Pebble Pool Finishes in New Braunfels, TX
New Braunfels Quality Pool Resurfacing applies pebble pool finishes in New Braunfels, Texas. A pebble finish replaces worn plaster or an old aggregate surface with small pebbles set in cement and left exposed at the surface. The National Plasterers Council calls pebble the most durable pool surface available, though it's a little more textured than plaster and costs more.
Pebble finish estimates are free, by phone or through the form. We'll talk through texture and color, and how local hard water and summer heat bear on a new finish.
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Pebble finish textures, glass blends and colors
Stone size and feel
The size of the stones sets how a pebble finish feels. Pebble Technology International, the maker of PebbleTec, offers six textures and over 60 colors. PebbleTec, its original finish, uses the largest stones in its line, for a natural feel. PebbleSheen, its most popular, uses slightly smaller pebbles for a more refined texture. Another maker says most owners of its larger-pebble finish describe it as textured and lightly bumpy, but comfortable, not rough or scratchy.
Pebble blended with glass beads
Some blends add polished glass beads to the stone, for a smoother feel and extra sparkle. Glass finishes usually need a different way of uncovering the surface than pebble does, the same maker notes. Our glass bead pool finishes page covers the blends where glass leads.
How the finish color sets the water color
The finish color is the biggest single factor in the water's color, says CL Industries, a finish maker. Blue water comes from white, blue, black or gray finishes, and green water from green, brown or tan ones. Strong sun makes the water look lighter, and shallow steps, benches and tanning ledges look lighter than deep water. Even so, makers don't promise an exact shade.
To get a rough idea, set a color sample in 6 inches of water. Blends with abalone or other shell pieces carry a warning: makers don't guarantee the shell against breaking down or losing its color.
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(830) 302-4112
How a pebble finish goes on an existing pool
Stripping the old surface for a pebble finish
The work starts with an empty pool, and the city's drought plan allows a drain all year for only three narrow reasons. Ask New Braunfels Utilities whether a resurfacing qualifies before the water comes out, and New Braunfels Quality Pool Resurfacing will go over the rule with you at the estimate.
In a remodel, the old surface is stripped off first, leaving a smooth, blank base, Pebble Technology says. Its spec also asks for three things. The shell must be free of loose material. The finish is cut back at least ½ inch where it meets tile or stone. And the shell is damp, with no standing water, when the finish goes on. Replacing an old pebble surface takes more prep than plastering over plaster, another finish maker notes.
Sprayed, troweled and exposed
Pebble Technology describes the process in a few steps. The stone blend is mixed with cement, water, color and additives. It is pumped and sprayed onto the shell, then pressed down by hand with a trowel. Next, the surface is sprayed or wiped with water to uncover the pebbles. Once it hardens, it is pressure-washed and cleaned up with an acid solution. For PebbleSheen, the maker's spec calls for two coats: a first coat that gives the second something to grip, then a second coat built up to at least 3/8 inch.
Twelve miles southwest of the city, New Braunfels Quality Pool Resurfacing also applies pebble pool finishes in Garden Ridge, where owners live in 95.6 percent of the occupied homes.
Summer heat and winter freezes in New Braunfels
Summers here are hot. Federal climate averages for 1991–2020 give New Braunfels an average high of 93.4°F in July and 94.6°F in August, and 11.0 days a year at 100°F or hotter. One pebble maker tells installers to keep the materials and the work area between 50°F and 100°F for 24 hours before and 72 hours after the finish goes on.
Cold matters too. The city averages 32.0 nights a year at or below 32°F. Pebble Technology accepts cold-weather work only while the day's average temperature is above 40°F and the shell isn't frozen. It doesn't warrant the finish against damage from freezing and thawing. For a freeze, the plastering industry recommends at least 4 inches of water over steps, benches and sun ledges.
Call or request a free estimate any time, 24/7.
(830) 302-4112
Start-up, hard water and pebble finish warranties
Pebble finish start-up: the first 28 days
Pebble Technology sets its own care rules for a new finish:
- don't fill the pool with softened water;
- brush three times a day for the first three days, then twice a day for the next ten;
- wait at least 14 days before heating the water;
- wait 28 days before adding salt for a saltwater chlorine generator.
Losing a few pebbles or glass beads during start-up is normal, it says. Allow about 28 days before judging the final water and finish colors. Our pool start-up page covers the routine in full.
