This is in response to repair guy's response. I don't believe "Zumo" was looking for your opinion on how the rock looks, only if it was possible to paint.

No one cares if you like it! You don't have to live with it. I think it's cool!

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

Are you sure this isn't just the base color, and that the crew isn't going use a darker color for accents?

When we were in the early planning stages of our pool project, we were looking at an artificial rock product called Rico Rock. The way the guy explained it to us is that they use a light color for the base, then go back and hand paint the accent areas in a couple of different darker colors, to give it a more realistic look.

I don't think it looks bad, and I'm sure when it dries it will change and not look as "peachy". I think it looks like it's going to be an awesome rock pool and slide!

Thank you for your responses. I do agree with Shootnpar that my feeling were really hurt with repair guys negative comments. I have to admit I did cry after I read repair guys post. I'm already so stressed out and I thought that this forum would be so helpful and understanding with people trying to get information and educate themselves. I wish I could say I have the perfect pool project going on and show off what has been done so far but that not how it is for us.
On another note thank you Cannonball joe and snootnpar for your kind words and trying to help.

zumo: I've been meaning to respond since you posted the other day but am just getting around to it. I was thinking it looked strange that the guy was "painting" before the rock had been completed. Then I recalled the process our artificial rock went through. The guys would form and shape a chunk with concrete and then throw a powder pigment release on it that was a gawd awful dark rusty orange color. (I beleive this is the stage you are at in the pictures above -- not painting.) When all the artificial was complete they acid washed the whole thing and then a day later the artists came to paint it.

In our case, the plan was to mimic the colors in our natural stone coping. The painters spent about 2-3 days overlapping various shades. The colors looked really good and then for some reason at the very end they sprayed a bunch of peach, pinks and reds. The painter packed up his stuff and walked away saying it was the best work he had ever done and that he believed he had "nailed the colors". My jaw dropped. I was horrified. I didn't have words for the guy. I did not sleep a wink that night thinking of that ugly $20,000 red and pink monstrosity in our back yard! The next morning the DH called the PB and the artificial rock guy to tell them how horrible we thought it looked. Bottom line: they said "it's just paint... paint is easy to fix". They came out again with another painter and spent two days fixing it. It looked a whole lot better and we get tons of compliments.

I'm sure yours will be just fine when it's done.

Feel free to browse through the photos of our build... there are a few nasty looking pictures of the release pigment on the artificial rock. I never did post any pictures right after the guy said he had nailed the colors... it was a nightmare I never wish to relive ;-)

Hope this helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: pool build photos

yes you can. We were happy with our rock guy in his shaping of the concrete and the painting. The paiting was a several stage process where they used many different colors to give it a depth look with black/brown/tan/yellow. This is very much an art process which varies wildly from pool builder to pool builder. We choose our pool guy mainly on the guy he used for rocks.

here is how ours turned out.

Here is a link that might be useful: rock pictures

Thank you sooo much dogpaddle. I feel a lot better after reading your post. I remember seeing your pool pictures and I thought your yard was amazing. The problem is I think my rock guy doesn't have a artist that is going to come in next. Yikes!

Johninsocal- I also live in so cal maybe I can get the name of the artist that painted your rocks. :) Your pool is beautiful. Did you use pebble?

Thanks again for making me feel a little better!

If you need a great rock guy and you live in socal e-mail me at psalm118.17Kat@gmail.com.This guy will match any stone or color.

Zumo, as a contractor, I feel so bad your feelings were hurt. Yes you can get an artist to paint the rocks. It is a true art form with either stains or paints. Get devildogs recommendation. Also take a look at the World of Concrete website, www.worldofconcrete.com. We see the show every year here in Vegas and it is truly AMAZING what concrete artists can do with color. You can also get phone numbers of guys/gals in your area who do concrete designs on the WOC website. Keep us posted, thats a work in progress you have, not a final product. Hope this helps, Barb

Thank you airborne101 I will check out that web site.
Devildog1989- I tried to email you but it bounced back. Is that the right email address?

