Short answer: Pool replastering removes a pool’s worn plaster down to sound material and puts a new plaster coat on the concrete shell, in white, colored or quartz plaster. In Tucson, hard water and sun wear plaster through, and most of the pools we replaster have been in the ground fifteen to twenty years. The work is drain, chip out, repair, bond coat, new plaster, then a 28 day startup period.
Last checked: November 2026. Code points are linked to the jurisdiction that wrote them. Everything else describes how Omni Pool Builders and Design does the work.
Pool replastering facts
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What replastering is | Replacing a pool’s plaster interior with a new plaster coat | Omni remodel and resurfacing page |
| Plaster choices | White, colored or quartz plaster | Omni remodel and resurfacing page |
| White plaster | The least expensive interior and the shortest lived | Omni remodel and resurfacing page |
| Colored and quartz plaster | Hold up better than white plaster and change the water color | PebbleTec compared with other finishes |
| Why Tucson plaster wears out | Hard water and sun | Omni remodel and resurfacing page |
| After the new plaster goes in | A 28 day startup period | Tucson pool cost and timeline guide |
| Evaporation cover on a remodeled pool | Required before final inspection in Oro Valley and in unincorporated Pima County | Oro Valley ISPSC amendments 303.4; pool cover rules in Southern Arizona |
| Omni’s license | ROC 282151, KA-5 dual swimming pool, residential and commercial | ROC record for 282151 |
When plaster is worn out
Plaster tells you when it is finished. It turns rough enough to scrape feet. Stains stop brushing out. Chalky patches show where the surface has worn through, and hairline crazing collects dirt no matter how often the pool is cleaned. When two or three of those show up together, the plaster is at the end of its life.
Plaster, quartz or pebble
A replaster is a good moment to decide whether to stay with plaster at all.
- White plaster costs the least up front and lasts the shortest time.
- Colored and quartz plaster last longer than white plaster and shift the water color.
- Exposed aggregate, such as PebbleTec, lasts the longest in our climate. That makes it a resurface rather than a replaster, and it is what most of our remodel clients choose once they compare service life. See pool resurfacing in Tucson.
We will show you what each choice does to water color, texture underfoot and service life before you pick one.
What a replaster includes
- Site visit and written scope. We look at the plaster, tile, coping, deck, the shell for movement, the equipment and the bond, and write up what is required, what we recommend and what is optional.
- Drain and chip out. The old plaster comes out back to sound material.
- Repairs first. Movement cracks and failed plumbing behind the light niche are fixed before the new plaster goes on. Cracked rolled bond beams are repaired at this stage too.
- Empty pool checks. Main drain covers, returns, skimmer throats, light niches and the bond wire are looked at while they are exposed, because that is the only time it is cheap to touch them.
- Bond coat and new plaster. A bond coat goes on and the new plaster is applied.
- Startup. The pool is filled and goes through a 28 day startup period.
If the waterline tile or coping is failing, it is usually replaced in the same trip so the pool is drained only once.
Before and after
The cover rule on remodeled pools
Oro Valley and unincorporated Pima County both require a cover that limits evaporation on remodeled outdoor pools and spas before final inspection approval. If your replaster needs a permit, we pull it, and we plan for the cover from the start. Details: pool cover rules in Southern Arizona.
Who does the work
Omni Pool Builders and Design has built and renovated pools in Tucson since 2012. We hold Arizona ROC licenses 282151 (KA-5 dual swimming pool) and 326882 (CR-21 hardscaping), are BBB A+ accredited since 2013 and are a Pool and Hot Tub Alliance member. Look up any bidder on the Arizona ROC contractor search before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
What is pool replastering?
Replastering removes a pool’s worn plaster and applies a new plaster coat, white, colored or quartz, over the concrete shell. It is the most common way to resurface a plaster pool.
How often does a pool need replastering in Tucson?
Most of the pools we replaster or resurface have been in the ground fifteen to twenty years. Hard water and sun shorten plaster life, and white plaster wears faster than colored, quartz or pebble finishes.
Should I replaster or switch to a pebble finish?
Plaster costs less up front. Exposed aggregate finishes such as PebbleTec last the longest in our climate. If you plan to keep the house and the pool for a long time, compare service life, not just the first price.
Can cracks be fixed during a replaster?
Yes. Movement cracks in the shell, cracked rolled bond beams and failed plumbing behind the light niche are repaired after chip-out and before the new plaster goes on.
Does colored or quartz plaster change the water color?
Yes. Colored and quartz plasters change how the water looks, and they hold up better than white plaster.
Do I need a pool cover after replastering?
In Oro Valley and unincorporated Pima County, yes. Both require a cover that limits evaporation on remodeled outdoor pools and spas before final inspection approval.
How much does it cost to replaster a pool?
We price a replaster from a site visit. Pool size, the plaster you choose, repairs found after chip-out and any tile or coping work move the number, and each shows as its own line in the written scope.
Related reading
- Pool resurfacing in Tucson
- Pool remodeling and renovation in Tucson
- PebbleTec compared with other finishes
- What a pool costs in Tucson and how to choose a builder
Call (520) 222-8503 or request a site visit. Omni Pool Builders and Design, 6640 N Oracle Rd, Suite 130, Tucson, AZ 85704.