Fiberglass or gunite???

[Larry]

I personally prefer gunite. Although harder to maintain, I prefer the feel of the plaster under my feet. I don't like the slippery nature of fiberglass pools.

For me the extra effort to keep the pool sparkling is well worth it.

[Guest]

Fiberglass is a pain. Maitenance is much easier on gunite. Go for the gunite and never look back.

[Guest]

buy maintenance being easier, I mean that if you have any crack in your fiberglass, then its going to be a fun trip on your wallet to get it taken care of.

[Guest]

What are you going to do drop a truck in the pool. Just kiding. Any way, Gunite can and will crack and a real pain to repair. The glass pool is very easy to maintain. I had to make the choice and what made the diferance for me was not only cost but the lack of maintenance on the long term. The glass is very easy on chemicals and keeping it clean is a breese. Draw back is of course is limited shapes, really what ever turns your crank.

[Guest]

Fiberglass pools will never have to be replastered. You save 3 to 4 thousand dollars every 5 to 6 years.
I have never heard of anyone who likes the feel of plaster under their feet. Do you drag your feet across your driveway because you like the way it feels. Fiberglass pools are so much easier to take care of.
I have never heard of a fiberglass pool with less than a 25 year warranty.
Since when do you have to pay for a repair when it is under warranty.
What do you think would be harder to fix, a hairline crack that is on a surface that is 1.5" thick , or a surface that is 13" thick. Has any one in the world ever figured out how to stop concrete from cracking? Look at your driveway, then go look at your shower or bath tub,which one has more cracks? Lets say, a pool pops out of the ground. A fiberglass pool can be taken out and reinstalled within a day. A gunite pool is a total loss.
Why would any pool pop out of the ground? If the hydrostatic pressure is greater than the water pressure in the pool, any pool will float. Why would you ever have to take water out of a fiberglass pool. These pools never have to be replastered. A gunite pool will have been drained 5 times what a fiberglass pool will. That would make me beleive that a gunite pool is five times more likely to pop out than a fiberglass.
A fiberglass pool with a hairline crack can be fixed without taking any water out of the pool. Fiberglass is taking over the pool indusrty. The gunite guys are running out of exuses. All of the gunite guys in our area are starting to install fiberglass pools. These guys talked so bad about these pools for so long, but can not do that any longer. Fiberglass is the future of life long pools.

[Aquatic Escapes]

Dittos on the fiberglass pools. The only way to go. I install Viking fiberglass pools with a lifetime warranty. When going with fiberglass, get the graincoating on the bottom. This is a non slip texture built into the pool. Save thousand over gunite maintenance in just a few years. Don't even compare fiberglass to liner...

[DiscontPoolWarehouse]

Graham,

I have to first confess that I am old school, when I first started in the pool industry Concrete was the dominant pool. Things have changed over the years and the options are many now all have their advantages and disadvantages. Here in, the best non-biased format I can muster is my opinion of the choices you list.

CONCRETE ADVANTAGES- This pool if built by a reputable builder will last several generations. The surface of the pool, if the water chemistry is well maintained will last for many years. I have seen a 25-year-old concrete pool that was in mint condition, it just needed an acid washing to bring back the dull color. This pool just looks great and you are not limited to what size or shape you want. The sky is the limit to what you can build. There are some pretty impressive concrete pools being built these days.

CONCRETE DISADVANTAGE- the price, depending on where you live, can be steep. If you are in a northern climate frost heaving can be a problem with the tiles in older pools. After a number of years the pool will have to be acid washed to bring back the bright white color of the plaster if you choose a white plaster finish. Acid washing tends to rough up the surface and after awhile it will begin to cut the feet. To solve this problem you will either have to resurface (expensive or paint, once you start painting you will be painting every 2-5 years depending on the type of paint you use.)

FIBERGLASS ADVANTAGE- This pool is easy to install so it makes it less expensive in most areas than a concrete pool. The surface is smooth and easy on the feet. They have done some great things in recent years with fiberglass pools and you can really dress them up. The pool is easy to maintain.

