Glass Tile installation on Pools and/or Spas

Glass tile is gaining in popularity every day for use in a pool and spa. This happening for several reasons:

•  Beautiful – Glass tile brings a different look to any project it is used on. The unique look of Glass tile is a combination of texture, color, grout lines, and reflective qualities both during the day and at night. These qualities added to any project, regardless of complexity, take the project to a new level.
• Durability – The durability of quality Glass tile is indisputable. There are very few products that we can purchase and use in a swimming pool environment that can last a life time. Glass Tile manufactured correctly and installed correctly can do that.
• Price – Here begins the problem. Glass Tile made correctly for an outdoor and underwater environment cost more. How does the consumer know if the quality is suitable for the swimming pool environment when they find it at a discount price on line or in a home repair store? The answer is — there is no way to tell by looking at the Glass tile or the box it comes in.

Here are a few issues that can be expected when “cheap” Glass Tile is purchased and installed by a non-qualified installer on a pool:

• It will fall off. This is the single most common complaint of Glass Tile on a pool.
• It will crack or craze. 2 basic things cause Glass tile to crack, expansion/contraction issues and cheaply manufactured tile.
• It will have shade variations through out the project. The color in cheaply made tile is improperly dispersed during the glass making process.

What should a homeowner do to be sure they are getting quality tile and a quality installation?

• Don’t buy Chap Glass tile on-line
• Don’t buy cheap Glass tile at Discount Tile businesses or Home Repair Warehouses.
• Do make sure the Glass tile has been certified by the American National Standards Institute or ANSI A137.2.
• Do make sure the installer you chose is experienced in Glass tile installations and can discuss the ANSI Standards and what those standards mean in relation to a correct glass tile installation on your swimming pool project.

Good luck and happy swimming!