Pool tiles sit in chlorinated or salted water, in full sun, and swing between wet and dry every day. The wrong tile or grout fades, falls off or grows a crust of calcium within a few seasons. The right ones keep a pool looking clean for fifteen years or more. Send one request with the pool size, whether you want a waterline band or a full tiled pool, and whether the surround needs work, and pool tilers and suppliers quote you directly. It is free, with no obligation.
Waterline band or a fully tiled pool
The waterline band is a strip of tiles 150 to 250 mm deep where the water meets the wall. It takes the scum line, which is easy to wipe from tile and hard to scrub from plaster. Many pools have only this band, with a marbelite or paint finish below.
A full mosaic pool is lined in small glass or porcelain mosaic tiles (usually 25 x 25 mm) that follow curves, steps and a bench seat. Glass mosaic gives depth of colour and sparkle, but it costs more and demands skilled setting. The small tiles mean many joints, so the grout matters. See mosaic tiles for how mesh sheets work.
Chlorine, salt and the right grout
Pool water is harsh on cement. Tiles need to be frost-proof, glazed or glass, and non-porous. Cement grout below the waterline softens and washes out, especially in salt chlorinator pools, so many pool tilers use epoxy grout below water, and a flexible polymer-modified adhesive made for submerged use.
Ask the supplier whether the tile, adhesive and grout are rated for pool use, and for a chlorinated or salt pool. The movement joint between tile bands and at the coping should be flexible sealant, not grout, as pools expand and contract with the sun and the water level.
Coping and a safe surround
Coping stones cap the pool wall and give you somewhere to sit or hold on. They should have a rounded edge and a rough, non-slip top. For the paving around the pool, look for outdoor tiles rated R11 to R13, and ask for a pale colour, since dark tiles get painfully hot in summer. The surround should fall away from the pool so water does not flow back in and carry dirt.
Check that the spec says the tiles tolerate pool chemicals splashed onto them and frost where you live.
Retiling and upkeep
Retiling means draining the pool, removing the old tiles and fixing the shell underneath. Drain on a cool, dry day, never when the water table is high, because an empty pool can lift out of the ground. The tiler needs the pool empty for a few days, plus curing time before it can be refilled. For ongoing care, brush tiles often and remove calcium crust with a mild acid wash done by a professional. A rough 2026 guide is R400 to R1,600 per m² for pool tiles, plus R250 to R550 per m² to lay them.
What to include in your request
- Pool length, width and depth, or the waterline
- Waterline band only or the full pool
- Chlorine or salt chlorinator
- Coping and surround to be done
- Your suburb and when you can drain the pool
Pool Tiles for different projects
- Homeowners renovating: a new waterline band, a retile of an old faded pool, or fresh coping and paving
- New builds and extensions: pool tiling and surround paving planned with the pool builder and the garden
- Landlords and body corporates: a plain, durable waterline band and non-slip surround for a complex or holiday let
- Guesthouses, hotels and restaurants: a full mosaic pool and a non-slip surround for a guesthouse, hotel or lodge
- Shops, offices and showrooms: pool tiling for gyms, clubs and estates with a shared pool or water feature
- Schools, clinics and public buildings: safe, non-slip tiling for school pools and therapy or hydrotherapy pools
- Workshops, warehouses and gyms: tiled water features and pool areas for gyms and recreation clubs
- Patios, stoeps and pool areas: waterline tiles, coping and R12 pavers around a garden pool, with salt-proof grout
Frequently asked questions
Can I use normal bathroom tiles in a pool?
Does a salt chlorinator damage pool tiles?
How long does it take to retile a pool?
How do I clean calcium off my pool tiles?
Pool Tiles by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg