Which is best for your pool enclosure?
Don’t let a short term solution turn into a long-term problem.
Repaint or Replace?
What you should know about repainting a pool cage?
If you are considering repainting a pool cage, one crucial step is pretreating the existing aluminum to ensure proper paint adhesion. This can be done through sandblasting or sanding done to bare metal, followed by priming and painting. This pretreatment, however, can exacerbate existing structural damage, by degrading the structural integrity of the cage from the outside. Just like in an auto body shop, it’s essential not to paint over old paint, so this step is crucial for the paint to last.
Painting over the existing paint on pool enclosures also does not address the internal problems that you may not see. Since there are internal fasteners made of zinc or stainless steel, a reaction can take place, called electrolysis, which in turn can cause corrosion inside the metal. This corrosion weakens the strength of the cage which can be very problematic, even catastrophic, during strong storms. Painting simply covers the issue without addressing it, leaving you vulnerable to impending winds.
The age of the cage and the wind speed it was built for can also contribute to its vulnerability. Pool enclosures built 15 to 20 years ago may not have been constructed to withstand the 150mph plus wind speeds hurricanes can produce in coastal areas. Painting an existing cage does not enhance its strength or ability to withstand storms.
Before you decide to repaint, make sure to review what you would like to accomplish and whether repainting or refurbishing will help you reach that goal. Many pool cage owners have come to realize that if they had been properly educated previously, they would have chosen to invest in a brand new cage that would have withstood storms, such as Ian or Irma, and avoided the financial and logistical challenges they faced.
Do you need to replace your cage?
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We heard good things about Absolute. We met with our designer, hashed out our wishes and John made it a reality. The wait was shorter than we were initially told. The company kept us in the loop from start to finish. We are very pleased with our partially covered lanai.
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