The internet has made it remarkably easy for us to find information. The entire knowledge base of humanity is only a click away, and now it’s on your phone, so you can get it anywhere! Unfortunately, when you have so much choice, you might end up stuck. It can be hard to figure out exactly where to find the specific details that you need.

If you’re looking for advice on pool finishes, the first thing you should do is check your preferred search engine. It will give you a list of top swimming pool providers and their websites. Most websites list the products and pool accessories they offer, and they have good pictorial evidence. If you see something you like, you can call the company, email them, or fill out their contact form.

If you’re worried that the site alone might not give you the details you want, you could take your search meta. Type in the name of the pool company. Then add ‘testimonials’ or ‘recommendations’ or even ‘complaints’. This will show you what people outside the website are saying about the pool company – and its finishes.

It’s probably not the first thing that comes to mind, but Facebook can be a good place to research pool accessories and finishes. Right now, the world’s favourite social networking site is filled with dedicated pages and groups. Log into your account and type ‘swimming pool groups’ or ‘swimming pool finishes’. You’ll get hundreds of search results.

Some of these hits are companies that specialise in pool finishes. Others are fan groups or online communities with an interest in swimming pool construction or swimming as a sport. Some of them might even be the parents of competitive swimmers since all kids’ activities have their own version of soccer mums. These groups have a niche interest in the subject you’re digging into, so they can offer some useful advice.

If you’d rather get a more personalised context, you could try fielding your question of Twitter. The timeline moves pretty quickly, but it seems like there’s always someone online to answer your question. To give your tweet more reach, you could include a ‘Please RT’ request at the end of your question. Many Twitter users will happily oblige, and the more views your query gets, the more your chances of getting a useful answer. You’ll have to spend some time filtering responses though since you’ll get as many trolls as you will genuine responses.

Three of the most popular options for pool finishing are tile, concrete, and stone, so these make good ports of call when you’re doing your research. Go back to the search engine and type ‘swimming pool tile’. This will revise your search list to focus on tile supply companies. You can then check their websites, social feeds, or related forums and see what they have to offer in terms of underwater tile.

For natural stone queries, get in touch with stone quarries and related forums. Many quarry websites include photography of raw stone as well as processed stone laid in buildings and bath tubs. If you send them an email or check their Facebook pages, they might have a photo of stone décor in a swimming pool, and you can then ask for more information.

Construction resources can also be helpful when it comes to swimming pool resources. Usually, homeowners will call a pool builder to install the pool, so they might not know much about it themselves. But if they work in the tropical area where pools are popular, they might have picked up a few tips. And even if they haven’t, they definitely know who to call when you need to see a guy about a pool.

Landscapers are also good with pools because they often include water features as part of their outdoor décor. Check top landscaping websites for photos of fountains and waterways. While these features are not intended for swimming pools, they might give your watering hole a special touch. Interior decorators can give pool guidance as well.

If you’re brainstorming rather than seeking technical advice, the best place to discover pool finishes is Pinterest. It has virtually limited samples of beautiful pools and ponds, though it often doesn’t attribute the source. If you see something you really like, get in touch with the person that pinned the post and if you’re lucky, they’ll know exactly where to find that kind of finish.

You may get some pool design ideas from Blue Haven Pools