Make sure your installer waterproofs the Shotcrete properly. Your glass tile could have cracked due to no mastic joint in the grout joints. You want to make sure that the proper mastic gets put in to the joints between the coping and tile and then every 8 feet around the spa. This allows the tile and coping to expand and contract with the temperature changes and will help with the cracking. Also your brown coat for the tile must set at least a minimum of a week before applying the tile. Hope this helps.

Using tile from Lowes would be a huge mistake. In the world of tile the stuff you see at big hardware stores is absolute bottom of the barrel - usually the stuff that was rejected or unsellable by tile wholesalers. Swimming pool tile is usually porcelain or glass, and is frost proof if you live in an area with colder winters. The top of the pool wall takes the brunt of the damage from staining as well as the most forces acting on it (which is why you need a thicker bond beam). To shortcut on this area of your pool would be a huge and costly mistake. If you have water permeating this area it will weaken the concrete underneath over time. Eventually the entire top of the wall will crack and you will be into an expensive pool rebuild.

Another nice tile manufacturer is Bisazza or Bissazza. I think its one "s" . Made in Italy, warehoused in Fla. They have gorgeous glass mosaics, starts at about that tile price point, can go over $200 a sheet for tiles imbedded with gold or silver. I used to sell it at a store called The Great Indoors, its a Sears company, there are about 16 stores throughout the US and they do frequent sales, you may save some money going that route. Only drawback is if its not in stock in Fla, the delivery time from Italy is 4 to 6 weeks. Hope ;this helps Barb

We have been told it cannot be done then it can be done. But, no one knows HOW to do. Any suggestions?