When choosing a gunite material for your Gulf Coast pool, you need to consider appearance, durability, safety, and comfort. You’ll want to select materials for the water line, the coping, the pool deck and the pool’s interior. Remember that the materials will be in contact with pool water that has acid, chlorine and most likely salt. They will be in contact with swimsuits and bare feet as well. Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re choosing gunite for your pool.
The most popular gunite materials within the swimming pool market includes vinyl liner, fiberglass, and concrete. Let’s look at them one by one.
Vinyl
Vinyl pools are often rectangular but can be custom-built. They are easy to customize, and when it comes to the costs of installation, these are easily the cheapest option.
However, it’s easy for them to puncture, and are costly to repair. Also, it will last for 5 to 10 years before it needs replacement. So while you save money on initial costs of installation, you’ll have to pay for a liner replacement once every 5 to 10 years.
Fiberglass
Large, one-piece fiberglass shells are built and finished in a manufacturing facility. Then, the shell is delivered to your property and put into a dug hole in the ground. When it comes to installation cost, fiberglass pools are mid-range. They are less costly than concrete, but are more costly than a liner.
Fiberglass pools are cheaper to maintain and need less work to maintain. Installation is a lot quicker than concrete. And the pools are very durable. Fiberglass isn’t a porous material, which means your pool cleaning chemicals will not be as harsh. Also, bacteria prefer porous areas since it is easy for them to flourish there. No pores means fewer bacteria, and fewer chemicals in the swimming pool. It means the pool water is easier on the skin and decreases maintenance needs and costs.
However, vinyl pools are not easy to customize. You are simply at the mercy of the maker.
Concrete
Pools built with concrete use a concrete base finished with plaster or another finish agent such as a pebble aggregate. Here are some of the pros of concrete as a gunite material.
Pros:
- The material is durable. High-quality concrete finishes can stay longer.
- This is the most customizable gunite material in the market. It’s easy to design concrete pools depending on your preference. If a unique, custom swimming pool is what you are after, go for concrete.
Cons:
- These pools need a lot of maintenance
- They take more time to construct.
- It is costly. Pools built with concrete are the most costly to construct and to maintain.
Ready for Your Own Dream Pool?
A Premier Pools & Spas of Gulf Coast pool designer can help you choose the best gunite material for your inground pool. They will educate you on samples of materials that blend with each other and come up with the mood and look you want. Would you like to learn more? Contact us today!
