Surface cracks · Structural cracks · Steps · Tile lines
Pool Crack Repair in Phoenix, AZ
A crack in your pool can be a cosmetic blemish or the first sign of a leak and shell damage. We find out which one you have, fix the cause, and refinish the area so the repair lasts and blends in. Licensed crews, serving the whole Phoenix metro.
Arizona is hard on concrete pools. Expansive desert soils, 115° summers, monsoon groundwater, and hard water all put stress on the shell and the finish. Most pool cracks are surface cracks in the plaster or pebble finish, and they are very fixable. Some go deeper into the gunite shell, and those need a structural repair before they turn into a leak. The first job is telling the difference.
Surface crack or structural crack?
Surface cracks stay in the interior finish. They show up as fine hairlines, a spider-web “crazing” pattern, or small check cracks in older plaster. They are mostly cosmetic, but they trap dirt and algae, feel rough, and tend to spread as the finish ages.
Structural cracks run through the shell itself. Warning signs include a crack that keeps getting longer or wider, one side sitting higher than the other, water loss beyond normal evaporation, rust stains bleeding through, or a crack that continues through the tile line, bench, or steps. These need a proper structural repair, not a cosmetic patch.
Cracks we repair
Plaster & finish cracks
Hairline cracks, crazing, and check cracks in plaster, quartz, or pebble finishes.
Structural shell cracks
Cracks through the gunite shell that move, leak, or keep growing.
Steps & benches
Cracked, chipped, or delaminating steps, benches, and tanning ledges.
Tile-line & bond-beam cracks
Cracks along the waterline where tile pops loose or the beam has shifted.
Fittings & skimmers
Cracks around skimmers, returns, lights, and main drains, a common leak point.
Coping & deck joints
Cracked coping and failed expansion joints that let water behind the shell.
When cracks are part of a bigger refresh
Plenty of cracked pools are also stained, rough, and dated. When that’s the case, repairing the cracks as part of a resurface usually costs less than patching now and resurfacing later. The Martinez family’s Glendale pool went from neglected to resort-style in one project.
How we repair pool cracks
Inspect & diagnose
We map every crack, check for movement and water loss, and find the cause: soil, drainage, fittings, or age.
Clear recommendation
You get a plain-language diagnosis and a written quote: targeted repair, or repair plus resurfacing if the finish is worn out.
Repair the cause
Surface cracks are opened, cleaned, and properly sealed. Structural cracks get a structural repair to the shell before any refinishing.
Refinish & refill
We match or renew the finish so the repair blends in, then refill and start up the pool correctly.
Why pools crack in Arizona
Soil movement. Much of the Valley sits on expansive clay that swells when monsoon rain soaks in and shrinks as it dries, flexing the shell.
Heat and exposure. An empty or low pool in summer heat can crack its finish fast. Never drain a pool in the heat without a plan to refill it quickly.
Water pressure and drainage. Poor deck drainage and failed expansion joints let water collect behind the shell. Groundwater can push on a drained pool from below.
Age and chemistry. Older plaster and unbalanced, hard water weaken the finish until hairline cracks appear. Read more in our guide to why pool plaster cracks.
Repair the crack, or resurface the pool?
If the rest of your finish is in good shape, a targeted crack repair is the right call. If the finish is already rough, stained, or near the end of its life, fixing the cracks as part of a resurface is usually the better value: most resurface and tile projects we complete run $8,000–$15,000, and you get a like-new pool instead of a patched one. We’ll tell you honestly which makes sense. See our Arizona pool remodel cost guide for full pricing.
- A crack that is getting longer or wider
- Water loss you can’t explain
- Loose or popped tile along a crack
- Rust-colored stains near a crack
- Cracks in steps, benches, or the tile line
- A rough, crazed finish across the pool
As seen in the news
Recognized across Arizona & national media
We Fix Ugly Pools and owner Brian Morris, “the Ugly Pool Guy,” hold a world record for the fastest pool build and have been featured by national and Arizona outlets, including as expert pool columnists for The Arizona Republic.
“They completely transformed our backyard. The crew was professional, the finish is gorgeous, and it’s held up beautifully in the Arizona heat. Worth every penny.”
Why homeowners trust us with crack repair
- Licensed & insured. A licensed Arizona contractor (ROC KA5-275609 / KB2-304269).
- We fix the cause. Sealing a crack without addressing why it formed just brings it back.
- Remodel specialists. 700+ renovations a year means we see every kind of crack.
- Repairs that blend in. We refinish so the fix doesn’t leave an ugly scar.
- Honest advice. Targeted repair when that’s enough, resurfacing only when it’s the better value.
- 4.9 stars from 305+ homeowners. Serving the Valley since 2001.
The repair methods we use
The right crack repair depends entirely on severity, and typically ranges from $600 to several thousand dollars:
- Torque-Lock™ staples and other stapling methods to stabilize a crack
- Low-pressure epoxy injection to seal and bond
- Shell stitching for more advanced cracking
- Rebar and shotcrete overlays where structural reinforcement is required
Cracking is worst in Valley communities built on highly expansive soils — Anthem (one of the worst), Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, and parts of Gilbert — where large swings in soil type cause pools to shift, sink, or move in ways they were never engineered to. In extreme cases crack treatment isn’t the answer at all, and a pool must be removed, re-engineered, and rebuilt. We’ll always tell you honestly which category yours falls into.
What we find when a pool is chipped out
Many shell problems stay hidden until the old surface comes off. When we chip out a pool to resurface it, we routinely uncover original construction defects — some decades old — that must be corrected before a new finish goes on:
- Shallow rebar sitting too close to the surface
- Gunite rebound left in the pool instead of removed at the original install
- Thin shells — shot at just 2 to 3 inches instead of the standard 6 to 10 inches
- “Hot” material — mud that was already curing before it could be installed properly
- General poor workmanship from the original builder
We renovate pools built from the 1950s all the way through yesterday, by hundreds of different companies — so experience matters when it comes to diagnosing and correcting what’s underneath. For a compromised shell we use one of two proven processes.
Brown coat
For less severe issues. A brown coat is an acrylic-modified cementitious mixture applied to the shell before the surface material, generally 1/4 to 3/4 inch thick. It adds a protective layer between the new finish and the rebar below — most common when rebar is rusting through the shell in multiple areas where spot treatment wouldn’t be enough.
Gray coat
For more advanced shell issues. A gray coat is a full shotcrete overlay that reduces depth by about 3 to 4 inches and wall thickness by 1 to 3 inches. We use it when rebar is sitting too close and has started to migrate (creating a crack-like appearance that isn’t truly structural), or where a shell was shot far too thin and needs a sound foundational base before the new surface.
An honest word on cost. No one has X-ray vision, and no honest contractor can tell you the exact treatment required before a pool is chipped out and inspected. We provide a comprehensive inspection after chip-out so your warranty stays intact and you get the fewest surprises possible. Sometimes entire steps or floors have to be removed — there’s no 100% guess on a shell someone else built. After 20+ years and thousands of renovations, our teams are genuinely skilled at making these corrections and will walk you through every option.
Found a crack in your pool?
Get a free inspection and a clear, written quote before a small crack becomes a leak.