Waterfall & Stone Feature Cleaning in Lakeway
Lakeway pools often have the most beautiful waterfalls in Central Texas — and the worst calcium buildup. We restore limestone, flagstone, travertine, and rock features to their original color.
Why Waterfalls Show Calcium First
Pool waterfalls and fountains have constant water flow over their surfaces, which means constant evaporation, which means constant mineral deposition. A pool waterline gets calcium buildup over years. A waterfall gets it in months.
The result in most Lakeway pools: a stone feature that started as rich Texas limestone or honey-colored flagstone now looks chalky white, grey, or streaked with mineral lines that won’t wash away.
The good news: we can usually restore stone features to their original color in a single visit, and the difference is dramatic.
Stone Types We Restore
Texas limestone. The most common stone feature material in Lakeway. We restore the natural honey, cream, and earth-tone colors that calcium scale hides.
Flagstone. Including Oklahoma flagstone, Arizona flagstone, and Texas creek flagstone. We remove waterline scale, mineral streaks, and algae discoloration.
Travertine. Often used for pool coping and water features. Requires careful pressure and media selection to avoid pitting the natural surface.
Slate. Less common but found on some higher-end Lakeway pools. Bead blasting restores the dark, varied color slate is known for.
Rock and boulder features. Natural rock waterfalls and grotto features. We work around the irregular surfaces to clean every face.
Quartzite and granite. Modern pool features often incorporate these harder stones. Both clean up beautifully.
Why Stone Requires a Different Approach
Stone is more porous than ceramic tile or Pebble Tec. That means two things for the cleaning process:
Calcium penetrates deeper. Scale doesn’t just sit on top of stone the way it does on glazed tile. It works into the pores, which means surface cleaning alone leaves shadows of buildup behind.
Media choice matters more. Glass beads work on stone but tend to leave a slight residue in the pores. We typically use Kieserite (mineral salt) on stone surfaces because it’s water-soluble and dissolves harmlessly into the pool water.
We adjust our technique for each type of stone, with the goal of removing calcium thoroughly without altering the natural texture or color of the underlying material.
Pool Water Features We Service
- Sheet-flow waterfalls
- Cascading rock waterfalls
- Spillways from attached spas
- Scupper and deck jets
- Bubbler features
- Grotto interiors
- Spillover walls between pool and spa
- Stone pool coping
- Limestone retaining walls adjacent to the pool
- Fountain features and decorative water elements
- Negative-edge and infinity-edge weirs
Many Lakeway pools combine several of these. We clean everything in a single visit.
What’s Different About Water Feature Service
Stone feature jobs take longer than waterline tile cleaning. A pool with a substantial waterfall typically requires 3 to 5 hours, sometimes more.
We handle stone features in a specific order to avoid recontaminating already-cleaned areas:
First, we shut down the water feature. The pump that drives the waterfall is turned off so we can work on dry stone.
We clean from top to bottom. Starting at the highest point of the feature, working downward.
We rinse as we go. Stone holds more residual media than tile, so we rinse each section thoroughly before moving on.
The waterfall stays off until cleanup is complete. Then we restart it and watch the water run clear over the restored stone.
Water Feature Cleaning Questions
Can you clean the inside of my grotto?
Yes. Grotto interiors are some of the most rewarding restorations we do. Access can be tight but we work in confined spaces regularly.
My waterfall has algae as well as calcium. Can you clean both?
Yes. Bead blasting removes biological growth along with mineral deposits.
My limestone has turned dark grey. Is that calcium, or is it damaged?
Usually calcium combined with trapped algae and oxidation. In most cases bead blasting restores the original color. If the stone has been chemically damaged, restoration may be partial. We’ll tell you honestly during the assessment.
Should I clean the stone or replace it?
Stone replacement is expensive — typically $5,000 to $20,000+ for a substantial waterfall. Cleaning is a fraction of that and the difference is usually dramatic enough that homeowners don’t need to consider replacement.
Get a Free Stone Feature Assessment
Send us photos of your waterfall or stone feature when you request a quote and we’ll tell you what’s possible. Or we’ll come out for an on-site assessment — no obligation, no charge.