How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Pool: Complete Guide

A pool gets attention only during each summer. We’re all guilty of it, but what can you do? After spending the whole winter in negligence, it’s a mandatory job to prepare your swimming pool.

That is if you need the pool to tackle the upcoming scorching sun. Although it’s not necessary each summer to redo the paint of your pool, it certainly helps to protect the structure.

Which begs the question, how much does it cost to paint a pool?

There’s no hard and fast answer that I can give you. It’s unfortunate, although it’s the truth. There are so many different factors that play into painting a pool. There are quite a few steps from preparation to finishing.

But, if we’re clever about it, we can calculate an estimated amount from those different factors. Stick with me, and you’ll know. In this article, you and I will go over the intricate details about the cost and complexity while painting a pool.

How to Determine the Necessary Steps

First thing’s first; what does the swimming pool need before you can swim in it again? What I mean by that is the condition of the pool will determine the amount of paint and preparation you need before starting the job.

From the top of my mind, I can think of two common scenarios.

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Completely New Pool

One is an entirely new pool with a newly made surface that is free from all debris and paint.

This means that you don’t have to spend a lot of money on prepping the pool surface.

You just need a perfectly finished surface that will absorb paint well. Let the surface dry before applying paint to it. A wet surface will be a reason for wasting paint.

Old Pool Requiring Repair

The second scenario is with a used pool that’s been ignored for most of the winter. So, it’s full of leaves, and more often than not, algae have made the walls it’s home.

Therefore, the paint condition is on the severe side. In such cases, you are in for a long preparation time and a hectic prep session. And yes, it’s not only going to ask for your energy. Prepare to spend extra for it.

For an old pool, you’ll have to do the following,

• Clean the leaves and other garbage from the pool water or the walls
• Clean the algae by using chemicals and scrapers
• The tiles will require cleaning as well
• Wash the walls and take off the previous paint

However, that is still not the main question to ask. It’s the one below.

DIY Or Take Professional Help; Which Way, Modern Man/Woman?

Since people need a clean swimming pool every summer, it has a huge demand. Naturally, a group of professionals has been created to fill that demand.

On the other hand, doing your own things by your hand gives a level of satisfaction that only a selected section of society understands.

So, which way have you planned to go? As common sense would tell you, the DIY route is the less costly option among the two.

That being said, it also comes with hard work and patience as added features. I personally prefer to get my hands dirty.

It saves money, and all the while, I get a good day’s workout. At the end of this article, there will be some tips for people who haven’t done it yet.

On the other hand, if you’re a busy man/woman and you don’t have the energy that your pool’s work needs, you should consider getting help from pros. Yes, guys, when you have more important things to do, hand it over to the professionals. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Pool?

If we are only taking the paint cost into account, it mainly depends on the size of the pool. Measure your pool’s total surface area and multiply it by the price of paint per sqft of area.

The range for average paint cost per sqft area is $110 to $250. This considerable range is due to the variety of paint quality mostly. The price will also fluctuate depending on the number of coats you’ll be applying on the pool surface.

But that’s only a part of it.

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What Is the Cost of Prepping the Pool?

This question is really vital if your pool requires cleaning due to algae formation on its walls.

Not only that, but you also need to prepare the wall by taking off old paint for the new paint to sit correctly. As you can guess, this part will require supplies, and that’s an extra cost.

So, how much do you have to spend on this? That depends on the cleaning equipment and solutions.

Here’s a general list of supplies for cleaning swimming pools,

1. Telescope pole
2. Skimmer attachment
3. Vacuum
4. Pool pump
5. Pool filter
6. Chemicals that include Chlorine, Algaecide, and Metal sequestrate
7. Caulk

Now, you can calculate the cost from the list above. You might not need everything on the list.

It depends on the condition and size of your pool. For example, if your swimming pool doesn’t have any water in it, you don’t need to use the pool pump to drain water. The chemicals are a fixed cost as well as the telescoping pole.

However, if your pool is a new one, you can ignore this cost. But that’s only for this summer. From next summer, it will be added to the overall cost.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Professional Pool Cleaner?

Alternatively, you can hire a pool cleaner to clean everything since the equipment is a long-term investment.

So, how much are you willing to pay for it?

Here are a couple of options:

• Standard pool clean: $50-$150
• Deep pool clean: $100-$1000
• Pool and tiles cleaned with pressure hose: $100-$120

If you want my advice, buy service for a standard pool clean with pressured tiles cleaning since you’re going to repaint the whole swimming pool anyway. There’s no need to waste money and energy for a deep clean.

How Much Will It Cost to Paint the Pool By Professionals?

Since we have discussed painting the pool in the DIY route, let’s see what you should be expecting if you go the other way, i.e., taking professional help.

In such cases, the cost will increase with pool size, pool condition, and your demand. There’s an extra hourly cost for the labor as well.

Just for labor costs, you should be prepared to pay a handsome amount of $50 to $100 per hour if your pool area is 300 square feet. Keep in mind, that labor costs per hour will increase with pool size.

Of course, the price will be determined by where you live. There are a few websites that you will find online to get an estimate based on your location through zip code and total area of work.

A total cost that includes paint, and paint supplies would average around $500 for a 300 square feet pool.

You can expect a perfectly finished pool by the end of it. And that isn’t guaranteed if you opt for a DIY solution.

Make sure to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

Advantages of DIY Pool Painting

• The whole process is under your control which gives a sense of satisfaction
• You can minimize the cost by skipping out on optional tools and supplies
• You do it on your time
• There’s no hassle of managing professional pool guys

Disadvantages of DIY Pool Painting

• Lack of expertise can cause imperfect pool painting
• You have to have the necessary tools to paint
• Buying your own paint can be troublesome for an amateur

Advantages of Professional Pool Paint

• Everything is handled by the service allowing you to rest
• It’s best for busy people
• It can ensure the perfect execution
• The service takes care of paint supplies and everything

Disadvantages of Professional Pool Paint

• It’s expensive due to extra labor cost
• There’s not a lot of scope for reducing costs since you are not in control
• Chances of being deceived by the professional company

The advantages and disadvantages of both options are quite noticeable. You’ll choose the one that suits you better.

However, for cleaning the pool of garbage, I’ll emphasize getting a professional cleaning service. The job is too hard for a working person to do during their weekend. Moreover, you and I might have handy tools in the garage, but it’s not common to have the equipment for pool cleaning.

Concluding Thoughts

So, how much does a pool painting cost? A maximum of $250 if you do it yourself, granted you have a small to medium swimming pool (not more than 500 square feet). And it’s $500 on average if a professional does it for you.

It’s a pretty straightforward task. Don’t make it hard on yourself by DIYing to cut costs through DIY since it’ll be an investment for the future.