Your pool’s surface takes a beating. Between Southern California’s intense sun, daily chemical exposure, and year-round use, even the most durable pool finishes eventually show signs of wear. The question isn’t whether your pool surface will need attention, it’s when, and how to recognize the warning signs before minor issues become major problems.
At Aqua Creations, we’ve assessed thousands of aging pool surfaces across Ventura County, Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Central Coast. We’ve learned that most surface failures don’t happen overnight. Instead, pools give clear warnings that it’s time for professional evaluation. Catching these signs early can save you money and help you plan for resurfacing on your timeline rather than in an emergency.
Here are the five most common indicators that your pool surface needs professional attention.
1. Rough or Abrasive Texture
When your pool surface was new, it felt smooth underfoot. But if you’ve noticed the texture becoming increasingly rough or abrasive, especially on steps, benches, and shallow areas, your surface is deteriorating.
This roughness happens differently depending on what material covers your pool. In plaster pools, the cement-based surface gradually erodes from chemical exposure and brushing, exposing the rough aggregate beneath. What started as a smooth finish becomes sandpaper-like as the top layer wears away. In pebble or aggregate finishes, the binding material erodes faster than the stone, leaving sharp edges exposed.
Rough pool surfaces aren’t just uncomfortable, they’re unsafe. Children playing in shallow areas can scrape knees and feet. Adults using steps or sitting on benches may develop abrasions without realizing it until they exit the pool. The roughness also makes algae removal more difficult because it creates texture where algae can anchor and grow.
If your pool surface has gone from smooth to noticeably rough, the deterioration will only accelerate. The exposed aggregate or underlying material is more vulnerable to chemical damage than the original smooth surface was, creating a cycle of faster degradation. This is one of the clearest signs that pool resurfacing should be on your radar.
2. Persistent Staining That Won’t Brush Away
All pool surfaces develop some discoloration over time, but there’s a difference between surface dirt that brushes away and permanent staining that penetrates the material. If you’re seeing dark spots, streaks, or areas of discoloration that remain despite aggressive brushing and chemical treatment, your pool surface has likely become compromised.
In cement-based surfaces like plaster and aggregate finishes, staining typically comes from metals in your water supply or from organic material that’s penetrated the porous surface. Southern California’s hard water contains minerals that embed in plaster over time, creating gray or brown discoloration that can’t be removed without acid washing. Even with proper chemical balance, these surfaces gradually absorb staining because they’re porous by nature.
Some homeowners attempt to address staining with aggressive acid washing, but this approach actually accelerates surface deterioration. Each acid wash removes a thin layer of material, bringing you closer to the point where resurfacing becomes necessary. If you’re acid washing every year or two to maintain appearance, your surface is already signaling that it’s reached the end of its useful life.
Staining also indicates that your pool surface is no longer providing an effective waterproof barrier. If water and minerals can penetrate the surface enough to cause permanent discoloration, they’re also causing damage you can’t see. Addressing the problem with resurfacing prevents hidden deterioration from progressing to structural issues.
3. Visible Cracks or Surface Damage
Cracks in your pool surface range from minor cosmetic issues to serious structural concerns, and distinguishing between them requires professional assessment. Any visible cracking deserves attention because even small cracks can worsen quickly, especially in Southern California where temperature fluctuations create daily expansion and contraction cycles.
Surface cracks, sometimes called check cracks or crazing, appear as fine lines in the finish. These typically indicate normal aging and don’t immediately threaten your pool’s structure. However, they do allow water to penetrate beneath the surface, which can lead to more serious damage over time. Surface cracks also trap dirt and algae, making your pool harder to keep clean and creating unsightly dark lines across your pool floor and walls.
Structural cracks are more concerning. These appear as wider fissures that may run across steps, walls, or the pool floor in straight or irregular patterns. Structural cracks can result from ground settling, seismic activity, tree root pressure, or poor original construction. When you see these cracks, water is almost certainly getting behind your pool surface and potentially compromising the underlying shell.
Both types of cracks worsen over time. What starts as a hairline surface crack can develop into a structural problem if water repeatedly penetrates and freezes during cold nights or causes delamination of the surface material. If you’re seeing new cracks appear or existing cracks getting wider, your pool is telling you it needs professional evaluation and likely pool resurfacing before the damage becomes more extensive and expensive to repair.