Hard water and scale
Local water is hard. The city's water utility traces that to extra calcium and magnesium in its groundwater, and says the level shifts with location, source and season. The state's records of its treated water put total hardness at 184 mg/L on January 24, 2024, 296 mg/L on May 8, 2024 and 406 mg/L on July 16, 2025. Water high in calcium, alkalinity or pH can leave scale and stains on a finish, and PebbleTec's warranty doesn't count scale buildup as a defect.
What the makers' warranties require
Pebble finish warranties come from the makers, with conditions attached. PebbleTec's maker covers its pebble, glass bead and pigment for 5 years, for the first owner. It covers failed material only, not labor, and only when one of its authorized installers put the finish on. Poor water chemistry voids it, and a claim needs weekly maintenance records. The warranty also expects some loss of pebble and glass over the years, and it doesn't cover cracking or the finish coming loose (delamination). Another pebble maker requires registration within 60 days and one of its certified installers.
North of San Antonio, on Timberwood Park's mostly half-acre lots, New Braunfels Quality Pool Resurfacing also takes on pebble pool finishes in Timberwood Park.
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(830) 302-4112Pebble pool finish cost in New Braunfels
Typical New Braunfels prices for a pebble finish run $7,500 to $11,000, as of October 2026. National averages from 2025 put pebble resurfacing at $7,000 to $15,000. Three things drive the price: the pool's inside surface area (walls, floor, steps, benches and ledges), removing the old surface, and backyard access. Ask whether a quote includes the refill water, since some do and some don't.
These are published averages, not prices from New Braunfels Quality Pool Resurfacing. A real number needs a look at your pool, and the estimate is free. Quartz runs $6,500 to $10,000 on the same New Braunfels list. Our quartz pool finishes page covers that option, and the guide to plaster vs quartz vs pebble pool finishes sets the three side by side.
- Under 400 sq ft of surface
- $6,500–$9,000
- 400–600 sq ft
- $9,000–$12,000
- 600+ sq ft
- $12,000–$15,000
Typical San Antonio-area prices for 2026, set by the pool's inside surface area. Averages, not a quote.
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(830) 302-4112Pebble finish questions homeowners ask
What is the average cost to pebble tec a pool?
National averages for 2025 put Pebble Tec resurfacing at $10 to $20 per square foot. That's $4,000 to $16,000 for a typical backyard pool of 400 to 800 square feet, and $8,000 to $20,000 for a large pool of 800 to 1,000 square feet. The cost section above has New Braunfels and San Antonio-area figures, and New Braunfels Quality Pool Resurfacing prices your own pool in a free estimate.
How long should a pebble tec pool last?
The National Plasterers Council gives pebble finishes a 12 to 18 year surface, against 10 to 15 years for quartz and 5 to 8 years for traditional white plaster. The council also allows that plaster can last up to 20 years with proper care. PebbleTec's maker gives no figure of its own: it says the lifespan depends on water chemistry, climate and care. The council names unbalanced water as the leading cause of a finish wearing out.
Is Pebble Tec worth the money?
It comes down to cost against durability. On 2025 national figures, plaster runs $6 to $8 per square foot and pebble $7 to $15. In return, exposed pebble resists cracking, staining and fading better than plaster, its maker says. Smooth troweled finishes also show more cosmetic flaws over time than pebble ones, the National Plasterers Council says. But pebble isn't immune: under the most extreme water chemistry, even pebble surfaces can be damaged.
What is better than pebble tec?
No source ranks one finish best for every pool. Of the four cement finish types the National Plasterers Council lists (pebble, polished, white plaster and quartz), pebble has the longest surface life on its figures. A polished finish is smooth, with the look of exposed stone, and rates an 8 to 12 year surface. If smoothness matters most, Pebble Technology makes PebbleFina from its smallest natural pebbles, and PebbleBreeze, polished and blended with glass beads, is its smoothest finish.
How long after pebble tec can I fill a pool?
Soon. For PebbleSheen, the maker's spec has the surface treated the day after it goes on: loose pebbles scraped off, then an acid wash, power wash or buffing. The pool is then filled right away, without stopping, until the finish is fully under water. Pebble and other high-performance finishes may need extra time to cure or be exposed first, usually the same or next day, the National Plasterers Council says. A fill that stops partway can leave a discolored ring at that level.
Plan your new pebble finish with a free estimate
New Braunfels Quality Pool Resurfacing answers calls and estimate requests 24/7 for pebble finishes in New Braunfels and nearby towns. Tell us the size of the pool and what's on it now.