Built for hillside pools that take more sun and wind than a sheltered backyard ever will. Classic plaster, quartz, and pebble — patched where that holds, fully replastered where it won't.
The LA hills carry some of the most varied pool plaster we see anywhere — original midcentury plaster in Trousdale and the older sections of Los Feliz, weather-worn finishes on hillside pools that catch far more sun and wind than a sheltered flat-lot backyard, and estate-grade pebble and quartz on the newer Bel Air and Holmby Hills properties. Elevation and exposure change how fast plaster wears here more than almost anywhere else we service — a hillside pool with full southern exposure ages differently than one tucked into a canyon under tree cover, even a few streets apart.
Why hillside plaster wears differently
Plaster is the waterproof skin between your pool water and the shell underneath, constantly fighting chemical exposure and UV. Hillside and canyon-rim pools across the LA hills catch more direct sun and more wind-driven evaporation than a sheltered pool at the bottom of a flat lot, and that exposure shows up as etching and staining sooner than the finish's rated lifespan would suggest. We factor elevation and sun exposure into every plaster read here, not just age and water chemistry.
Finish options for hillside & estate pools
6–9 year lifespan on exposed hillside pools
Still an option for sheltered, canyon-shaded pools — a harder sell on full-exposure hillside properties where UV wear shows early.
10–14 year lifespan
Better UV and chemical resistance than standard plaster — a solid middle option for hillside pools without full southern exposure.
15–20+ year lifespan
What we recommend most often for exposed hillside and estate pools — the aggregate surface holds up to sun and wind exposure far better than smooth plaster.
Midcentury-matched & designer blends
Color-matched restoration for Trousdale's midcentury pools, and custom glass-bead or aggregate blends for newer Bel Air and Holmby Hills builds.
Our process
A controlled drain and honest assessment of the existing surface, accounting for how much sun and wind exposure that specific property gets.
Old plaster removed down to the gunite shell rather than resurfaced over — the only way to catch delamination that weather exposure accelerates.
Proper shell prep before any finish goes on, staged around narrow canyon access and gate codes where the property calls for it.
Applied by hand for a consistent finish, with guided startup chemistry for the first two weeks after a replaster.
Patch or full replaster?
Usually patchable
Common on sun-exposed hillside plaster — color-matched and patched without a full resurface if the surrounding surface is still sound.
Acid wash first
More common on full-exposure hillside pools than sheltered ones — treated before anyone recommends a resurface.
Full replaster required
Plaster separating from the shell can't be patched — it needs a proper chip-out, more common on older midcentury pools that haven't been redone.
Often a full replaster
When sun and wind exposure has worn most of the surface rather than isolated spots, a full refinish with a more durable aggregate is the honest call.
Response within 24 to 48 hours, every time.
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