4. Severe Fading or Color Loss
Pool surfaces that once displayed vibrant color can fade significantly over time, particularly in Southern California where UV exposure is intense year-round. While some gradual fading is normal as surfaces age, severe color loss or uneven fading patterns indicate that your pool surface has deteriorated beyond the point of simple maintenance.
Plaster pools often develop a mottled appearance as they age, with some areas remaining relatively white while others turn gray, brown, or even purple. This uneven coloring comes from mineral deposits, algae staining, and chemical etching that affect different areas at different rates. Once plaster has developed this mottled appearance, no amount of cleaning or chemical adjustment will restore uniform color.
Colored plaster finishes and aggregate surfaces can also fade dramatically, especially in shallow areas and on steps where sun exposure is most direct. If your pool’s original blue has faded to pale gray, or if your aggregate finish no longer shows its original color variation, the surface material has been damaged by UV radiation and chemical exposure to the point where its protective qualities are compromised.
Severe fading also indicates that your pool surface is becoming more porous. As the outer layer breaks down from UV damage, the material becomes more susceptible to staining, algae growth, and water penetration. A severely faded surface is typically a surface that’s nearing the end of its lifespan.
5. Difficulty Maintaining Water Chemistry
When your pool surface is in good condition, maintaining proper water chemistry is relatively straightforward. But if you’re finding that your pH, alkalinity, or calcium hardness levels won’t stay balanced despite regular testing and adjustment, your deteriorating pool surface may be the culprit.
Cement-based surfaces like plaster and aggregate finishes constantly interact with your pool water. As these surfaces age and become more porous, they leach minerals into your water and absorb chemicals from it, making stable water chemistry nearly impossible to maintain. You might find that you’re adding more acid to lower pH, only to have it spike again within days. Or your calcium hardness might climb despite using soft water and calcium-reducing chemicals.
This chemical instability isn’t just frustrating—it’s expensive. You’re spending more on chemicals, testing more frequently, and still not achieving the clear, balanced water you want. The underlying cause is a pool surface that’s no longer functioning as an effective barrier between the pool structure and the water.
Water chemistry problems can also accelerate surface deterioration, creating a vicious cycle. Imbalanced water causes faster erosion and staining, which makes the surface even more porous and reactive, which further destabilizes your chemistry. Breaking this cycle requires addressing the root cause with professional resurfacing that creates a stable, non-reactive surface.
What to Do When You Notice These Signs
If your pool is showing one or more of these warning signs, the next step is professional assessment. Some issues can be addressed with targeted repairs, while others indicate it’s time for complete resurfacing. The only way to know for certain is to have an experienced technician evaluate your pool’s condition and explain your options.
At Aqua Creations, we provide free assessments for pool owners throughout Southern California. Our technicians will examine your pool surface, identify the specific types of damage present, and give you honest recommendations about whether repairs will solve the problem or whether fiberglass pool resurfacing is the better long-term solution.
We’ve found that most homeowners appreciate understanding what’s happening with their pool and why certain solutions will work better than others. We’re not interested in selling you more than you need, but we also won’t recommend short-term fixes when your pool requires a comprehensive solution.
Why Early Attention Saves Money
The single most important thing to understand about pool surface deterioration is that it’s progressive. Minor issues become major problems, and addressing problems early almost always costs less than waiting until your pool surface has completely failed.
A pool that needs resurfacing won’t get better on its own. The cracks will widen, the staining will spread, the roughness will worsen, and eventually you’ll face an emergency situation where your pool is unusable until the work is done. Planning for resurfacing when you first notice warning signs gives you time to budget, schedule the work during your preferred season, and make informed decisions about materials and options.
Get a Professional Assessment
If you’ve recognized any of these signs in your own pool, it’s time to find out exactly what you’re dealing with. Aqua Creations has been evaluating and resurfacing pools across Southern California for more than 35 years. We’ll give you a clear, honest assessment of your pool’s condition and detailed information about your options.
Call (805) 672-1695 or request a free pool assessment online. We serve homeowners throughout Ventura County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Central Coast with expert pool resurfacing services that restore your pool to better-than-new condition.
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