Questions to ask a pool-finish supplier before you order

Last updated: 29 October 2026

A practical checklist for architects, pool builders, hotel and villa developers and distributors ordering a cement-based exposed-aggregate pool finish, covering documents, samples, responsibilities, logistics and warranties.

Before ordering a cement-based exposed-aggregate pool finish, request current technical documentation, approve a current physical sample viewed wet, and define responsibilities between the supplier and installer. Because finishes such as PebbleCrete are supplied from Phuket, Thailand, confirming material supply and installation responsibilities early – alongside surface areas, lead times, substrate readiness and start-up water care – helps reduce the risk of avoidable delays.

1. which technical documents apply to the product and project country?

Website guides support early design, whereas site execution requires controlled documentation. Before ordering, request the current revisions for the material family and destination country:

• Technical Data Sheets (TDS) and Safety Data Sheets (SDS): Confirm the exact product, revision and supplied package.
• Method Statement: Confirm the current approved Method Statement for the selected product and project, and that the applicator is working to the latest revision.
• Substrate Acceptance Protocol and Submittal: Establish how the shell, render and waterproofing are signed off before finishing. If the project requires test reports, ask what is available; product documents, test reports and warranties serve different purposes.

The current Technical Data Sheet, Specification (Section 13 11 00), How to specify guide and Installation Overview can be downloaded from the Technical documents page. The Safety Data Sheets, Method Statement, Substrate Acceptance Protocol, Product Submittal Package, Material Warranty, Recommended Installer Warranty Template and Manufacturer’s Declaration of Origin are issued for a named project: tell PebbleCrete your company name, the project name and country and the product line, and the current revisions are sent by email.

2. what does the supplier provide versus what the applicator provides?

Material and installation quotations cover different work. Defining who supplies each item and holds site responsibility helps close gaps in scope and responsibility and avoid programme delays.

PEBBLE CRETE CO., LTD. supplies the finishing material and the technical documents, while independent applicators carry out installation. Confirm these boundaries in writing:

• Supplied by the manufacturer: The aggregate blend in 25 kg bags, the cement modifier and, for pigmented colours, a pre-weighed pigment pack.
• Supplied or arranged locally: White Portland cement (bought locally) and a tested, clean water supply. The bag contains no cement; confirm early that white Portland cement meeting the specification in the TDS is available locally, because the mock-up and the finished result depend on the cement actually used.
• Provided by the applicator or contractor: Crack repairs, render levelling, waterproofing, water testing, installation of the finish in accordance with the current approved project documentation, and the agreed start-up responsibilities.

The finish is a decorative layer at a nominal 10 mm thickness, not structural repair or waterproofing; the shell and waterproofing need separate specification, testing and acceptance.

3. how are colour selection, physical samples and batch planning confirmed?

Screen images and brochures are illustrations only; a 12 cm sample triangle cannot replicate how depth, sunlight, shade and reflections alter water colour.

Confirm your choice with a current physical sample from the selected family – PebbleCrete Classic, PebbleCrete Supreme or PebbleCrete Glass – viewed wet in sun and shade. Record the material family and exact colour name together, keeping glass beads and glass crystals distinct. Before application, have the applicator prepare an on-site mock-up (test panel) using the project’s local white cement. Judge the finished surface against the approved physical sample and mock-up rather than screen images, and keep the sample with project records. Colour and particle distribution vary; agree acceptance criteria in advance, noting that the mock-up, application and finished result are the responsibility of the owner and applicator unless PebbleCrete agrees otherwise in writing.

Measure the actual surface area to be covered – floors, walls, steps, beach entries and seating – not the plan water-surface area. Confirm suitability for each location; beach entries and lagoon shallows should preferably stay wet. For planning, one 25 kg bag covers approximately 1.8 square metres at a nominal 10 mm thickness, subject to project confirmation, as pool geometry and the accepted substrate affect actual project quantities. Discuss batch planning on large pools, noting that slight batch-to-batch variation in a hand-applied natural stone and glass finish is normal and distinct from a defect.

4. what are the lead times, logistics and site readiness checks?

For export projects, freight quotations from Phuket are project-specific. Share the project country, measured area and schedule early to confirm lead times and shipping.

PebbleCrete is supplied in 25 kg bags, 40 bags per pallet where palletised. Order quantities should follow a measured project plan; confirm project quantities, any allowance, packaging, delivery inspection and damage-reporting arrangements with the supplier and applicator.

Before the application visit, confirm three site conditions:

• Clean access and working areas: Keep access and the working area clean, finish nearby dusty or heavy work, and never use the completed pool for storing materials.
• Fitting clearances: Set drains, lights, grilles, step markers and overflow edges for the 10 mm finish build-up.
• Clean circulation spaces: Remove debris from the pool, balance tanks, sumps and pipework.

5. what technical support covers filling, start-up and water care?

A cement-based finish cures under water. Once the applicator releases the pool, filling must start promptly and continue without interruption. Request written start-up and water-care guidance before installation so the operator and equipment are ready.

Test filling water and delivery lines in advance. In Southeast Asia and other tropical regions, water from wells, rivers or lakes can arrive at pH 5.5 or contain dissolved metals. Clear water is not proof of suitable chemistry; acidic fill water and unbuffered trichlor dosing can damage a cementitious finish within six months.

Follow the written start-up programme issued for the pool. Through the first month, run filtration continuously; widely used start-up programmes also call for brushing the pool daily (often twice daily in the first week). Subject to approved care guidance, equipment requirements and applicable local requirements, PebbleCrete targets are a pH of 7.6–7.8, total alkalinity of 80–120 ppm, calcium hardness of 200–400 ppm, cyanuric acid of 30–50 ppm, a Langelier Saturation Index of 0.0 to +0.3 (acceptable −0.3 to +0.3), and free chlorine of 1–3 ppm for every system. With salt chlorination, wait 28–30 days before adding salt and stay within the chlorinator’s range (typically 3000–4500 ppm). Never add any form of chlorine – granules, tablets or liquid – directly onto the finish.

6. how are warranties and reference projects set out?

Clarify how warranties are separated. PebbleCrete sets out its Material Warranty separately and provides a recommended installer warranty template on request. Any workmanship or installation warranty must be agreed separately with the independent applicator or contractor; confirm whether the applicator offers a workmanship warranty and obtain its scope, exclusions and terms in writing.

As a planning figure, an exposed-aggregate pool finish is generally expected to serve for 15–20 years. This is an industry estimate, not a warranty term. Where an individual pool falls within or outside that range depends on substrate preparation, application quality, water chemistry and routine maintenance.

When reviewing reference projects – such as hotels, resorts, water parks and villas in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Maldives or the United Arab Emirates – ask which material family and colour were used. Reference pools show how a blend relates to its setting, while water depth, lighting and independent site workmanship influence appearance.

Frequently asked questions

Photographs and screen colours are illustrations. Confirm colour and texture with a current physical sample viewed wet and an approved on-site mock-up.

More in the Knowledge Centre · Ask a technical question

This article provides general technical guidance, not a design, installation or safety instruction for a specific pool. Every project depends on its structure, substrate, waterproofing, water conditions and local regulations. Refer to the current PebbleCrete technical documents: the Technical Data Sheet and the Installation Overview are available online, and the Safety Data Sheet and the full Method Statement are issued on request. Confirm structural, waterproofing, electrical and installation decisions with qualified professionals. PebbleCrete supplies the material only; unless agreed otherwise in writing, substrate preparation and application are carried out by the owner’s applicator, who is responsible for that work. Nothing in this article limits your statutory rights.