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The truth about Gunite vs Fiberglass Pools

Debunking the myths and helping you make the best choice for your home.

Many homeowners are misinformed about the costs, durability, and maintenance of gunite versus fiberglass pools.

Here are the facts about common misconceptions to help you make an informed decision.

1. Concrete pools give you the most flexibility in style and design. You are not restricted to size or preference for the pool, steps, benches, additional features, etc.

2. While some companies will tell you that a concrete pool that has a good plaster job may feel rougher on your feet that fiberglass, the opposite argument is that fiberglass can be very slippery.

3. Concrete pools do not have to be replastered every 5 years. In fact, the manufacturer warranty for most plaster finishes is at least ten years. Conversely, if you check your manufacturer warranty on fiberglass many of them do not cover the most obvious issues with their product. Several companies require the pool to be re gel-coated within the first five years. This is much more costly than a replaster of a concrete pool. Fiberglass pool, by the nature they are transported, have a tendency to spider crack which is unsightly and can cause problems down the road. Before you decide, check to see how many companies in the area re gelcoat fiberglass pools, and what the costs are. Then you have to also deal with draining the fiberglass pool which in many cases voids your warranty.

4. Yes, concrete pools can crack, under very severe conditions, but fiberglass pool walls can also crack and bulge. Concrete is a much simpler process to fix, versus a fiberglass repair. Again, check to see how many companies offer a service to repair damaged fiberglass pools.

5. Time to install. We normally complete a total project within 4 – 5 weeks. True, a fiberglass shell can be installed within a week, but ask the installer how long you have to wait until they will put down the decking. In most cases that is thirty plus days, making the complete installation time very comparable.

6. Water chemistry is water chemistry. You will use roughly the same amount of chlorine, and if you use a salt generator system which is standard with our pools this is not an issue. Both fiberglass and concrete pools are affected by ph. Ph is driven by organics in both nature and the human body. While concrete is more porous requiring it to be brushed, fiberglass is a metal magnet and requires chemicals and cleaning to prevent and remove metal stains from the surface. Algae can get in either type pool if the water chemistry is off. With concrete surfaces it can stick on the sides. With a fiberglass pool it goes to the bottom. And fiberglass pools are not designed with main drains that will help get it out of the pool once it has grown. Calcium, added about once a year to a concrete pool actually acts as a strengthener of the plaster and protects the surface.

7. Fiberglass gelcoat finishes have improved in the number of different colors, but again, they are costly to patch and almost never match up. And then there is the issue of finding a company that performs this service.

One of the bestselling points for considering concrete versus fiberglass is in the fact that within South Carolina you will not find fiberglass pools installed in commercial settings. This isn’t an issue of size, this is an issue of how it is built and how it is plumbed.

8. Most fiberglass pools leak within their plumbing. This is due to most of the plumbing being installed with gaskets. Over time, shifting of the subgrade, or settling of the pool itself, puts stress on the plumbing and can cause leakage

9. Costs are very competitive between the two products.

10. The bottom line. It is all about the installer in most cases. Do your homework, get references, and check out the online opportunities to get good information.

Why choose us for your custom pool?

  • Efficient installations saving you unnecessary headaches

  • Proven quality with hundreds of satisfied customers

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