Picking a pool finish color and what each shade does in Arizona

How the finish color changes the water

The water takes most of its color from the surface underneath it. Pebble Tec, which makes pebble finishes, says pool water color "is primarily determined by the color of the pool finish," and sorts its colors by the water they give: deep dark blue, dark blue, medium blue, light blue, teal and green.

Depth, sunlight, time of day, shade, and the color of your tile and deck all shift how a finish looks once the pool is filled, so a small dry swatch won't show you the result. Pebble Tec suggests viewing colors in real pools rather than swatches alone.

1. White. The classic look, with light, bright blue water (ASP).
2. Gray. A softer look that ASP describes as more stain-resistant than white.
3. Blue. Deepens the blue of the water (ASP).
4. Dark gray and black. Deep, dark water (ASP).

Get quotes for the color you picked

Which colors hide stains and algae

ASP, a national pool service company, says stains and algae show up on a white finish more easily than on other colors, that gray is more stain-resistant, and that a darker shade can help mask algae and some debris between cleanings.

That's about what you see, not what's there. ASP also says a darker finish does not mean you need less cleaning. Valley tap water is hard, and smooth white plaster shows scale and etching first, which our finish comparison covers.

Plaster vs quartz vs pebble, with hard water notes

Does a dark finish make the water hotter?

A little, but probably less than people expect. ASP says darker colors absorb and retain more heat from the sun, and that in warmer regions a lighter color can help keep the water cooler.

Shasta Pools, a Phoenix builder, says darker finishes may absorb more heat but that "the effect on water temperature is generally minimal," and that depth, size and sun exposure matter more (Jan 2026).

Both are contractors' views, not measurements, and we haven't found a reliable temperature figure, so we don't quote one. If your pool sits in full afternoon sun and already runs warm in July, that's a fair reason to lean lighter. If it's partly shaded, pick the color you like.

How colors hold up in Arizona sun

All colored finishes change some over time. The National Plasterers Council's standard pool interior finish disclosure says the shade and color of pigmented surfaces "will vary and 'fade' over time," and that shading, color variation and mottling are normal and not a defect.

1. Colored plaster. The same disclosure says the finish is not guaranteed for evenness of color and may not be the exact shade you expected.
2. Pebble. Shasta Pools says pebble shows gradual color softening rather than dramatic bleaching or cracking.
3. Fiberglass. Shasta says color fading happens gradually, especially in darker gelcoats.

Before you commit

If an even, exact shade matters a lot to you, raise it with each contractor, and ask what their warranty says about color, since the plasterers' standard disclosure doesn't guarantee it. Ask for the finish line and color name in writing on the quote, so every bid is for the same thing.

Pebble Tec prices, lines and warranty