We resurfaced ours about 6 years ago and it’s still holding up really well, but the first month after startup was way more important than I expected. Sounds like you’re already doing the right thing with the brushing. I was brushing twice a day at the beginning because the new plaster kept releasing that fine dust and my filter pressure would creep up a few psi until everything settled out.
One thing I wish someone explained better is how much the water chemistry shifts during that first phase. Our pH kept drifting up into the high 7s for a few weeks, so I was testing a lot more often than normal and keeping alkalinity steady so the saturation index didn’t swing too far while the surface cured. Once that period passed, the pool became way easier to maintain.
Long term, what seems to make the biggest difference is just keeping scale from building up and not letting the chemistry drift for long periods. A couple neighbors around me had their plaster last 12 to 15 years before it started looking tired again, mostly depending on how consistent the water balance was.
Also agree with the tile comment. When the surface looks brand new, anything old around it suddenly stands out. We didn’t change our tile at first either and about a year later I started noticing the waterline more than I ever had before. Funny how a new surface makes everything else look older overnight.
