Just in time for warmer weather, the pool is finished! Don’t get too excited, our backyard is FAR from complete. We still have to put down sod, add landscaping, and bring in new outdoor furniture. I wanted to go ahead and share the finished pool since it will be some time before we get to all of those things. If you’ve missed the previous pool posts you can get caught up by reading why we’re putting in a pool and then see the pool updates and our tile choices. I will definitely be taking pretty pictures when the backyard is all done, but until then, here’s the finished pool!

Dimensions + Depth

Our pool is 15 ft. wide at the widest and 35 ft. long. The shallow area once you’re off the tanning ledge is 3.5 ft. and 6 ft. at the deep end. It’s deep enough for cannonballs, but not deep enough for an adult to dive.

Decking

The last I left you, they had just installed the pool coping, waterline tile, and plumbing. Next was adding the pool decking, before finishing off with the plaster. This was probably the part that I stressed over the most. Our covered patio area has a brick floor that we added several years back. I hated the thought of ripping it all out for the purpose of having one continuous material for the pool decking. That was where I came up with the idea to do pavers with rock.

Paver Material

Deciding on pavers was the easy part. Making a decision on the material the pavers would be made out of was the hard part. I loved the idea of repeating the travertine that was used along the edge of the pool (aka coping), but natural stone is expensive. My pool builder told me about a newer product by Belgard called Travertino. It’s a manmade material that mimics the look of travertine, is slip resistant, cool to the touch, and costs a lot less. Done! We went with Travertino in Ivory as it was the closest match to our Travertine coping in Country Classic.

The gravel between the two is Tejas Black. A question I got a lot on Instagram was if the rocks are loose. They are and yes they can get kicked into the pool. We knew this going in and still decided to do it. We’ve only had a couple get in the water and we just scoop them out. It’s definitely not a deal breaker for me.

Pool Plaster

Years ago, before we ever talked about a pool, I knew I loved French Gray plaster. I get weirded out by dark pools and this color is just perfect to me. Not too dark, not too light; not too blue, not too green. Every step of the building process is enjoyable, but seeing the plaster sprayed was extra exciting since I knew we were near the finish line.

Plaster Add Ins

There are some customizations you can add to your pool plaster if you want to. We added blue glass beads and abalone shell. I’ll be honest, I didn’t understand what all these would do until seeing the water and sun bring it to life. The beads reflect in the water giving it more contrast and texture. Then the abalone shell gives it that extra sparkle, like little diamonds.

The water color against the waterline tile makes my heart pitter patter. The waterline tile is Master Tile’s Tivoli in Silver. You can see more of it in this post.

There was a moment where panic set in when the pool was first filled with water. Notice how green the water looks? Not what I was envisioning! Here’s what is going on. Water in different areas have varying amounts of minerals, etc. that give water a certain color. Our water has a green tint. We were told that in another area not far from us the water fills up black. Can you even imagine? Once the water has been balanced with pool chemicals it becomes clear and takes on the color intended by your pool plaster. Phew!!

Such a difference, right?!

Water Features

I didn’t grab a good photo of this part, but you can faintly see it in the above photos. All of the pools I fell in love with were very simple with clean lines and minimal water features. We did add two bubblers on the tanning ledge at either end. While they aren’t big eye-catching water features, the water sound they create is so soothing. We didn’t realize how much we would love that part, even when we’re just sitting on the patio. The bubblers also create little waves and ripples throughout the pool that show off the glass beads and shell in the plaster.

Patio

While the pool was being built we made some changes to our covered patio. Tongue and groove boards stained in Minwax’s Special Walnut were added and the change was HUGE. It not only drastically improved the appearance, but it feels so much larger now. Our old outdoor ceiling fan, which did nothing to curb the Houston heat, was replaced with this outdoor chandelier. I’m so happy with the new look!

Left to Do:

• sod
• new patio furniture
• landscaping

Sod is scheduled to be installed this week. It’s going to make a huge difference. New patio furniture has already been chosen and you’re going to love it! Landscaping is not my thing. I’m going to have to get help with this part. But, the pool is finished and we couldn’t be more thrilled! We have already been swimming the last two weekends and can tell this Summer is going to be our best yet.

Sources:

• Pool Dimensions – 15×35
• Coping – Travertine in Country Classic
• Waterline Tile – MasterTile Tivoli in Silver
• Plaster – French Gray with blue glass beads and abalone shell
• Pavers – Belgard Travertino in Ivory
• Gravel – Tejas Black
• Patio Ceiling Stain – Minwax Special Walnut
• Chandelier