Consultants and Expert Witnesses

Pool Tile Selection and the Ongoing Challenges They Offer

As the swimming pool industry continues its ever-evolving quest to keep up with current design trends, the tile industry is generally at the forefront of not only providing viable options that are sustainable in submerged conditions, but also addressing the revolving door of installation challenges associated with new products and designs.

Historically, porcelain mosaic and larger format porcelains such as 6" x 6" tiles have stood the test of time for many decades due to their durability, low absorption rate, and, of course, an attractive price point. To this day, porcelains still hold up well and are an attractive choice, but not without competition.

Sometime around the early-90s, glass tile, which was always popular with upper echelon consumers , made a resurgence into the mainstream market, and by the early 2000s had taken the pool industry by firestorm, but not without experiencing major growing pains along the way. Unlike its porcelain competitor, glass tile can offer unique challenges such as thermal shock sensitivity, bonding difficulties, and more challenging installation techniques. All this along with the visual challenges of translucent, transparent, fused back, and iridized glass, consumers to this day still struggle with "form over function" choices nearly 30 years after its re-entry into the pool industry. Having worked its way through many of the aforementioned challenges, more often than not on the backs of end users such as installers, builders, and homeowners, glass tile is still alive and well but competition and changing design trends are always looming.

Although glass and porcelain mosaics still hold the market share in the pool industry, with glass still holding an edge, the kid on the block is large format porcelain, coming in sizes from 12" x 12" to 36" x 36" and beyond. In large part, this is the tile industry's answer to ongoing issues related to the use of natural stone in submerged applications such as degradation, delamination, expansion, and iron ore content, to name a few. As design trends branch out and many architects and designers are integrating stone, or stone-looking tiles into their designs, tile manufacturers, with the help of modern manufacturing technology, can emulate natural stone with large format porcelains that are essentially undetectable to the majority of onlookers.

While large format porcelains have largely enhanced the possibility of a "natural stone" look in water features without the uncertainties of natural stone, they haven't come without yet another learning curve for installers and specifiers to contend with. As with all tiles in submerged applications, adequate coverage of adhesive is imperative, as is adequate cure time before total submersion.

Coverage of adhesive to the back of large tiles is more of a challenge than smaller tiles, but with a little knowledge of proper troweling techniques and understanding the importance of back buttering, this challenge is easy to conquer. The equally important yet more difficult issue has to do with allowing the adhesive to properly cure, particularly when high-performing cementitious thinsets are used.

Unlike two-component, self-curing adhesives, cementitious thinsets require time and access to air in order to fully cure. While smaller tiles deliver more air around the perimeter of each tile, allowing the thinset to achieve a full cure quicker, thinset on larger tiles will quickly cure around the perimeter, leaving the majority of the thinset behind the tile trapped and unable to cure for several months, if at all.

As with the many other challenges the tile industry has faced and continues to face with each new product on the market, much is being learned about proper installation techniques as well as adhesives that will more easily cure under the conditions they offer. The learning curve for installers can be steep, but the rewards are significant. Large format porcelains, with their ability to mimic the luxurious appearance of natural stone without the associated drawbacks, represent a significant advancement in pool design.

Moreover, the tile industry is continuously innovating to overcome the hurdles posed by these modern materials. Research and development efforts are focused on creating adhesives and installation methods that can keep up with the evolving demands of design trends and the practical challenges posed by submerged environments. This proactive approach ensures that both the aesthetic and functional needs of pool installations are met.

In conclusion, pool tile selection is a dynamic and ever-evolving field. From the enduring reliability of porcelain mosaics to the striking visual appeal of glass tiles and the innovative potential of large format porcelains, each option brings its own set of challenges and advantages. As design trends continue to evolve, so too will the methods and materials used to create stunning and durable pool environments. The ongoing collaboration between designers, manufacturers, and installers ensures that the swimming pool industry remains at the cutting edge of both beauty and functionality.