A Product Guide for DIY Pool Areas

Tiling a pool area is a great DIY project. In fact, it’s one of the most common projects that our customers ask us about. Yet there’s plenty you need to consider. For one, you need to make sure you’re using materials that can withstand getting very, very wet.

We have many years of construction experience here at Multifors, including plenty of pool installations. We like to think we know what works, so we thought we’d put together a quick guide to help you DIY your pool area or choose some products for a professional to install. 

We’ll discuss a few things to keep in mind, and talk in detail about our favourite products for the job. One name you’ll see a lot of is Litokol, and for good reason. This Italian company has been putting out a range of grouts and sealing products that perform way above the competition. 

Choosing the right tiles for your pool area or pool. 

Whether you’re tiling the pool itself or the surrounding pool area, the tiles that you choose will play an important role. They need to be safe enough for your family to use regularly, and they need to last a long time in less-than-ideal conditions. 

Firstly, make sure you’re actually buying outdoor tiles for your pool area, not just regular tiles. Tiles that have been designed for the indoors won’t hold up as well to the elements, whereas outdoor tiles are designed to be thicker and much more resistant to water and temperature fluctuations. Slip resistance is also crucial. Look for tiles with at least an R11 slip rating, like the stunning Vesuvius Porcelain Paver. 

Most importantly, you should always try to choose a tile material that is naturally water-resistant, as you can expect it to be copping a fair bit of water over its lifespan! We exclusively stock porcelain outdoor tiles here at Multifors, because porcelain is a highly durable and water-resistant material that’s still affordable enough for most DIY budgets.

Porcelain generally doesn’t need to be sealed, which is another huge advantage over many other tiles. If you do decide to go with concrete or a natural stone tile for your pool area instead, you’ll need to put a bit more effort into sealing it. We’ll talk a bit more about this later in the article.

As for tiling the surface of the pool itself, small porcelain or glass mosaic tiles are an extremely popular choice that can look fantastic when the sun shines through the water. This leads us to perhaps the most important consideration: Using the right tile grout. 

Always use an epoxy grout. We strongly recommend Litokol, especially for mosaic pools.

Epoxy grouts are essential for pool areas, both for the tiled areas around your pool and especially in the pool tiling itself. These grouts are made out of epoxy resins that perform much better than traditional cement grouts, especially when it comes to staying waterproof.

Not all epoxy grouts are created equal, however, so choose wisely. One grout that we have been seriously impressed with lately is Litokol, an Italian company with a great reputation for producing extremely high-quality pool grouts. We witnessed some Litokol product demos recently where they outperformed pretty much any grout we’ve ever seen, and with over 50 years of construction experience, that’s not something we say lightly!

Their HQ is based in the heart of Italy’s ceramics district, where high-end mosaic pools are a serious business. It follows that these guys know a thing or two about developing high-performing grouts and pool sealing products. The Litokol Starlike EVO range of grouts comes in a wide range of colours to ensure your DIY pool project looks stunning and stays safely sealed against moisture for a long, long time.

If you’re building a glass-tiled mosaic pool, then Litokol Starlike Crystal EVO is especially worth checking out. It’s a clear epoxy grout which contains tiny quartz microspheres that allow light to filter straight through, greatly enhancing the colour of your glass mosaic. Starlike is very technologically advanced for grout, and it will give your pool a level of extra sparkle that is sure to impress.

The build-up of mould and water damage in your pool area can cost you thousands of dollars, so don’t settle cheap when choosing a pool grout. You should go for a high-end, high-performing epoxy grout like Litokol that won’t need to be replaced.

If you use concrete or stone, you’ll need a good quality sealer

Not everybody wants a tiled pool area. If you’d prefer to use concrete or a natural stone paver, that’s perfectly doable. But you will need to spend some extra time sealing it, and you will have to continue to reseal it as the years go on.

Fortunately, a good-quality sealer can last for up to 10 years. If you’re sealing porous stone pavers or concrete, Stain Proof is what we’d recommend. These guys are famous for their high-quality impregnating sealers, and they enjoy a great reputation in the construction industry. 

The Stain Proof 40Sk Consolidator is our choice of product for pool areas – it fortifies the surface of porous substrate materials without changing their appearance. Stain Proof Premium Impregnating Sealer is another excellent sealant that’s cleared for use in pool areas, although it is more of a general use product than the water-focused consolidator. 

If you’re keen on sticking with Litokol, they also offer some incredible waterproofing protection with their Aquamaster Liquid Membrane. This product is easy to apply and offers an excellent seal. As we mentioned earlier, it can also be overlaid on your pre-sealed porcelain tiles for an extra layer of protection.

Don’t forget small details, like drains, risers and coping.

Finally, it’s important not to forget the small stuff. For instance, adequate drainage is very important to a pool area, so it’s important not to overlook this when you’re planning your project. 

Personally, we’re big fans of the Lauxes Linear Floor Grate. These classy, rectangular grates can add an extra touch of luxury to your pool area, and allow for a different-looking design to your average circular pool grate. Choosing grates in bold colours like gold or matt black can also add an extra focal point to the design of your pool area.

You’ll also need to consider the edges of your pool. ‘Riser’ tiles with drop-down edges are a popular choice, and they’re all but essential when you’re tiling around a fibreglass pool shell. Aluminium Pool Coping is another classic option that’s hard to beat.

Considering these smaller details early in the project can help you create a more aesthetically unified design later on, rather than choosing things later as an afterthought. It may seem like a small thing now, but it can make a lot of difference to the final picture!

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Tiling or re-tiling your pool area is a great DIY project, but you’ll need a bit of prior knowledge to get it right. Hopefully, this quick guide has given you a good idea of what you’ll need to consider and the type of high-quality products and materials you should be looking for.

You can find all of the products that we’ve recommended – including Outdoor Porcelain Tiles, the Stain Proof Range and Litokol Starlike EVO Grouts – in the Multifors online store. Don’t waste time getting started with fast delivery across Metro Melbourne from $19.95.