StoneScapes and Pebble Tec Pool Finishes decided to construct a pool in your home, great! But which pool finishing do you choose? Finding a hard time picking between StoneScapes and Pebble Tec? You’ve come to the right place.
Both StoneScapes and Pebble Tec are popular pool finishes, but that doesn’t mean they are the perfect choices for every pool.
Table of Contents
StoneScapes and Pebble Tec: Overview
Pebble Tec Pool Finish
Invented back in 1986 by Pebble Technology International, Pebble Tec is a type of pool finishing that comprises of white portland cement and small pebbles. This combination results in a more natural-looking finish.
The main advantage of Pebble Tec pool finishing is its durability. Typically, only 10% of its structure, which is cement, is likely to be affected by the pool water chemistry. However, the cement used is often pure, which is more resistant to the acid in swimming pool water.
Pebble Tec comes in four different finishing styles:
- PebbleTec ®(the original version)
- PebbleFina ® (gives a more durable, smooth finish)
- PebbleSheen ®(gives a more refined textured finish)
- PebbleBrilliance ™( gives a more elegant, natural-looking finish)
Let’s look at some of the advantages of this pool finishing.
Pros of Pebble Tec
High Durability
Pebble Tec is no doubt the most durable pool finishing. With proper maintenance, it can last up to 25 years. Most of its components, such as pure cement, are not affected easily by the chemicals like chlorine present in the swimming pool water.
Aesthetic Design
Pebble Tec also consists of different pebbles carefully selected for their vibrant colors, unique structure, and smooth surface. When combined, these pebbles provide a very attractive yet natural-looking design. In fact, most pool surfaces with Pebble Tec look more like the bottom of a creek or river.
A Wide Range of Choices
As we mentioned earlier, Pebble Tec comes in four different finishing designs. These styles also have many other options, giving you a wide range of choices to choose from.
While Pebble Tec comes with many benefits, it also has its fair share of disadvantages.
Cons of Pebble Tec
It Is Costly
The saying “ if you want quality you have to pay for it” really applies here. While Pebble Tec offers nothing short of the best when it comes to quality, it is quite expensive than other types of pool finishes.
StoneScapes Pool Finish
StoneScapes comprises of White Portland cement and natural quartz aggregate with a mixture of glass bead aggregates.
Many companies specializing in creating this pool finishing are regularly coming up with tons of options that consist of distinct components in terms of color, texture, and materials.
For instance, there is a StoneScapes pool finish design that has aqua blue pigmented portland cement and natural gold, black and blue pebble aggregates.
With this many designs, you cannot miss one that suits your taste and preferences.
Among the popular StoneScapes pool finishing designs include:
- Puerto Rico large blend
- Regular pebble design
- Touch of glass
- Mini pebble design
- Puerto Rico small blend
Here are a couple of advantages of this pool finishing.
Pros of StoneScapes
Smoother Texture
Compared to Pebble Tec, StoneScapes pool finishing offers a smoother surface texture. However, this depends on the type of design you choose. For example, the regular pebble design tends to be rough on the feet, especially if you’ve been in the pool for a while.
Highly Durable
Like Pebble Tec, StoneScapes is also highly durable, lasting for up to 20 years. It also requires little maintenance, which is an added advantage.
They Are More Affordable
StoneScapes finishing is more affordable, making it the ideal pool finishing option if you are on a budget.
Cons of StoneScapes
Most of the Designs Tend to Be Rough On the Feet
One major downside of this pool finishing is that most of its designs are pretty rough.
StoneScapes Vs. Pebble Tec: Which Pool Finish Better?
Having looked at both the advantages and disadvantages of StoneScapes and Pebble Tec pool finishes, let’s look at the differences between them in terms of design, price, and other factors.
StoneScapes Vs. Pebble Tec: Design
Pebble Tec offers a more aesthetic look than StoneScapes finishing when it comes to the overall design. This may be because it has a more rough texture than Pebble Tec.
Both of these pool finishes have an extensive range of design options. But, StoneScapes tends to have more because of the various materials used to construct it.
Durability and Maintenance
StoneScapes and Pebble Tec pool finishes are highly durable, lasting at least years with proper maintenance. But, StoneScapes is more resilient than Pebble Tec mainly because of the materials used.
When it comes to maintenance, Pebble Tec may require regular maintenance compared to StoneScapes.
With Pebble Tec, you’ll be required to brush your pool at least 3 times a day for the first 3 days after installation and at least 2 times a day for the next 10 days after installation.
Cost
The first thing that probably comes to your mind when you think about cost is the money used to set up the pool finishing. But, the time invested during maintenance should also be considered in this case.
Pebble Tec tends to be more affordable compared to StoneScapes because of the materials used for construction. You’ll also take a lot of time to maintain it, especially during the first couple of days after installation.
Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of both of these pool finishes
| Pros of Pebble Tec Pool Finishing | Pros of StoneScapes Pool Finishing |
| It has an attractive design | Wide range of design options |
| A smoother surface texture | Very affordable |
| Wide range of design options | Highly durable |
| Highly durable | Requires low maintenance |
| Cons of Pebble Tec Pool Finishing | Cons of StoneScapes Pool Finishing |
| It is quite expensive | It has a rough surface texture |
Final Words
As we mentioned earlier, both Pebble Tec and StoneScapes are excellent pool finishes.
However, to determine which is the perfect one for your pool, it is best to understand everything about them, from their cost to their maintenance requirements, to mention a few.
