When the pool needs to be re-tiled, it should be re-tiled. Just make sure that the company that is re-tiling your pool knows how to re-tile an outdoor pool. Re-tiling an outdoor pool is not like tiling an interior kitchen or bathroom. Being a pool, the tiles will come in contact with water. And being in Nebraska, the tiles will be exposed to inclement weather. Hire a pool professional to tile your pool. Done correctly, pool tiles are gorgeous.

A good tile job will also renovate and revive your pool…that’s a bonus.

Pool Tile Repairs

Regardless of the type, style, size, and location of the tiles, if just a few of them are faded, chipped, cracked, loose, hollow, or missing then just the damaged or missing tile(s) can be removed and replaced, where required. Here, you will likely have to have some spare tiles in stock. Even if you have some spare tiles, though, it will not be an exact match. The new tiles will be shiny and the existing tiles on the pool will be weathered. And the new grout (for the new tiles) will be bright and the old grout (for the existing tiles) will be weathered. But at least the pattern and color(s) will match until you can budget a full re-tile of the pool.

Pool Tile Replacement

If most of the tiles are faded, chipped, cracked, loose, hollow, falling apart, or missing, or if you just want a new look, then all of the tiles can be removed and replaced with new tiles. This is known as re-tiling the pool. If you opt to have the pool re-tiled, you can change the type and style of the tiles.

The most common part of the pool to re-tile is at the surface of the pool…called waterline tiles. Most waterline tile tracks are 6″ tall. But, you do not have to pick a 6″ tile. You merely need 6″ total. So, if your pool has 6″ waterline tile track, you could opt for:

• one row of a 6″ wide x 6″ tall tile (called a 6″ tile or a 6×6 tile).
• two rows of 3″ wide x 3″ tall mosaic tiles (called 3×3 tiles).
• three rows of 2″ wide x 2″ tall mosaic tiles (called 2×2 tiles).
• decorative derivatives that equal 6″ total in height, such as:
  • a 1″ tile border on the top, a 4″ tile, and a 1″ tile border on the bottom.
  • a 2″ tile border on the top and a 4″ tile.
  • a 4″ tile and a 2″ tile border on the bottom.

Again, this is contingent that your tile track is 6″ tall.

The correct pool tiles for Omaha, Nebraska

Due to cold winter temperatures and seasonal moisture, porcelain tiles are recommended. Avoid ceramic tiles. Using stone tiles or glass tiles are both certainly approved for swimming pools too, but they can be an expensive tile option…they can be very expensive. Since we live in the Midwest – a winterizing climate – also make sure the tiles are able to withstand the below-freezing winter temperatures. The various tile manufacturers will either reference these tiles as “frost-resistant” tiles or “frost-approved” tiles. They both mean the same thing…that these tiles can withstand below-freezing winter temperatures.

Notes about Pool Tiles

Some waterline tile tracks are 3″ tall. You can re-tile with 3″ tiles or you might be able to have a more common 6″ tile track built.

Some waterline tile tracks are 4″ tall. You can re-tile with 4″ tiles or you might be able to have a more common 6″ tile track built.

Some concrete pools do not have tiles…there is no tile track. If your pool does not have waterline tiles but you want tiles there, then a tile track can be built so the pool can be tiled. This will require diamond-cutting a straight line all the way around the pool just below the coping and then diamond-cutting another straight line all the way around the pool at the height you want for a tile track (with a 6″ tile track being recommended)…this will also require removing some of the wall thickness between the two diamond cuts. To be clear, if this is an option you want to discuss, you will have a phase to create the tile track and then also the phase to tile the pool.

Types of Pools

Most pool tiling or re-tiling is for concrete pools.

Some hybrid pools and fiberglass pools also have tiles.

If your pool has tiles, it will need to be re-tiled.

We hope this helps.

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We can re-tile your pool.

We re-tile pools. Prior to submitting a bid, we’d like to see the pool, mainly its tile track and coping. We offer free onsite consultation to discuss the job, take all measurements, and show you sample tiles.

Call us at 402-341-8132 or send us an email to [email protected] or submit a short form to discuss your pool and schedule free onsite consultation.

Or for the quickest response, you can call or text 402-250-8100 (Mike Loftus, owner).