Pool Envy LLC

03/21/2025

The pressure of ground water is coming through the floor of the pool. - This pressure can cause a pool to float and this is why you must relieve it when you drain a pool.

03/21/2025

Our pool demo team is rocking it! Two pools in two weeks. We had the opportunity remove this old commercial swim- pool to help the client restore their room.

This pool contained hydraulics to power a swim fan. The hydraulic fluid was recycled. The galvanized steel within the pool was also recycled and the concrete removed will be crushed and turned into future pools!

Once a few plumbing items are done by our plumber, then we will fill the hole back in and pour concrete that will allow the client the ability to re-use the room, minus a swimming pool!



Watershape University

03/18/2025

Complex demolition is not a problem. This project involved abandoning a swimming pool in a difficult to access area along with complex logistics due to trucks and the "spring thaw" - thankfully, the weather lasted just long enough to get the pool filled and compacted in. A sign off by the engineer and it is all set.
-----------
This pool demo is a sign of great team work with the team the past week. There are numerous tasks involved from breaking down the bond beam, to cutting rebar, to Dowling rebar, to moving 5 dump trucks of material, to compacting in 2-3" lifts so that we can effectively eliminate settling or minimize it as much as possible.
------------
Key take away on this interesting job:
1) All electric wet saws
2) Electric Compactor
3) Zero emissions equipment utilized indoors
4) Recaptured 36 # of R-22 refrigerant
5) Removed old Desert Air Condensing Unit.

-------------
Tomorrow, the clean up crew will head on through for a once-over, and we'll be ready to tie the rebar, and bring in a large concrete pump to get the pool matching the existing floor.

Watershape University at work!

03/13/2025

What is pool plaster? Let’s have a look, shall we?

03/11/2025

It's been busy! Decommissioning an inground concrete swimming pool. The wrecking crew made great progress for day one. Aaron and Pete stopped by too help remove 36 pounds of R-22 from a very old outdoor condenser and then decommission that. I think we will call this segment, Demo Tuesday! Another pool next week.
--------------
Back to the focus on safety and electricity; Nick also stopped over. When we went to remove the 120V pool lights, once again we found that a pool builder just "installed it how they felt was okay." This included drilling a hole through a wall and not protecting the wire in conduit. Additionally, it was moved from a GFCI! The scariest thing though - check out this flooded light niche. That is a LOT of water sitting inside the pool light.
----------------
It is wise to check, and double check your swimming pool lights each season. Check the GFCI; and be sure to check the pool light itself. They get old, the rubber in the gaskets leak, and that would turn the pool "very spicy."

03/10/2025

https://pdftobrainrot.org/share/3dcf3cd47a7342f1a799286d8801e69e

Check out the engaging, TikTok-style 'brainrot' content I created from a boring PDF. PDF To Brainrot uses AI to make learning fun and effective. Try it yourself!

03/06/2025

03/03/2025

Did you know? You can add LED lighting to your pool after it's been installed. C'mon, you know you want to. It's cool looking.

03/01/2025

Did you know? - You can add a pool lights to an existing concrete pool?

03/01/2025

I recommend this class to any pool person who works with tile.

03/01/2025

Today marks the anniversary of a decision to get into plastering swimming pools. The reality of the choice is that without people, support, and organizations for support the impossible wouldn't be possible.
--------------
We are based in Green Bay, Wisconsin with employees here and in Texas and Florida. Still, we remain a "small company" focused on specific tasks that allow us to maintain our agility and accomplish what we enjoy doing. Along the way, it pays the bills.
--------------
First, I need to thank Watershape University and a few unnamed folks for encouraging us to connect. I need to thank our friends at Tempool Inc, Plaster Logic for helping guide us into making insane decisions. (Their actual words were: "this small machine will do the job just fine.) --- Some of those ideas we took to heart. Then, due to a variety of desire to be ready within our industry, we bought a plaster-truck instead. -- That said, finding the RIGHT truck; with the right equipment, and ability to work the application techniques we utilize was a rare, and an answer to prayer (because, we believe in God.) and it all came together.
---------------
Now back to, "how the heck did we get here?" We attended a class about plastering. This was after a few projects and wanted to not make the mistakes those around us were. Then, we spent a week in Jacksonville Florida training with experts in plastering. Then headed back to Wisconsin. An interesting note, we were sitting in class when the phone rang about someone wanting a pool plastered. (the pool below is that pool.) -- At that moment, we knew that we had a goal to work towards.
----------------
Over the next year, we did a lot more training in plaster application, attended classes; hand on; and worked on our technique. -- You don't just switch from concrete to plaster overnight.
----------------
Earlier last year, our truck arrived from another plaster company Pennsylvania. Queue the sound effects: "it was at that moment Jason realized." --- FMCSA, DOT, and the million other regulations required for big trucks.
-----------------
I had reached out to supplier and was like, "Hey Robert, I'm needing some plaster and a couple of guys that are up to some good, to go plaster a pool in and around my neighborhood." - and he was like, "I got ya."
------------------
In between being in Jacksonville, FL mid September 2024, and then doing this plastering project in October, we needed to ensure our pump was fully functional, the truck was ready to roll, and adjusted, tuned, and pumping properly. (because, diesel mechanic, hydraulics technician, and outfitter.) was also something I needed to add to our plate. While I was out of town, Tray and Nicole worked on the truck rehab. They also worked on prepping the swimming pool by pressure washing it, and cleaning the area. Taking our delivery of pallets of material and getting everything situated.
-------------------
I got off the airplane, and spent the next 20 hours of the weekend removing 1-1/2" bearings from the mixers, and replacing them. Remaking parts, replacing hoses, wrapping lines and fixing several air leaks. -- and once that was done, Johan is like, "Hey, let's see you test the pump too." - Me: "no worries."
--------------------
The guys jumped on a plane, and flew into Green Bay to meet up with our tiny team and helped us get the pool finalized, and check over our truck before the performance. (I mean, big day.) I mean, "just another plaster job."
---------------------
Mind you, this is a 30+ft truck, with pumps, motors, hydraulics, engines and 10,000 things that can go wrong at any given time and really make for a mess. Not to mention the 4000+PSI hoses on the hydraulic, and the several hundred psi pump lines.
----------------------
In reality, the project went as planned. What I can say though is waking up one day thinking we could plaster pools is not that it sounds like. -- There are hundreds of little details involved. The learning curve is massive. The specialty is specific.
-----------------------
I also have to acknowledge two of our phenomenal CDL drivers, Jake and Seth. They helped us get things where it needed to be on time, and place. We had over 9,000 pounds of material that needed to go into this pool!
------------------------
In closing, "it really does take a village to raise a plaster guy." and that does not even touch all of the time that is still required to learn how to apply , mix, and wash surfaces after the fact. Perhaps, this is why there is a lot of variation in pool plaster jobs. It's intense, there is a voluminous quantity of management required, and it's capital intensive too.
-------------------------
Our team: Colleen, Nicole, Jason, Tray, Seth, & Jake.