FIBERGLASS DISADVANTAGE-You are limited in size and form. The size of pool they make is limited to how big they can transport on the back of a truck, usually in the 14' wide range. Shapes vary from manufacture to manufacture and there are quite a few choices compared to 20 years ago. The surface of the pool is smooth and can be slick on the steps creating a slip hazard. If you are installing the pool in a sandy area it can tend to shift over a few years and then need to be reset. If you do not maintain the chemistry properly the pool surface can be ruined and the pool would have to be replaced or re-gel coated.

Well there you have it as un-biased as I can make it. I am sure there are some points I may have missed, but I believe I have hit the major points. I hope this helps everyone with their decision making process.

Guru of Pools
at DPW

[everett]

I am building a new house and am going to put a pool in. I am trying to decide between fiberglass or gunite. If I only have around 30 to 35K to spend which will give me the best look in my backyard. I also want a hot tub with it and I haven't seen a fiberglass/hot tub combo yet.

I just want an honest, unbiased opinion on the best way to go. My only fear is that the fiberglass pool might feel like an oversized plastic tub. Does it feel sturdy/heavy or solid under your feet like a gunite pool? I don't want it if it feels like cheap plastic?

Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Guest]

dont know much about the place you live i live in florida build swimming pool and would rather have a gunnite or shot crete pool

[Guest]

the warranty on the fiberglass is the life normally 5 years of the gel cote at least from my suppliers here in florida and gel cote will oxadize just like a boat or any thing else that sets in the water gets chemicals on it chlorine bleach acid ect so thats another thought that you may wanna take into concideration if you have a gunnite/shotcrete pool put in and have clay or anything like that in the ground or just want to be sure have them put a well point in they can suck any water that may pop the pool up out of the groung marcite or pool plaster usually lasts ten or more years before it as to be replaced have the water that goes to the pool go through a softner system and pool surface can and will last longetr further more pool plaster is a aggrate like concrete so it is gonna last

[Pool user]

I've had two concrete pools. I'm really, really tired of the maintenance and expense. Time and effort increase dramatically as the pool gets older.

My plan is to go with a fiberglass pool and a salt water chlorine generator.

I'm getting to the point where I want easy maintenance and from everything I've read modern fiberglass is the way to go.

These guys who say gunite is the only way to go must be pool builders!

[Retiredpoolinstaller]

I have retired from the pool business. Over the years, I have installed hundreds if not thousands of pools. I have installed Gunite, Fiberglass, Vinyl Liner and Fiberglass wall with concrete bottom. As a pool owner, I have had Gunite and Fiberglass.

I installed my first fiberglass pool in 1999 and have never installed anything else since then. They are very easy to maintain, last forever and if in fact you damage it, repair is extremely easy. Just like a boat gelcoat repair. As for chemicals, all the chemicals used in pools are stored in fiberglass tanks because they do not damage fiberglass. If I had to make a list of the repairs that I have made on pools, after installation, I would say that I have made between 10 and 15 repairs on other types for every repair I've made on Fiberglass. I have NEVER seen a structural failure on a fiberglass pool anywhere.

All that being said, every family, in every situation needs to pick their pool based on their needs and in fact I will say Gunite, fiberglass and Vinyl liner pools are all good pools if installed and cared for properly.

[watertite pool repair]

I have been in the pool racket for eight years and fiberglass for twenty.

some of the above comments are right on but some are absurd. i have

fixed alot of pools mainly fiberglass because thats the business I am in.

I have seen about every disaster out there from manufacture ill work to a

contractor who just came from installing septic systems to home

owners who did'nt bother to get the what if information. the gentleman

who thinks he's not bias is. todays fiberglass pools cannot be

compared to those of the past because of the technological advances in

the construction materials and the fact that you have to maintain a high

level of quality to stay in the business as for concrete i dont really know

how far it has advanced in the past twenty years. Yes it can be

expensive to repair fiberglass but you can, concrete not so much you

replace. Also the fiberglass does come as large as 16x42 and every

manufacture has one. Do'nt lose your ass get a fiberglass.

[Duffy Pools]

I would go with a liner pool. End of story. Period no argument.