Ramuc Hi-Build · High-build epoxy pool paint
Up to 8 years
from two coats.
A satin, two-part epoxy that builds up to 8 mils dry per coat, so it smooths rough, aged concrete, plaster and fibreglass. Ramuc calls it an alternative to replastering at a third of the cost.
Ramuc Hi-Build Epoxy Pool Paint, 2-Gallon Kit
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Ramuc Hi-Build Epoxy Pool Paint
Ramuc Hi-Build Epoxy is a high-build, two-part epoxy pool paint with a satin finish. Each coat builds up to 8 mils dry, so it smooths rough, aged concrete, plaster, gunite and fibreglass, and two coats give up to 8 years of service. It resists stains, chemicals and abrasion, and Ramuc calls it an alternative to replastering at a third of the cost.
Key Features
- Up to 8 mils dry per coat.
- Up to 8 years of service from two coats.
- Easy 1:1 mix.
- Pools and spas, including fibreglass.
- Self-priming, 280 g/L VOC max.
Where to Use It
Bare concrete, plaster, gunite and fibreglass, and pools previously painted with epoxy. Not over rubber, chlorinated rubber or acrylic pool paint (use Ramuc A-2 or Ramuc DS).
Colours and Sizes
White, Dawn Blue, Edgewater Gray, Beach Beige and Black, in 2-gallon kits (Part A and Part B). Use black for accents only.
Which Ramuc Pool Paint?
Choose Hi-Build for rough or aged surfaces and the longest life. Ramuc EP gives a higher gloss at a lower cost per kit and is ideal for recoating smooth epoxy.
Specs & Coverage
- Coverage: Per 2-gal kit: 300–350 sq ft per coat on recoats and bare fibreglass, 150–200 on bare or rough surfaces
- Coats: 2, self-priming
| Type | 2-part high-build epoxy polyamide |
| Finish | Satin |
| Mixing | 1:1 by volume. Stand 20 min, or 45 below 18 °C |
| Pot life | 3 hours at 21 °C |
| Recoat | 16–72 hours. Sand after 72 hours |
| Fill | 5–7 days outdoors, 10–14 days indoors |
| Apply at | 10–32 °C air and surface, nights 10 °C or warmer |
| Service life | Up to 8 years |
| VOC | 280 g/L max |
| Clean-up | Ramuc Thinner |
Application Guide
- Repair, power wash and clean with Ramuc Clean & Prep. Sand hard or glossy spots with #80 grit.
- Let it dry and pass the condensation test.
- Mix 1:1, let it stand, then roll two thick coats 16–72 hours apart.
- Cure 5–7 days outdoors or 10–14 indoors, then fill.
FAQ
1How many Hi-Build kits do I need?
Use the calculator above. A 16 × 32 ft pool, 3½ ft at the shallow end and 8 ft at the deep end, has about 1,064 sq ft of walls and floor. Hi-Build goes on thick, so a kit covers 300 sq ft per coat on a recoat: 8 kits for two coats. On bare or rough plaster the first coat takes 150 sq ft per kit, so plan on 11.
2What can Hi-Build go over?
Bare concrete, plaster, gunite and fibreglass, or a pool already painted with epoxy. It doesn't go over rubber, chlorinated rubber or acrylic pool paint.
3Why is it called Hi-Build?
Each coat builds up to 8 mils dry, about four times a standard epoxy coat. That thickness smooths rough, aged surfaces and gives up to 8 years of service from two coats.
4Can I use it instead of replastering?
If the plaster is sound, yes. Ramuc calls Hi-Build an alternative to replastering at a third of the cost. Hollow or crumbling plaster has to be repaired first.
5How do I mix it?
Mix Part A and Part B separately for about 5 minutes each, then together 1:1 for about 15 minutes with a drill mixer. Let it stand 20 minutes, or 45 below 18 °C, and use it within 3 hours. For more than one kit, intermix them in a 5-gallon pail.
6Can I use it in a spa?
Yes, in a concrete, plaster or fibreglass spa. Ramuc calls it a superior choice for spas.
7How do I tell what paint is on my pool now?
Do a solvent test. Wearing rubber gloves, clean and dry 3 or 4 spots, then rub each with a cotton ball soaked in a solvent, 4–5 passes, using a new spot each time. If denatured alcohol softens it, it's water-based acrylic. If xylene softens it, it's rubber or chlorinated rubber. If MEK softens it, it's epoxy.