Various other folks in these photos are from Tempool, and other folks who too, were training with WaterShapes at the time so they can go back to their respective companies and make more magic happen!

For those who might wonder about plastering. Yes, it's a costly venture. It's not just mix up some stuff in a barrel and slap it on. That's what we won't do.

Our exclusive vendor CL Industries Plaster Logic

02/28/2025

Do you see what I see? In the world of plaster, I see a thin layer of plaster on top of the solid plaster. This can be caused by many factors. These finishes CAN sometimes be polished with diamond tools back to a decent finish and then protected.

Proper application is essential for this not to happen. Rapid drying of material. The worst? Working bleed water back into the finish (high water/cement ratio.)

02/27/2025

We've got Pete and Aaron checking out a triangle-tube system. Found out during our inspection that this unit was "recalled" - and since we are HVAC licensed, we were able to get that corrected for the home owner. Nothing fun about carbon monoxide. This is part of the reason that we "check everything."
--------------------------------------------
This entire pool system was torn out a few weeks later. It is used for an outdoor hot-tub that is run 365 days a year!

02/27/2025

Please let us know when you hear from us!

I designed and mailed this in under 10 minutes from the comfort of my home.

02/26/2025

Are you flexible? Good. Swimming pool glass tile is not. It's like having a friend who wants it there way all the time. We all know someone like that right? When sunlight hits glass, this stuff expands faster than concrete. It loves to pull away from the thin set used to hold it down. I guess you could say glass is a bit rebellious.
------------
A good relationship has give and take; and so the solution is to use a thin set that can be strong when it needs to be, but also willing to have a little give. This way, the relationship and bonding between the tile and pool bond beam can last indefinitely. We love strong relationships!
------------
Have pool tile that pops off? It's simple, the thin set is involved in a toxic relationship with the pool wall. It refuses to let go and as a result the expansive glass pulls away and pops off. Don't let this happen to your pool.
------------
One other piece of the puzzle, is that glass tile needs room. It's like an introvert; it does not want to be around all the other glass tiles every second of every day. It needs the ability to self-isolate. This is where flexible movement joints will help with rigidity. Further prolonging the life of the pool finish.
-------------
That concludes glass pool tile relationship advice for today!
P.S - by using Plaster Logic ; we could take all that ugly white laitance / scale off the plaster too.

02/25/2025

When replacing a skimmer, you MUST use rebar. Skimmers should be as-one with the pool; this prevents movement from taking it out. This includes the top deck being isolated from the skimmer; and the top beam of the pool. If these are not de-coupled; you will develop cracking.

This pool was upgraded to a larger skimmer and larger plumbing system. The main drain was "deleted" and turned into a 4th return. This was done for safety and to help improve water circulation. The previous skimmer was cracked and so was the decking surrounding it.

The following year, the pool was plastered. - NOTE: electrical bonding was tied onto the re-bar with direct burial rated clamps. This helps ensure the continuity of the electrical bonding grid of the pool.

02/25/2025

Unlike pool companies in our area, we don't do acid. Ahem, I mean use acid. Shoot: We do not voluntarily destroy your pool finish.
-----------
Our goal is preservation, great looks, enjoyment, and proper techniques and chemistry.
-----------
You can keep doing that acid trip stuff if you are into weird stuff.
-----------
If you want your pool surface looking pristine and great though, don't be using muriatic acid all up in there. -- Dilution ain't the solution.