Replacing pool gresite: porcelain tile or reinforced liner?
When the gresite in a pool starts to fall off, the question stops being whether to refurbish and becomes what with. One of the most searched options is porcelain tile; another, reinforced liner. Here are both, with what each has going for it and what each demands. A note before starting: we install only reinforced liner, so read this knowing which side we are on. That is why the porcelain figures come from third parties and are linked.
Why gresite fails
Gresite was the standard lining for decades, and with the years it always shows the same problems. The bedding mortar loses its grip through cycles of heat and cold, and once the tiles start to fall the process speeds up. The porous joints hold algae and dirt. Fixing loose tiles costs 300 to 800 € and rarely settles it for good. We go into it in gresite problems and the alternatives.
Porcelain tile: what it has and what it demands
- It absorbs very little water. Porcelain tiles have a water absorption of 0.5% or less; where frost is a risk, check the chosen model's resistance (Ceramicos.es).
- Fewer joints than gresite. Being larger pieces, there are far fewer joints and less maintenance (Grupo Reycar).
- But it does not waterproof on its own. The flatness of the substrate, the waterproofing underneath, the adhesive coverage, the joints and the finishing are decisive (Ceramicos.es). In a pool that already leaks, that means preparing the shell properly before tiling.
- Slip resistance has to be checked separately. The slip classes (C3, R11, Class B) do not map directly onto one another; on steps and beach entries it is worth checking which one the chosen tile meets (Ceramicos.es).
Reinforced liner: what it has and what it demands
- One continuous surface. The PVC membrane reinforced with polyester mesh is hot-welded panel by panel into a single surface, with no joints for failure to start from.
- It goes over the existing shell. The substrate is repaired and levelled, and the liner covers the damage in the old lining; whatever cannot stay is removed. The whole pool does not have to be chipped off.
- Short timeline. A residential pool takes 3 to 5 days.
- Warranty. Installed by a RENOLIT ALKORPLAN certified installer, a 15-year watertightness warranty.
- What it demands: the pool is emptied, because the work is done on a dry shell, and the welding has to be done by someone trained: watertightness depends on every seam.
What each option costs
| Lining | Indicative price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gresite | €30 – 50/m² on average | Habitissimo, June 2026 |
| Renewing with gresite (removal and installation) | €80 – 130/m² | Pelicon Piscinas, July 2025 |
| Renewing with reinforced liner | €55 – 95/m² | Pelicon Piscinas, July 2025 |
| Reinforced liner, our reference | €50 – 70/m²; €4,000 – 6,500 for an 8 × 4 m pool | Our 2026 price guide |
| Porcelain tile | No public per-m² price from manufacturers | Ask for a quote that includes preparing the shell |
Which one makes sense?
If the pool is new or is going to be rebuilt entirely, with the shell waterproofed underneath and a ceramic look in mind, porcelain tile is a solid choice. If the pool already exists, is losing water or shedding its gresite, and the idea is to fix it without chipping it all off and in a few days, reinforced liner goes straight at the problem. With seven RENOLIT collections, the finish is a choice too: the sample books are here.
If your pool is losing water, before deciding anything start by finding out where it goes. And if you are in the province of Cádiz, we work from Chiclana across the whole province: with the size of the shell we will prepare a no-obligation quote.
https://www.argpiscinas.es/en/blog/cambiar-gresite-porcelanico-o-lamina-armada