Pool plaster colours: how your finish changes the colour of the water

Water itself is nearly clear, so what you see is mostly the plaster underneath it, plus the sky and surroundings reflecting off the top. Choosing a plaster colour is really choosing the colour of your pool water.

The general rule

• White and pale finishes give bright, light aqua water that looks clean and tropical.
• Blue finishes give clearer, more saturated blues. The deeper the blue, the deeper the water colour.
• Green finishes give a natural, lagoon-style water that blends with planting.
• Grey and charcoal finishes give deep blue-green to dark, reflective water with a dramatic, mirror-like look.

The 12 Ultra Quartz™ colours

Ultra Quartz™ is a reflective quartz plaster made in New Zealand for local conditions. These are the 12 standard colours, from lightest to deepest water tone. The water colours are typical. Your pool will vary, as explained below.

	Colour	Plaster	Typical water colour
	Tropical White	Bright white	Brightest, lightest aqua
	Aquamarine	White with aqua and teal flecks	Light, fresh turquoise
	Coastal Sky	Pale white-grey with blue flecks	Light, clear blue
	Pastel	Soft pale blue	Soft, light blue
	Capri	Light to mid blue	Bright mid blue
	Ocean	Aqua-turquoise	Vivid tropical turquoise
	Bahama Blue	Sky blue	Saturated Caribbean blue
	Denim	Deep blue	Deep, rich blue
	Bali	Natural green	Green lagoon, resort style
	Nardo	Light grey with dark flecks	Soft blue-green
	Volcanic Grey	Mid grey with dark flecks	Deep blue-grey
	Carbon	Charcoal	Darkest, deep lagoon and reflective

Custom blends are also available for architecturally specified projects.

What else changes the colour?

• Depth: deeper water always reads darker and bluer than the shallow end or steps.
• Sky and sun: the same pool looks brighter on a clear summer day than under cloud.
• Surroundings: trees, planting, fences and the coping colour all reflect in the water.
• Lighting: pool lights change the colour at night. Warm white and cool white lights give quite different looks.
• Water balance: poorly balanced water can cloud, stain or etch the surface and change how it looks over time. See our 30-day start-up guide.

Light or dark: the trade-offs

Lighter colours

• Bright, inviting water, and you can see the bottom clearly.
• Dirt, leaves and stains are easier to spot, so the pool may need cleaning more often.

Darker colours

• A dramatic, natural look that suits modern architecture and landscaped gardens.
• Darker surfaces can absorb a little more heat from the sun.
• Natural variation and mottling are more visible on darker finishes, which is part of their character.

Natural variation is normal

All quartz and marble plasters are hand-applied, cement-based finishes. Some variation in colour, shade and mottling is normal and part of the look, and it is not a defect. Colour can also settle over the first weeks as the plaster cures.

Screens show colour differently, so always choose from a physical sample. Wet the sample and view it outside in daylight to get closest to the finished look. Order free samples.