Restoration is the longest of the three pool cage projects because it does everything: structure, hardware, finish and screen. Here is how the days typically run on a single-family enclosure so you know what to expect and when the pool is usable.
Before Day One
The estimate starts with photos and, for restoration, often a site visit. Every beam, upright, gutter seam, cable and anchor is checked and the repair list is written down. The estimate itemizes repairs, hardware, coating and screen so nothing is a surprise later.
Day One: Repairs and Hardware
Crews mask the pool, deck and house, then work through the repair list: bent members corrected or replaced where the frame allows, cracked brackets swapped, corroded cable braces and anchors replaced. Every zinc screw comes out and a stainless steel one goes in. On storm-damaged cages that were patched quickly, this is where the rushed work is undone.
Day Two: Preparation
The frame is chemically washed to remove chalk, mildew and salt residue, then the oxidized layer is removed mechanically across the whole structure. Rust at every hardware point is neutralized and sealed. Earlier failed coatings are taken back to a sound edge. On coastal homes this day can run into a second.
Day Three: Prime and Coat
An adhesion primer goes on the prepared aluminum, followed by an exterior coating formulated for aluminum, sprayed in controlled passes. The pool stays covered during spraying and the cover comes off once the coating has flashed. White, bronze, black or a matched community color.
Day Four or Five: Screen and Walkthrough
After the coating cures, aged and damaged panels are rescreened with new spline, mesh upgrades go in where chosen, and doors get new closers, latches and chair-rail caps. The crew walks the enclosure with you and leaves maintenance notes, including a fresh-water rinse routine for coastal frames.
Variables That Change the Timeline
- Extensive storm repairs or corrosion on saltwater lots.
- Two-story enclosures and elevated homes that need lifts.
- Summer weather, which adds a buffer day for coating.
- Community contractor hours in gated neighborhoods.
The restoration page covers the scope in full, and the city pages, from Bradenton to Naples, describe what frames in each area typically need.
