — there wasn’t fairly sufficient of it to make it across the complete pool. So, by no means one to draw back from mixing it up, we discovered a stable, 6×6 celadon coloured sq. that recalled the colour of the sage hexagon cement tile, and we additionally discovered a small 2X2 accent tile that coordinated again to the bigger Sant Gervasi motif, and we ordered sufficient of these to cowl the “stage” portion of the pool’s edge and the new tub encompass. This was additionally a pleasant repair as a result of these different tiles had been considerably cheaper so we saves just a few cash, too.
As soon as we obtained the tile again to the pool, and positioned the stable celadon tile on the pool’s edge we obtained fearful. It seemed like lavatory tile and didn’t really feel enjoyable or particular or previous or something that we had wished it to really feel. So, Jason had the sensible concept to insert the small 2X2 tile at a diagonal within the nook of 4 stable, 6X6 tiles and instantly the vibes got here pouring again in. Disaster averted! The tile installer, Eugenio did a tremendous job at meticulously chopping the corners off of the stable tile to create the sample and we’re actually, actually pleased with the ultimate consequence.
We additionally had a number of loopy sample concepts for the spa spillway into the pool. We performed quite a bit with the patterns right here and ended up with a checker sample that makes use of the small 2×2 flower tiles, which I’m obsessive about. Due to the curved line right here, it’s finest to make use of smaller tiles for the spillway in order that there aren’t too many gaps.
We additionally dotted tiles alongside the pool steps and the pool benches and saved the additional tile for an eventual outside bathe that we plan to put in down the street.
4.) The Pool End
The pool end choices had been fairly restricted. We might have gone with customary plaster, however we had been instructed (and analysis confirmed) that Pebble Tec merchandise final quite a bit longer than conventional plaster, and after 5 months of coping with this pool renovation, we didn’t wish to should replaster the pool any time quickly. Pebble Fina within the Egyptian Sands end was our first selection. We appreciated how the hotter tone of the end forged a heat inexperienced shade on the pool, however, alas, that product was caught on the dock and so we needed to pivot once more, going with Pebble Sheen in Desert Gold as an alternative. The colour was related, however the Pebble Sheen has a rougher texture than the Pebble Fina. In the long run, it seems to be quite a bit like actual sand, which could be very cool as a result of it offers us a beachy really feel that I welcome wholeheartedly.
As soon as the pool end was achieved, it was time to fill the pool, which took about two days. The anticipation was killing us. The entire challenge took about twice as lengthy (virtually six months) and twice as a lot cash as we had anticipated (about the price of an costly marriage ceremony) however within the few weeks because the pool has been principally achieved we’ve been swimming each single day and every single day that I’m in there, I simply go searching in awe and gratitude that we had been in a position to make this place ours.
We nonetheless have some issues to verify off the to-do checklist — we have to construct a canopy for the pool tools, end furnishing the pool encompass, do landscaping, repair the fence that surrounds all the yard, and wait one other couple of weeks till the Pebble Sheen cures earlier than we are able to warmth the pool or the spa, however as with all tasks, the paint will at all times be a bit moist, and I’m positive as time goes on we’ll proceed to hone in on this place and proceed to make it our personal.
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