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Pools exist of every varying shape, size and type

What type of Pool Build is right for you?

Types of Pools

The main difference between different types of pools is how the basin is constructed. There are
several different pool styles, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Fiberglass pools are made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic, which has been molded into
a basin shape. To install the pool, a construction crew digs an appropriately sized hole, lays
the necessary plumbing, adds some sand filler and lowers the preformed pool structure into
the hole. Then they level the pool, hook up all the plumbing and backfill in the area around
the pool. Usually, the pool is surrounded by a concrete deck structure and surrounding landscaping.
Blue Hawaiian Fiberglass Pools are known for their quality of construction and popularity for design

Vinyl-lined in-ground pools are a lot like above-ground pools, structurally, but they look more
like conventional in-ground designs. The construction crew digs a hole and assembles a metal,
plastic or wood frame wall around the hole's perimeter. As in an above-ground pool, the crew
lays sand along the bottom of the hole and secures the vinyl lining to the structural wall. These
pools are a lot cheaper than other in-ground designs, but not as durable. Typically, the liner
needs to be replaced every 10 years or so.

Gunite pools are the most popular design in much of North America. To build one of these pools,
the construction crew digs a hole, puts the plumbing in place and assembles a framework grid with
3/8-inch  steel reinforcing rods (rebar). The rebar rods are spaced about 10 inches apart, and secured
together with wire. When the grid is in place, the crew sprays a heavy coating of gunite, a mixture
of cement and sand, around the rebar. The sprayer unit combines dry gunite mix with water just before
spraying -- this produces the wet concrete material. The crew trowels the gunite smooth and lets it sit
for a week or so before applying a smooth finish to the rough surface. The most popular finish is called
marbelite or plaster (actually a mixture of cement and marble sand), but a lot of people finish their
pools with special concrete paint. Gunite pools can also have tile, exposed aggregate or even fiberglass
finishes. Gunite pools (and their cousins, shotcrete pools) are highly durable, and they can be built in
any shape or size.

Poured-concrete pools are similar to gunite pools, but concrete formed pools are  harder to build.
Instead of spraying concrete material around a rebar framework, concrete is actually poured into conventional
wooden forms.

Above-ground pools are the cheapest construction option, as well as the easiest to build. Most
above-ground pools are made from prefabricated kits.  It's also less permanent, which can be a good
thing -- it's relatively easy to disassemble the pool and move it to a new location.

What type of Pool Build is right for you?