Thanks

Zumo. I got your e-mail and wrote you an e-mail.

'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.' If that were the case then half of this forum would go silent. Some may like that but..... And if only the questions that were asked got answered without going off subject or giving ones opinion about something was taboo then then the other half would go silent also.

If it was anything like ours, there is a point in the process where they will apply additional concrete to the rough shape and form the details. When the details are being formed, they will often use a stamp to impart texture on the stone. When they do this, they'll use whatever color release they happen to have. This will result in the rock looking really odd, but it is only temporary. Once that step is complete, they'll acid wash the whole thing and then come back and paint it.

Take a look at our pictures (see link below). You'll see the rough shape, then the rocks will look a bit odd (orange-ish), and even white, then the finished version is on about page 27.

Here are a couple of pictures of our Faux Rock work before and after painting.

Jeff

Here is a link that might be useful: Faux rock painting.

Zumo, as you can see in Jeff's photos how awesome the rocks can look. I have to correct my last post, the world of concrete site is all about the show now. Take a look at concretenetwork.com for ideas and contractors in your area, find some pix you like and show Devildogs rock fellow. That way both you and the contractor have the same mental picture. Keep us posted,
Barb

Jeff- Thank you for your photos your rock work looks amazing. I'm so glad I saw the process. Your yard is amazing. I'm on a mission now to find some good artist that can make my "flinstone" rocks look more realistic.

Barb-That web site is awesome thank you. There is so much information on it I spent yesterday on it for a long time. Thanks again for your help.

Zumo, I have a guy who can help John Turner at Rock Quatics #619-813-7772. Rockquaticsnow@earthlink.net. He's the best.

In response to neilaz:

I understand what you are trying to say, but.........

sometimes, you can just tell when it's better to answer the question that's being asked than to insert your own opinions.

This is one of those times.

My two cents!

Our guy used a gray base and then added color. He used some kind of powder for accents and a paint brush with stain for other parts. You can't see the detail in this pic, but the rocks look very natural and not like Fred Flintstone's house.

Thank you Dannica I will call him today.

Scrapula- I love your rocks. That was the color that I was asking for hopefully I can find a artist that can give me that look.

Thank you everyone again for your help.

Responding to Repair Guys comments about painted rock I have to totally disagree. Some of the most beautiful (artistic) painting I've seen is the rock work in California Adventures Radiator Springs. Having worked in the Tv/Film industry for years the scenic painters can make concrete or fiberglass look very realistic. You just have to know what you're doing.

I see this post is pretty outdated but WOW I am having the same issue. We are in the process of possibly purchasing this home. Has a gorgeous rock swimming pool with slide and waterfall, but looks EXACTLY like zumo's pool. Even the fire pit... I'm in Corona, CA... Want to paint the rocks myself, just need some direction and ideas. Really funny because I stared at it for a while and thought FLINSTONES! And I've read the same thing here haha. So any ideas? Should I start a new thread?

We do rock repaints in your area if you decide to get some help.

I am an artificial rock instructor and if you are still having this problem please contact me. I need to know what process and materials they have used for coloring and sealing and I can give you instruction on how to paint this yourself.

Rock work painting is our speciality please visit www.authenticenvironments.com to learn more, fill out the contact page and I will be in touch.

Yes of course you can paint the rocks. But when you are dealing with concrete it is best they use the proper base coloring in the original mixture. So before they do all that work you want to see them doing a small sample/portion area first. It must feel terrible to see that much completed and have it the wrong color.

Hire a painter. there are concrete staining paints that will seep into the rock and last longer. Still, most concrete rocks are porous, erode, or chip over time (usually has lots of hard to fix leaks too). To get the color you want the painter would have to use a paint spray gun and cover the entire rock to a lighter color which takes more work.

How the rocks are carved and designed makes a huge difference in the quality. Personally I would rather pay someone more who actually does a good job as it is an investment in the property value. Live and learn...

You may want to try looking into concrete staining paints. It is carried by most home hardware stores.