8Do I need to acid-etch the pool?
No. Ramuc Clean & Prep cleans, degreases, dissolves mineral deposits and opens up the surface in one step, replacing the old TSP, acid etch and TSP routine. Mix it 1 to 2 with water for bare plaster, or 1 to 5 for a painted pool, scrub, then triple rinse with a garden hose.
9How long before I can fill the pool?
Outdoors, 5–7 days after the final coat. Indoors, 10–14 days. Filling too soon can cause yellowing or a loss of gloss.
Canada Shipping
- Enjoy free shipping in Canada on orders over $249. Yukon, NWT, Nunavut not included.
Winter Shipping:
- From December to April, shipping outside of Ontario and Quebec is limited.
- Returns accepted within 35 days from the date of delivery.
- Custom tinted paints are classified as Final Sale items and are not eligible for return or store credit.
Paint finder
What’s on your pool now?
Pool paints have to match what’s already there. Pick one and we’ll tell you if this paint works, or which Ramuc or INSL-X paint does.
Peeling, blistering or hollow plaster? No pool paint will hold on that. Tap the plaster with a hammer, repair hollow or crumbling spots, and strip loose paint first.
Pool calculator
How much do I need?
We add up the walls and the floor, then use the low end of Ramuc’s coverage for two coats, so you don’t run short halfway around the deep end.
Measure inside the pool. For a kidney or freeform pool, use the longest length and the widest width and we’ll treat it like an oval, plus 10% for the curves. Buy all your kits at once and intermix them in a 5-gallon pail so the colour is even all the way around.
Heads up: based on what you picked in the finder, this isn’t the right paint for your pool. See which one is.
Start to finish
Two coats, then a week to cure.
Cool, damp weather stretches every step. Nights below 10 °C stop the paint from curing properly.
- Day 1Drain & repairPower wash loose paint. Tap for hollow plaster and repair it.
- PrepClean & PrepSpray, scrub, then triple rinse with a hose.
- DryCondensation testPlastic down 4 hours. No condensation, you’re ready.
- Mix1:1, then waitStand 20 min, or 45 below 18 °C. Use within 3 hours.
- +16–72 hCoat 2Sand first if more than 72 hours pass.
- 5–7 daysFill it10–14 days indoors.
Prep
Prep decides how long it lasts.
Ramuc says it plainly: skip the prep and the paint won’t perform. Pick your starting point.
Condensation test
Tape 2 × 2 ft squares of clear plastic to the deep-end wall and floor. After about 4 hours, any condensation underneath means it isn’t dry yet. Wait 24 hours and test again.
Mix it right
Stir Part A and Part B separately, then mix them 1:1 for about 15 minutes with a drill mixer. Let it stand 20 minutes, or 45 below 18 °C, and use it within 3 hours. Never mix part of a kit.
Bare concrete or plaster
- Let new plaster cure at least 28 days.
- Tap it with a hammer to find hollow or crumbling spots, and repair them with Ramuc Epoxy Patching Compound or PSL Nitrile Rubber Sealant.
- Power wash, then spray on Ramuc Clean & Prep mixed 1 to 2 with water. Scrub as soon as it foams.
- Triple rinse with a garden hose, not a power washer.
- Let it dry and pass the condensation test, then two coats.
Epoxy before
- Confirm it’s epoxy. MEK should soften it. Hi-Build doesn’t go over rubber or acrylic.
- Power wash off loose paint and dirt.
- Spray on Ramuc Clean & Prep mixed 1 to 5 with water, scrub, then triple rinse with a hose.
- Sand very hard or glossy spots with #80 grit.
- Let it dry and pass the condensation test, then two coats.
Fibreglass
- Spray on Ramuc Clean & Prep mixed 1 to 5 with water, scrub, then triple rinse with a hose.
- Sand the gelcoat with #80 grit so the epoxy can grip.
- Let it dry and pass the condensation test.
- Two coats. On fibreglass a kit covers 300–350 sq ft per coat.
Compare
Acrylic, rubber or epoxy?
All four Ramuc paints are self-priming, two-coat systems. What’s on your pool now decides most of it.
Ramuc DS Acrylic
- Best for
- Acrylic or rubber pools, or bare plaster, when downtime matters.
- What you get
- Matte and water-based. Goes on damp. Up to 2 years.
