Epoxy vs. Chlorinated Rubber: Which Luxapool Paint Is Right for You?

Choosing the Right Pool Paint Isn’t Just About Colour

Repainting a pool is a serious job — draining, preparation, application, then a two-week wait before you can fill it. You don’t want to repeat it sooner than you have to, so the paint you choose matters more than the colour you pick.

Australia’s two main options are Luxapool® Epoxy and Luxapool® Chlorinated Rubber. For most people the choice is made for them by what’s already on the pool.

Luxapool® Epoxy Pool Paint

Luxapool® Epoxy is a two-pack coating for concrete, marblesheen, fibreglass and pebblecrete pools, as well as pools already coated in sound epoxy.

It cures to a hard, high-gloss finish that resists staining, chemicals, algae and abrasion. Typical lifespan is 7 to 8 years with correct preparation and pool chemistry maintained to Colormaker’s guidelines.

Bare or uncoated concrete also needs Luxapool® Epoxy Primer Sealer underneath — roughly 4 kits alongside 8 kits of topcoat on a standard 10m × 5m pool.

Luxapool® Chlorinated Rubber Pool Paint

Luxapool® Chlorinated Rubber is a single-pack coating with good resistance to saltwater, chlorine and pool chemicals. Typical lifespan is up to 3 years.

Despite the name, it isn’t rubbery or flexible — it cures hard and glossy, the same as epoxy. It’s applied in three to four thin coats rather than two, at 7–9m² per litre per coat.

Its role is specific: if your pool has already been painted with chlorinated rubber, this is your only option. Epoxy will not adhere over it.

The Comparison

Feature	Luxapool® Epoxy	Luxapool® Chlorinated Rubber
Lifespan	7–8 years	Up to 3 years
Application	Two-pack (base + hardener)	Single-pack
Coats	2 (3 on pebblecrete)	3–4 thin coats
Coverage per coat	20–25m² per 3.5L kit	7–9m² per litre
Best for	Bare concrete, fibreglass, pebblecrete, marblesheen, sound old epoxy	Pools already coated in chlorinated rubber
Finish	Hard, high-gloss	Hard, glossy
Before filling	10 days summer / 14 winter	10 days summer / 14 winter

Note that both systems need the same wait before filling. Chlorinated rubber recoats faster between coats, but the fill window doesn’t change.

How to Tell What’s Already on Your Pool

Colormaker’s test is straightforward. Rub the existing surface firmly for about a minute with a clean rag dampened with acetone or Chlorinated Rubber Solvent.

• If the paint softens and becomes sticky — it’s chlorinated rubber. You cannot coat it with epoxy.
• If the solvent removes surface oxide but the paint stays firm — it’s epoxy, and you can recoat with epoxy.

Test several areas, not just one, so you can be sure all layers are the same.

Not confident calling it? Send us a photo and we’ll identify it before you order. Getting this wrong means stripping the entire pool and starting again.

Which Should You Choose?

• Epoxy — if your pool is bare concrete, fibreglass, marblesheen, pebblecrete, or already coated in sound epoxy. More than double the life.
• Chlorinated rubber — if your pool has been painted with chlorinated rubber before.

Colours

Epoxy comes in 25 colours; chlorinated rubber in a smaller classic range. Screens vary, so check the Luxapool® colour guides and get in touch if you’d like help matching a shade.