What type of inground pool to build

Concrete pools need several trade specialists, including, but not limited to, the ones who apply the concrete, a plastering crew, and a tiling crew. Vinyl pools offer a wide range of shape choices. You can choose water features such as slides, fountains, and even attached spas.

The team completes plumbing before setting the vinyl liner. This is no different than a concrete or fiberglass pool. Vinyl-liner pools are popular because of their durability. Repairs and replacements are relatively easy and so is installation. While they may not be maintenance-free, the non-porous surface of the liner inhibits algae growth. The pressure of water in the pool is what keeps the liner in place.

You may have heard of the movement toward a more natural swimming pool. Originating in Europe, natural swimming pools have stone or gravel bottoms and sloped sides.

Natural swimming pools usually have decking, often made of the same type of materials used in traditional pool constructions. Decking choices for natural pools include:. Some owners choose a plant zone and create a wilderness pond swimming experience.

Natural swimming pools rely on plants and gravel rather than chlorine, pumps, and filters. Plants and gravel filter water to a regeneration zone. The regeneration zone uses plants designed to clean the pool water. Natural pools do consume more space because they include a regeneration zone.

Fiberglass pools, on the other hand, are inert and do not effect water chemistry in any way. This means anyone who owns a fiberglass pool will spend more time in the pool and less time maintaining it. Because the fiberglass pool shell is manufactured off site, the installation of the shell typically occurs in about two days. Compare this with three to six months with a concrete pool, and we're talking about a huge difference in the duration of time your yard is in disarray Because fiberglass swimming pools have no liner, there's no need to concern yourself with puncturing the pool surface.

Vinyl liners are not cheap This can happen from dogs getting in the pool, tree branches, patio furniture blown into the pool, etc. Fiberglass pools are incredibly strong and durable , so there's no need to be concerned about damaging the pool during daily use. Over the past 30 years, fiberglass inground pools have transformed from the typical white bathtub you'd find at a rental beach house, to the elegant swimming pool designs and aesthetic features that are now as much works of art as the pool.

This is due to advancements in the industry such as beautiful colored finishes, ceramic tile, tanning ledges, water features, stunning pool lights, elevated spas, poolside walls, etc. This is one of the many reasons why fiberglass pools have gained exponential market share over the past decade.

Salt chlorinators have proven to be a low maintenance, high water quality option for pool owners. However, if you have ever seen what de-icing salt does to the surface of a sidewalk, you can guess what it does to the surface of a concrete pool.

In our opinion, this makes the combination of salt systems and concrete pools unfavorable. Also, many vinyl liner pools are constructed with metal wall panels, and most have aluminum coping around the perimeter of the pool.

This is also a terrible scenario for a salt system. The liner will eventually leak, meaning good-bye wall panel! With no adverse effect on the fiberglass shell, you can enjoy the low-maintenance benefits of salt with confidence that your pool is not compromised. If a pool comes with the property, home buyers want something that looks good, needs little maintenance, and will last a long time.

Vinyl liner pools need a new liner every 5—9 years, and often a buyer will require the current owners to replace that themselves. By contrast, a fiberglass pool adds to the value of your home. Low-maintenance beauty and durability are a win-win for both parties. Although it won't recoup the original cost of the pool itself, it does help Check out the following chart to compare what the average pool owner would spend over a year period with each type of pool:.

Want to see about how much that cost will be with all your favorite pool accessories? Use our Design and Price Tool to walk through your options and approximate price! However, as you can see from the chart above, you spend far less in the long run when factoring in the cost of liner replacements every 5 to 9 years. The one major disadvantage of fiberglass inground pools is that you can't change the shape, size, or depth of the pool.

A swimming pool made of fiberglass will be sold as a large one-piece shell that arrives at your home by truck and then is positioned in the excavated hole with the help of a crane. Unlike concrete pools, fiberglass pools are ready-made, making it rare to request a customized design.

Most fiberglass manufacturers offer many models and sizes to choose from. Steps, spas , and benches are usually pre-formed. Fiberglass makes the pool-building process quick and easy.

Its smooth interior surface is slick, making it tough for algae to cling to. However, fiberglass can be more costly. After 10 to 15 years of exposure to sun and chemicals, the fiberglass deteriorates. Recoating it is not easy because the new coating does not stick easily to the older one.

Pools that are lined with vinyl are built with metal or plastic frames above ground or set into the excavated hole.

Prefab supporting walls or panels made of plastic, steel, or aluminum are joined to the frame, making a form that is then lined with heavy vinyl to form the pool shell. The bottom of a vinyl liner sits on a bed of sand or other material, while the top is held down by the coping , which creates a finished edge and also acts as a border for the pool deck.

The biggest advantage to these types of pools is that you can do just about any shape or style with these two materials. This is because steel is structurally sound and can be cut and molded into any size, shape, dimension, look, or feel. Just about anything a future pool owner is looking for can be created. The same can be said for the cement vinyl liner pools. After that, a liner can be cut to fit any shape or size pool.

The biggest downfall of the steel wall vinyl liner walled pool is it can eventually corrode and oxidize. It is generally not the pool to get if you live in an area with a high water table or an area that is not for soil that holds water. This gives a bit more restriction in terms of how structurally sound they are although as a result of its material make up it has a long lifespan compared to a steel wall vinyl pool.

If you are like many you may have run across this line and no, fiberglass pools are not the best. A fiberglass pool is a one piece. You may have seen a pool being carried along the roadside and then sent over to the end user. First a precise hole is dug and then at least in theory the pool is carefully lifted and placed into the ground. As previously stated every fiberglass pool is one piece and comes standard with built in benches, love seats and in some cases sun decks.

The biggest benefit of owning a fiberglass pool is that it is a quicker installation than the other types of pools. They typically have very low long term maintenance costs.