Rocky, dry soils require a thicker base, and I would recommend using a sand and cement pool floor mix for these conditions. Our minds were made up that a fiber glass pool was best when we decided the gunite salesmen were obviously truly afraid of losing us to a fiber glass pool.Glad to hear you are having a blast in your American Fiberglass Pool. What a LIE! Of course this requires that the pool be built differently, since the concrete cannot be shot against the soils. They KNEW how to sell a product & themselves. It truly does not matter whether the soil condition is clay, rock, sand or as we call it hear in Texas, black gumbo soil. In many cases a fiberglass pool becomes a welcome problem solver for poorly drained sites. One of these days those gunite guys will “get it”.The simple truth is that concrete pools are the pools with issues in expansive soil areas.My suggestion to concrete pool builders is don’t throw rocks when you live in glass houses.You are right sir! Per the quote above, regions with very dense clay soils can be problematic for gunite pools, causing cracking due to the extreme rates of expansion and contraction.
The Most Adaptive Pool in the World. Note, these times may vary in problem sites. Expansive soils are soils that expand when water is added, and shrink when they dry out. This can be achieved by over excavating the soils and later back filling with non-expansive materials.
People just love all the advantages of owning a fiberglass pool.The biggest problems while owning a gunite pool are cracking of the structure due to soil expansion or contraction and that weak, pourous plaster finish. Contractor installation of the pool without deck is $20,000 to $40,000. Expansive soils either expand or contract as the amount of water or moisture in them changes. Note, these times may vary in problem sites.
This continuous change in soil volume can cause homes built on this soil to move unevenly and crack. What are they saying? Fiberglass pools have been the fastest growing segment of the pool market nationwide for 23 years now.I used to sell fiberglass pools for a pool builder in Florida back in the 70’s.Some things never change sir. !My investigation shows that there are a lot of pool companies that build both gunite and fiberglass pools.Pool builders building fiberglass and gunite pools are becoming more and more prevalent every day all around the country.There are too many advantages with fiberglass pools to sell against them.The advantages of fiberglass pools are many. All the best to your career in the pool biz. Expansive soils generally are made up of absorptive clay-like materials that swell or shrink, depending on moisture content. Well, here we go again….You are so right.
Some sales people do not know how to sell. Water and Expansive Soils. We look forward to receiving those pics.I do not grasp the sales concepts of some of these concrete pool builders. Simply put, fiberglass pools are incredibly adaptive to their environment and are therefore the most versatile pool in the world when it comes to soil conditions. B. Fiberglass pools are precast shells that are set into the ground and finished off with decking.New materials and technologies are behind a thriving market for hard shell fiberglass pools. Installation of our fiberglass pools is done through an independent dealer. If that material is a … Hopefully as these young sales people get seasoned they will know the truth sets you free!Time will not ease the pain of these gunite pool salesmen as they compete against fibre glass pools.Fiberglass pool sales will get their percentage of sales no matter what the other guys say. Very sandy soils are at a risk of liquefaction, particularly where there is a high water table which eliminates the option of a vinyl lined pool.Rapid installation and low maintenance are the two most common reasons people choose fiberglass pools. In fact, today's fiberglass pools are 17 times stronger than a gunite pool, and less prone to cracking under less than ideal soils. bed rock. Such swimming pool shells are typically constructed of air-blown mortar (gunite). Pro Tip: Swimming pools constructed near home foundations in expansive clay soils are frequently sources of damaging moisture. A rough estimate for a fiberglass pool shell and its shipping charges can range from $12,000 to $25,000 depending on the size of the pool. Building a swimming pool is often an excellent choice for those who have children or who plan on entertaining a large number of people. After reading this blog, I now understand that your type of pool is popular for a number of valid reasons. "River Pools" is a service mark of River Pools and Spas, Inc. and River Pools Fiberglass, LLC. In my computer I have close to 60 pics of “floated” gunite pools. Quite frankly it seems like they are reciting the same old scare tactics we used to hear often 40 years ago back in the 1970’s. Shipping a large pool requires large trucks and a wide load surcharge, and with gas prices rising, this can really add up.
Fiberglass Pools cost more to install because a fiberglass shell is more expensive than a vinyl liner. Per the quote above, regions with very dense clay soils can be problematic for gunite pools, causing cracking due to the extreme rates of expansion and contraction. Fiberglass is far more resistant to algae and staining so the need to treat water is minimized. Product specifications are believed to be accurate at the time of original publication. Usually, steel reinforced concrete slabs are the best foundation design for expansive clay soils. This applies to very cold climates as well, where the changes due to freeze-thaw create similar challenges. Whereas the liner pool and fiberglass pools are installed in 2-4 weeks. When we bought our fiberglass pool 2 years ago a gunite pool builder that advertised they did both kinds of pools blasted fiberglass pools. A pool structure should be designed by a structural engineer licensed in the State of Texas.