Ask The Masters: Who’s Using ecoFINISH & Why?

In the ever-evolving world of pool construction and renovation, professionals are constantly on the lookout for innovative products that not only enhance pool quality but also streamline installation processes. Recently, a pool professional posted a question in the Ask The Masters group on Facebook, a community dedicated to educating the pool industry. The question revolved around ecoFINISH products and whether anyone had experience with them. To shed light on what ecoFINISH is, how it works, and why it’s gaining traction, we sat down with Joe Solana, President of ecoFINISH, and Jacob Tetrick, a new installer and applicator who says using ecoFINISH products has been incredibly beneficial for his pool business.

What ecoFINISH Is & How It Works

The ecoFINISH brand has become known in recent years for its innovative pool finishing technology. They specialize in external flame spray powder coating, a unique approach to pool surface coatings. This technology uses polyethylene powders that are chemically resistant and incorporate UV-stable pigments, making the pool surface highly durable and resistant to the effects of water chemistry and sunlight.

Joe Solana highlights a significant advantage of ecoFINISH: its resistance to fading due to water chemistry. “You won’t get your typical bleach mark,” he explains. “If someone throws muriatic acid into the pool or broadcasts chlorine excessively, the finish remains unscathed, unlike traditional masonry finishes. This provides pool owners and builders with valuable time to rectify any chemical mishaps, mitigating potential damage.”

One of the standout features of ecoFINISH is its remarkably short curing process. Solana elaborates, stating, “The curing process for our finish lasts a couple of minutes. It’s essentially from the time that you stop applying the heat to the time it cools is our curing process.” This means that as soon as the pool application is complete, it can be filled with a standard garden hose. No need for the logistics and expense of trucked water, as is the case with some other pool finishes.

What sets ecoFINISH apart further is the absence of a protracted two-week curing period that often accompanies alternative finishes. This ease of use and rapid curing process benefits not only pool owners but also pool builders, who can initiate pool operations immediately.

The Applicators Experience

Jacob Tetrick, who operates Quality USA Pools in South Dakota, provides invaluable insights into why ecoFINISH has become an integral part of his pool construction and renovation projects.

Jacob’s initial interest in ecoFINISH was piqued by a growing demand for pool resurfacing. He explains, “With the increasing number of inquiries about pool renovations, I began exploring options for a higher-end pool solution that could be completed more quickly and with minimal disruption to the homeowner’s property. In my region, some clients are averse to the idea of a full concrete pool due to cost differences. They are willing to invest more for a superior product.”

Benefits & Advantages

One of the primary advantages that caught Jacob’s attention was ecoFINISH’s simplicity and ease of application. “Even on complex resurfacing projects that involve chipping out plaster and applying a skim coat to a concrete pool, we can complete the job with just three workers,” he states. “This not only saves time but also minimizes the challenges associated with larger labor crews.”

For Tetrick, delivering a high-quality, long-term solution to his clients is paramount. He emphasizes, “I want to provide the best possible products for the best possible price, both for me and for the customer. It’s about being profitable on jobs and ensuring that customers don’t face recurring issues, necessitating frequent service calls.”

Jacob’s experience with ecoFINISH has been overwhelmingly positive. He adds, “I’ve been an ecoFINISH installer for about two years now, and the best thing about it is its simplicity. As long as you follow their process, perform the necessary prep work, and take your time to apply the product properly, you won’t encounter any issues.”

Moreover, Tetrick underscores the benefits of ecoFINISH for his customers. “When discussing pool options with customers, I emphasize the differences. Vinyl liners have a limited lifespan, typically three to seven years, with replacement costs ranging from $7,000 to $13,000,” he explains. “In contrast, the ecoFINISH-coated pool offers a ten-year warranty, doesn’t fade in the sun, is environmentally friendly, and eliminates the need for vinyl liners, reducing waste.”

An outstanding feature of ecoFINISH is its durability. Tetrick highlights, “The product comes with a ten-year warranty, but we’ve observed it lasting well beyond 15 years without requiring any maintenance. What’s particularly impressive is the ability to make repairs. For example, if we apply ecoFINISH to a concrete pool and it develops cracks, we can revisit the area, fix the crack, and reapply the coating. This process seamlessly bonds to itself, ensuring a consistent finish. There’s no need to redo the entire pool.”

Training & Supporting The Industry

Solana also discussed the considerable challenges associated with introducing a new technology to an industry. He explains, “Early on, we had made the decision since we were the ones introducing this technology, that if anything went wrong,” Solana says, “and applicators were not installing correctly and they were having issues, the product would be to blame. It’s not like having some type of cementitious plaster finish and just coming out with a new brand. Usually, the applicator is the one who can easily be explained as doing it incorrectly and the reason for the problem. But when you have a whole new technology and you’re introducing it into an industry that’s never heard of it before, and you’re asking people to believe that it works, if you run into any streak of issues, everyone’s going to blame the new technology.”

To ensure the success of the technology, ecoFINISH made a crucial decision. Solana explains, “We knew that we had an uphill battle. I’ve been in the swimming pool industry my entire life. I was born into the family business. I know the kind of guys that we deal with on a day-to-day basis. Often if presented with needing to pay for training, they’ll opt to skip it. So we made the decision early on that we would never charge anyone for training.”

The commitment to free training has been a cornerstone of ecoFINISH’s approach. Solana underscores this point, saying, “Out of our applications all over the world, other than the initial purchase of the equipment, I can only think of one or two instances where we actually charged somebody for training. For all of our customers, one of the points that we hit on is that we will get people to them for training for any reason. If they’re just uncomfortable and need help, all they have to do is ask.”

Moreover, Solana acknowledges the unique nature of the pool industry. “A lot of guys who do concrete pools only do concrete pools,” he states. “Guys who do fiberglass pools typically only do fiberglass pools. There’s a handful of companies out there where they’ll jump around and they’ll work on different types of pools, but there’s not a ton of those guys. The vast majority specialize in something, then they stick with it. So if you’re a concrete guy and that’s what you’re used to, and that’s what we trained you on, and you go to do your first fiberglass pool, not only do we want you to ask for help, we want to be there. We want to show you how to do it because there are subtle differences between the two applications.”

Listen to our two-part series with Jacob Tetrick of Quality USA Pools and Joe Solana of ecoFINISH on the Pool Magazine podcast.

Part I:

Part II: