Top Advantages of Gunite Pools vs. Other Materials
Gunite is becoming one of the favorite materials for pool builders and owners. While vinyl, concrete, and fiberglass all have their uses and are still excellent choices, gunite can sometimes be a more versatile option. Here’s a list of what there is to love about gunite and how it shines among other similarly strong materials.
What Is Gunite?
Gunite is a durable concrete mixture. It’s a balanced blend of cement, sand, water, and other aggregates. It’s used to create highly durable structures without the need to put extra frameworks in place. It’s a popular choice for pool builders, but it’s also seeing a lot of use creating other landscaping elements, like retaining walls.
Why Gunite Pools Have Many Advantages Compared to Other Materials
Pool builders are recommending gunite to build residential in-ground swimming pools more than ever. But what is it they see in this material? Here’s an in-depth review of gunite’s advantages compared to other materials.
Gunite Has Remarkable Durability
The recipe for gunite automatically makes it a rock-solid choice for pool owners who care about durability. However, that’s far from the only reason gunite is so strong. Pool builders construct gunite pools in a specific way: by spraying the mixture under pressure to create a solid shell.
This specific construction process helps prevent cracking that would be more common with other swimming pool materials, even if the soil surrounding the gunite moves. Contractors will also often use steel rebar to reinforce the gunite pool. The added structure provides even more durability and protection from soil movement.
Gunite Is Naturally Beautiful
This building material has all the makings of natural beauty. Its ability to adapt to the surroundings makes it look right at home in a rocky and wooded landscape. This can be much more challenging when you’re inserting a rectangle into your backyard as you would with other materials.
Additionally, because gunite is easy to customize, it comes with a variety of finishes that can mimic more natural materials. Those who want to go for a dip in a pool of crystal-clear water with gleaming pebbles will be delighted to hear that this design is 100% achievable with gunite.
Gunite Is Highly Adaptable
Suppose that you’re interested in building a pool on a slope or you have a unique geometric shape in mind for the design. Some materials would be nearly impossible to use in these instances, but not gunite. Gunite is right up there with concrete in terms of design flexibility and versatility.
Pool contractors who specialize in custom builds adore gunite for this reason — gunite can achieve virtually any shape or style with ease. It’s even fantastic for those with smaller yards since you can manipulate the material to fit the existing landscape. Where other materials make things challenging, gunite often makes things simple.
Gunite Works Well With Other Features
Whether you’re adding additional pool features to the initial design or you want to add some later, gunite can be easily integrated with other materials and features. It matches well with many other materials, working as an excellent base for stunning recreational pool elements like swim-up bars and tanning ledges. It also looks incredible with more practical backyard features like patios and decks.
Are Other Pool Materials Options Still Viable?
Many other material options are still worth investing in, and depending on your situation, they have their benefits. Here are some specific examples of when you might prefer other materials over gunite.
Gunite May Not Be the Greatest for Tighter Budgets
Gunite is a sound long-term investment. But for homeowners who are concerned about their budgets in the here and now, gunite’s cost might be a barrier to entry for building their pool.
While it’s still overall more cost-efficient to opt for materials that last and don’t require as much maintenance, it’s hard to argue that gunite’s upfront cost might prove too costly for some projects.
However, gunite can be comparable or even cheaper than concrete. That’s because you don’t need to build extra formwork like you would when pouring a concrete pool. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re deciding between concrete and gunite. Chat with your design team; the materials are similar enough that you might be able to save using gunite without changing much of your original design.
You Need a New Pool Immediately
The other way you “pay” for gunite is with time. Gunite and concrete have similar installation times. So if you were hoping for a new pool in a few weeks rather than a few months, you might prefer a fiberglass shell or vinyl liner instead. Fortunately, in places like Tampa Bay, summer weather shines for longer than only a few months, so many homeowners can afford to wait.
There’s a Higher Maintenance Cost
Gunite and concrete are higher maintenance than fiberglass and vinyl. They’re both porous, so they require more maintenance to stave off algae growth. You might also spend more on chemicals to keep it clean for this reason.
The higher maintenance is often well worth the tradeoff. Still, pool ownership is already a lot of work, regardless of the material, so it’s understandable to be wary of adding more to your plate.
Gunite for a Guaranteed Quality Pool
It’s no small investment to build a pool from scratch. And since the goal is to build a paradise right outside your back door, most people would agree that there’s no substitute for the best. Gunite is somewhat of a luxury pool-building material, but its ability to withstand everything from inclement weather to damage from cracking makes it a workhorse as well.
Pool experts love working with gunite because it gives them and their clients the freedom to create something truly spectacular, something that can withstand the test of time and give their family joy for countless summers.
Hire Pool Builders Who Have Expertise Working With Gunite
The future of your pool build is bright with gunite and the experts at Tampa Bay Pools. If you’re ready to create a bold, beautiful custom pool, contact us today to learn more about our process and get a quote for your project.