It depends on the length of joint, how hard the old grout is to rake out, what repairs turn up under the tiles, the conditions in the pool hall and the grout's cure time, plus draining, refilling and rebalancing the water. A realistic programme comes after the pool has been seen, with cure and refill time in it from the start.
Think in stages, not a single number
The pool is out of use for longer than the regrouting itself. The closure includes draining, cleaning, preparation, any repairs, grouting, curing, refilling, heating and rebalancing the water.
Each stage has its own drivers, and curing in particular cannot be rushed without risk.
Before work starts
Several stages happen before a single joint is touched, and each depends on the pool and the site rather than on the tiling team.
- Draining: depends on pool volume, the discharge route and any limits set by the water company or the pool's specification.
- Making safe and access: ladders, scaffolds or towers for deep ends and walls.
- Cleaning: heavy scale or staining may need dealing with before joints can be prepared.
- Drying: some materials need the surface to reach a particular condition before work.
- Protection: covering fittings, channels, surrounds and plant openings against dust and debris.
Raking out and preparing joints
Grout removal is usually the most labour-intensive stage. Mosaic and small tiles have much more joint to clear than large tiles. Hard, previously epoxied or very narrow joints take longer, and fragile tile edges need a careful pace.
After removal, joints are cleaned of dust and debris. This step is easy to underestimate, but it affects how well the new grout fills and bonds.
Team size helps up to a point, but working space, dust control and the need to keep joints clean ahead of grouting all limit how many people can work productively in one area at once.
Repairs that only show once you start
Tap testing and grout removal sometimes reveal hollow, loose or cracked tiles, or failing render. These need repairing before regrouting, and some repair materials need their own drying or curing time before grout can follow.
This is the most common reason a programme moves. We report defects as they are found, along with what they mean for the dates, so the operator can decide early.
Grouting and cleaning off
The grouting itself is carried out in areas sized to suit the product's working time. Epoxy in particular must be cleaned from the tile face within its working window, so the pace is set by the material and the conditions as well as by the team.
Temperature affects working time. A cold pool hall slows curing, while a warm one shortens the time available to work and clean.
Where the pool hall heating is normally switched off during a closure, it is worth agreeing in advance what temperature and ventilation can be maintained. That single decision can have a real effect on how the grouting and curing stages run.
Cure time and refilling
Each grout and repair product has its own cure requirements before it can be immersed and exposed to treated water. These are set out in the manufacturer's current technical data and depend on temperature and conditions.
That time sits in the programme from day one. The refill rate, heating and chemical rebalancing then follow the product guidance and the operator's own procedures, which are often based on PWTAG guidance.
Planning the closure
Operators usually get the most reliable programme by confirming scope, access, working hours, heating and ventilation, and drain and refill arrangements well before the start date.
Booking around known quiet periods, such as school holidays or an off-season, gives more room if hidden defects are found. A small contingency in the closure plan is often worth more than a tight date that cannot absorb surprises.
If other trades are working in the pool hall during the same closure, such as plant room, lighting or decorating contractors, coordinating access and dust-generating work in advance avoids delays for everyone.
Dates and cure times
Once a programme is agreed, we plan the sequence around it and work hard to hit it. If something comes up that affects the dates, you hear about it early, not at handover.
The one thing we will not do is cut a cure time or refill early to make a date. It puts at risk the very work you are paying for.
Common questions
Can you give me a fixed number of days?
Once we have seen the pool we can give a planned programme for the agreed scope. It is a plan, not a promise, because hidden defects and site conditions can change it, and we explain any change as soon as it arises.
Can working evenings or weekends shorten the closure?
Extended hours can help with labour-intensive stages like raking out. They do not shorten cure times, which depend on the product and conditions.
Is a partial regrout much quicker than a full one?
It involves less joint to rake out and fill, but draining, refilling, cure time and rebalancing still apply. For that reason, the closure is often shorter rather than proportionally shorter.
Does epoxy take longer to cure than cement grout?
Cure times vary by product and temperature, so the specific data sheets are the reliable reference. Both types need their required cure before immersion and chemical dosing.
