A nice tile job and graceful contours can turn a pool into something special; Owens Pools of Cheshire, Oregon, built this lovely stainless/gunite hybrid and tiled the sunshelf in splendid quartz from National Pool Tile.
“You use silicon to adhere the tile to the stainless wall,” says David Owens, owner, “so it can take the expansion and contraction of the steel. I wanted to eliminate as much grouting as possible, and by using these larger pieces that fit together like a puzzle, I was able to keep that to a minimum.”
With rich colored tile and stone surrounding the pool, the white plastic skimmer cover stuck out like a sore thumb, so Owens crafted that finishing touch. “I cut matching faceplates for the skimmer — just took a 12 inch by 12 inch piece of quartz tile, marked it with the plastic faceplate and then took it to a water-jet cutting company. Then I just screwed it on for a faceplate on the skimmer.”
The charming result has helped Owens sell out the 2014 season with stainless/gunite hybrids. “The main reason I like stainless pools is the quicker build time. You’re not waiting around for the bond beam to cure,” he says.
