How Pool Tile Bead Blasting Works
A step-by-step look at the professional process we use to safely remove calcium buildup from pool tile, stone, and water features — without chemicals, without draining your pool, and without damaging the surface underneath.
Bead blasting sounds aggressive, but the actual process is gentler than what you’d do with a pumice stone. The media is fine, the pressure is low, and the result is a tile surface that looks the way it did the day your pool was finished.
This page walks through exactly how we do it. If you’re considering hiring us — or you’re comparing us to another pool tile cleaning company — this gives you the information you need to evaluate what you’re getting.
What We Use
The Blasting Unit
A self-contained, mobile blasting system with a pressurized media tank, an air compressor, a specialized blasting wand, and a media recovery vacuum. Everything is fully contained — no airborne dust, no debris scattered across your yard.
The Media
We use one of two types depending on your tile:
Glass beads are perfectly round, microscopic glass spheres made from lead-free soda lime glass. They’re smaller than a grain of sand and softer than your tile surface. They lift calcium off without scratching the glaze. We use glass beads on Pebble Tec, Pebble Sheen, ceramic tile, and glass mosaic.
Kieserite (mineral salt) is a naturally occurring magnesium sulfate mineral, similar to Epsom salt but coarser. It’s water-soluble, biodegradable, and pH-neutral. We use Kieserite on stone surfaces, waterfalls, and pools where any residual media will dissolve harmlessly into the water.
Both media are chosen specifically because they’re harder than calcium scale but softer than the tile underneath. That’s the entire principle behind why bead blasting works without causing damage.
Step 1: Free On-Site Assessment
Before we book the job, we come out and look at your pool. This is free and takes about 20 minutes.
What we’re looking for:
- Tile type. Different surfaces require different media and technique.
- Severity of buildup. Light scale takes less time than years of accumulation.
- Total linear footage. We measure the perimeter and any water features.
- Surrounding conditions. Landscaping, decking material, equipment placement, and access.
- Any damage underneath. If your tile is cracked or loose, bead blasting won’t fix that — and we’ll tell you before you spend money on a service that won’t solve your problem.
After the assessment we give you a firm written quote. The price we quote is the price you pay. No surprise fees, no upsells on service day.
Step 2: Preparing Your Pool
On the morning of service, we start by lowering your pool water level. We use a submersible pump to drop the water 6–10 inches below the waterline tile, exposing the full band of calcium-affected surface.
We don’t drain your pool. Full draining in Texas heat can crack pool plaster, damage the gunite shell, and lift fiberglass pools out of the ground. Lowering the water 6–10 inches is well within safe limits and is reversed in an hour with your garden hose.
While the water is dropping, we cover nearby plants and outdoor furniture with drop cloths, shut off any landscaping irrigation in the area, and position our equipment for the cleanest possible work zone.
Typical prep time: 15 to 30 minutes.
Step 3: The Blasting Process
This is the actual work. Using the blasting wand, we apply media to the calcium-affected surfaces at low air pressure — typically 60 to 90 psi, which is gentler than a standard pressure washer.
We work in sections, moving systematically around the perimeter. As the media hits the tile, it lifts the calcium off in a fine spray. The calcium and spent media drop into the pool below, where we’ll vacuum them out at the end.
What you’ll see:
- Visible progress in real time. The clean tile reveals itself as we work.
- A change in tile color, often dramatic. Most homeowners are surprised how much darker and richer their original tile color was.
- No dust cloud, no acid fumes, no spray hitting the deck or your house.
Typical blasting time:
- Standard pool (60–80 linear feet of tile): 1.5 to 2.5 hours
- Larger pool with attached spa: 2.5 to 4 hours
- Pool with waterfall or stone features: 3 to 5 hours
- Heavy buildup or multiple surfaces: up to 6 hours
We work straight through. We don’t break for lunch on your dime.
Step 4: Cleanup and Inspection
After the blasting is complete, we vacuum the spent media off the pool floor using a specialized pool vacuum that captures the fine particles before they reach your filter system. Any media on the deck is swept and removed.
Then we walk the perimeter of your pool with you. If anything was missed, if any spot needs more attention, we address it before we leave. You’re inspecting alongside us, not after we’ve gone.
We rinse the tile and deck one final time, pack up our equipment, and pull off your property.
Typical cleanup time: 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 5: Refill and Swim
Once we leave, you refill your pool from your garden hose or auto-fill line. Refilling 6–10 inches typically takes 1 to 3 hours depending on water pressure and pool size.
As soon as the water level is restored and your pump is running normally, the pool is safe to swim in. Most customers are back in the water the same evening.
Your weekly pool service can continue on its normal schedule. Bead blasting doesn’t disrupt your water chemistry, your equipment, or your filter beyond the initial refill.
Honest Limitations
We believe in being straight with you. Here’s what bead blasting won’t do:
It won’t fix cracked or loose tile. If your tile is structurally damaged, you need a tile repair specialist, not a cleaner.
It won’t permanently prevent calcium return. Calcium will come back over time because Lakeway’s water is hard. Plan on a cleaning every 2–3 years.
It won’t restore tile that has color damage below the surface. If your tile is fading from sun exposure or has discoloration that’s penetrated the glaze, that’s a replacement situation, not a cleaning one.
It won’t clean the inside of your pool filter or pool equipment. The blasting captures media before it reaches your filter, but if you’ve been running for years with calcium issues, your filter may need a separate service.
If you’re not sure whether your pool is a good candidate, send us a photo when you request a quote and we’ll tell you honestly whether bead blasting will solve your problem or whether you need a different service.
Ready to Get Started?
A free on-site assessment is the easiest way to know what your pool needs. We’ll inspect the tile, identify the buildup type, recommend the right approach, and give you a firm quote.