Choosing the correct coating depends on your pool surface and whether it has been previously coated. Use this guide to match your surface with the right Olympic system.
For uncoated pools, Olympic offers acrylic, rubber-base, and epoxy coating systems. Epoxy coatings generally offer the longest service life, while each system has its own application advantages.
Concrete pools may use acrylic enamel, synthetic or chlorinated rubber, or epoxy. Epoxy coatings offer the longest expected service life.
Any Olympic products may be used on plaster or marcite. Rough surfaces should be primed with Gunzite; smooth surfaces use Poxoprime II before epoxy finish coats.
Fiberglass pools should use an epoxy system. Over Gunzite Primer, apply either two coats of Poxolon 2 or one coat of Zeron.
Steel and aluminum require an epoxy system and a special primer before the finish coat. Olympic pool products are not recommended for stainless steel.
Use the chart below to compare compatible primers, finish coatings, and the number of finish coats needed for each new or unsurfaced pool system.
| For Smooth Concrete Surface | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| System | Primer | Coating | # of Coats |
| Epoxy | Poxoprime II | Zeron | 1 |
| Epoxy | Poxoprime II | Poxolon 2 | 2 |
| Chlorinated Rubber | None | Paralon 2 | 2 |
| Synthetic Rubber | None | Optilon | 2 |
| Acrylic | None | Hydrolon | 2 |
| For Plaster Surface | |||
| System | Primer | Coating | # of Coats |
| Epoxy | Poxoprime II | Zeron | 1 |
| Epoxy | Poxoprime II | Poxolon 2 | 2 |
| Chlorinated Rubber | None | Paralon 2 | 2 |
| Synthetic Rubber | None | Optilon | 2 |
| Acrylic | None | Hydrolon | 2 |
| * Use Gunzite on all rough plaster and concrete and on sandblasted surfaces. | |||
| For Gunite Surface | |||
| System | Primer | Coating | # of Coats |
| Epoxy | Gunzite | Zeron | 1 |
| For Aluminum Surface | |||
| System | Primer | Coating | # of Coats |
| Epoxy | Bonderite | Zeron | 1 |
| Epoxy | Bonderite | Poxolon 2 | 2 |
| For Steel Surface | |||
| System | Primer | Coating | # of Coats |
| Epoxy | #219 Steel Primer | Zeron | 1 |
| Epoxy | #220 Steel Primer | Poxolon 2 | 2 |
| Olympic Pool products are not recommended for stainless steel. | |||
| For Fiberglass Surface | |||
| System | Primer | Coating | # of Coats |
| Epoxy | Gunzite | Zeron | 1 |
| Epoxy | Gunzite | Poxolon 2 | 2 |
| One coat of Zeron may replace two coats of Poxolon 2 in all cases where epoxy is used. | |||
Olympic recommends using the same type of coating when recoating a previously finished pool. If you are unsure whether the existing finish is acrylic, rubber-base, chlorinated rubber, or epoxy, test a small chip first before choosing your refinishing system.