08/15/2026
Do I regret painting our stock tank pool black? Never.
Going over two questions that I get asked a lot since we repainted our stock tank pool tank pool last summer:
1️⃣ Doesn’t the black paint make the exterior of the pool hot?
In short answer, yes- black paint WILL make the exterior of your stock tank pool hotter. But here’s what actually matters:
☀️ Why it gets hot: Black absorbs sunlight instead of reflecting it, so the metal heats up faster- especially in full sun (really think about your pool placement and how much direct sunlight your pool receives- a large umbrella or tree shade is a great fix)
2️⃣ Does it make the water hotter? Usually only slightly.
Science tells us exterior black paint heats the metal shell which makes the water act like a heat buffer. But honestly heat transfer is slower than people think and you’ll really notice warm water mostly from sun exposure, not just paint color.
Conclusion: For us we get a lot of afternoon shade with our trees, getting only partial sun (4-6 hrs of full sun). I actually painted our pool black with hopes that it WOULD keep the water warmer- but to be honest I haven’t noticed a difference. We still use a drop in heater to keep our pool warm all season long with the exterior temperature staying ideal ☀️💦
This is your sign to paint your stock tank pool this year ✨
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