How to Determine if Your Pool is Dry Enough to Paint

To paint a pool with chlorinated rubber or epoxy paint, the pool surface must be extremely dry. Before painting, you should perform the "condensation test". To determine dryness of the pool surface, perform this simple test:

• Duct tape 2' x 2' pieces of transparent plastic to the deep end wall and floor, and on several other areas of the pool.
• Wait three hours to determine if condensation has formed underneath the plastic. If condensation has formed underneath the plastic then the surface is not dry enough to paint. Remove the plastic and wait 24 hours to perform the test again.
• Continue with the test until no condensation forms underneath the plastic after the three-hour wait period. This ensures the surface is dry enough to apply epoxy or chlorinated rubber paint.

If you are using a water-based acrylic paint, the surface can be damp - it does not have to be completely dry to begin painting.