- From
Ramuc A-2 Rubber
- Best for
- Pools painted with chlorinated or synthetic rubber.
- What you get
- High gloss, one part, no mixing. Up to 4 years.
- From
Ramuc EP Epoxy
- Best for
- Epoxy pools, bare plaster, fibreglass, spas and slides.
- What you get
- 2-part high-gloss epoxy. 3–4 years.
- From
Ramuc Hi-Build
- Best for
- Aged or rough plaster, fibreglass and spas.
- What you get
- 2-part satin epoxy, 8 mils a coat. Up to 8 years.
- From
Specs
The details.
| Type | 2-part high-build epoxy polyamide |
|---|---|
| Finish | Satin |
| Film | 5–8 mils dry per coat |
| Coverage | Per 2-gal kit: 300–350 sq ft per coat on recoats and bare fibreglass, 150–200 on bare or rough surfaces |
| Mixing | 1:1 by volume. Stand 20 min, or 45 below 18 °C |
| Pot life | 3 hours at 21 °C |
| Recoat | 16–72 hours. Sand after 72 hours |
| Fill | 5–7 days outdoors, 10–14 days indoors |
| Apply at | 10–32 °C air and surface, nights 10 °C or warmer |
| Service life | Up to 8 years |
| VOC | 280 g/L max |
| Clean-up | Ramuc Thinner |
How to apply
Paint it like a pro.
- Mix Part A and Part B separately, then together 1:1 for about 15 minutes.
- Let it stand 20 minutes, or 45 below 18 °C, then use it within 3 hours.
- Cut in the tile line, steps and fittings with a brush.
- Roll it on thick with a 3/8 in nap or shorter. No cardboard-core rollers.
- Second coat in 16–72 hours.
- Cure 5–7 days, then fill.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
How many Hi-Build kits do I need?
Use the calculator above. A 16 × 32 ft pool, 3½ ft at the shallow end and 8 ft at the deep end, has about 1,064 sq ft of walls and floor. Hi-Build goes on thick, so a kit covers 300 sq ft per coat on a recoat: 8 kits for two coats. On bare or rough plaster the first coat takes 150 sq ft per kit, so plan on 11.
What can Hi-Build go over?
Bare concrete, plaster, gunite and fibreglass, or a pool already painted with epoxy. It doesn't go over rubber, chlorinated rubber or acrylic pool paint.
Why is it called Hi-Build?
Each coat builds up to 8 mils dry, about four times a standard epoxy coat. That thickness smooths rough, aged surfaces and gives up to 8 years of service from two coats.
Can I use it instead of replastering?
If the plaster is sound, yes. Ramuc calls Hi-Build an alternative to replastering at a third of the cost. Hollow or crumbling plaster has to be repaired first.
How do I mix it?
Mix Part A and Part B separately for about 5 minutes each, then together 1:1 for about 15 minutes with a drill mixer. Let it stand 20 minutes, or 45 below 18 °C, and use it within 3 hours. For more than one kit, intermix them in a 5-gallon pail.
Can I use it in a spa?
Yes, in a concrete, plaster or fibreglass spa. Ramuc calls it a superior choice for spas.
How do I tell what paint is on my pool now?
Do a solvent test. Wearing rubber gloves, clean and dry 3 or 4 spots, then rub each with a cotton ball soaked in a solvent, 4–5 passes, using a new spot each time. If denatured alcohol softens it, it's water-based acrylic. If xylene softens it, it's rubber or chlorinated rubber. If MEK softens it, it's epoxy.
Do I need to acid-etch the pool?
No. Ramuc Clean & Prep cleans, degreases, dissolves mineral deposits and opens up the surface in one step, replacing the old TSP, acid etch and TSP routine. Mix it 1 to 2 with water for bare plaster, or 1 to 5 for a painted pool, scrub, then triple rinse with a garden hose.
How long before I can fill the pool?
Outdoors, 5–7 days after the final coat. Indoors, 10–14 days. Filling too soon can cause yellowing or a loss of gloss.
Do you ship, or can I pick up?
We ship across Canada, free on most orders over $249. Pick-up is free at our Rockwood Village store, 1292 Eglinton Ave. E, Mississauga, and most orders are ready within 4 hours.
Ready to repaint your pool?
Not sure what’s on your pool? Send us a photo and ask our team. We’ll tell you which paint to use and how much to get.