A preformed fiberglass pool can offer a number of advantages, but durability is the greatest: the pool can flex and not get damaged. You don’t even need to waste time constructing the pool shell – after the site is excavated and prepared, the pool shell is brought to the site by truck, lifted by a crane and placed into the excavation. Also, a preformed fiberglass pool is low maintenance due to its very smooth surface. A drawback, however, is that preformed pools are limited in size and shape.
In addition to providing a fun and easy way to relax during the summer, swimming pools also boost the value of a house. There are many different types of swimming pools available on the market nowadays, but gunite, vinyl-lined, and fiberglass are the most popular. Fiberglass pools are generally preferred because they do not fade nor build up algae on their surface, and they are sturdier than both vinyl and concrete.
A fiberglass pool is basically a preformed shell made of fiberglass and coated with a gel to form a non-porous surface. The fiberglass consists of tiny fibers of glass, which are strengthened with a polymer, making it a composite material. Due to this, fiberglass is a flexible material that can bend with the ground ad does not split like other types of pools.
Preformed swimming pools are built at a factory and then sent to an excavated site until they are ordered. The installation of these fiberglass swimming pools takes about five to 13 days, compared to eight to 12 weeks for concrete pools. The cost of a fiberglass pool may seem expensive, but considering that they last a lifetime, the cost comes out less than that of concrete pools.
Moreover, if you compare fiberglass swimming pools to other types of pools, the advantages of fiberglass will likely weigh more. You don’t have to worry about scrapes because of its smooth surface, pool maintenance is barely required, it doesn’t need liner replacement, nor resurfacing, repainting or replastering, because it doesn’t crack easily. These pools can actually withstand drastic changes in weather, as minuscule cracks on the surface do not affect the entire pool.
On the other hand, the main disadvantage with fiberglass swimming pools is that water must always remain inside, in order to avoid structural damage to fiberglass, such as creacking and buckling. In addition, because the pools are prefabricated they cannot be customized, so you have to choose from the available sizes. Also, because it is prefabricated the property layout must be wide enough to allow for the size of the pre-constructed pool.
Fiberglass Swimming Pools vs. Gunite Pools
Prices for inground pools are normally the first thing to consider when comparing different types of swimming pools. Still, there are many other factors to be taken into account before you make your decision, including:
- Installation
Gunite is concrete, so it cannot be installed when temperatures are below 40 degrees F, the temperature concrete will set at. Fiberglass, on the other hand, is a preformed shell that can be installed anytime of the year. In addition, gunite pools take longer to install, ranging from a few weeks to a few months, and cost more, while fiberglass can be installed in less than a week.
- Size and Shape
Because a gunite pool is poured on-site, you can create virtually an unlimited number of shapes and sizes. Meanwhile, fiberglass swimming pools are preformed at the manufacturer and are limited to a few dozen shapes. Generally, they are not available in sizes larger than 40 feet by 16 feet and 8 feet deep.
- Maintenance
Because gunite is a porous surface, algae adhere to it and they are rather difficult to eliminate. Also, the plaster reacts with water, raising pH levels, so the owners must use more chlorine and acid to counterbalance this chemical reaction. In time, this adds to expenses, and weekly maintenance typically takes a few hours. Fiberglass swimming pools are smooth surfaced so the algae do not adhere, and the material does not react with water. Average weekly maintenance for a fiberglass pool takes less than an hour.
- Durability
Fiberglass swimming pools come with lifetime warranties, while gunite pool warranties are limited to just a few years by the contractor. Also, every five to seven years gunite pools must be resurfaced, adding to overall costs.
Taking all things into account, fiberglass swimming pools seem the most attractive choice available now. They save time, money and energy, so it’s no wonder that ever since the 1950’s fiberglass has been the fastest growing segment in the American pool market.