Do you want to build a swimming pool, and you’re thinking of which material to use? There are two types of swimming pools you can build—an above-ground or in-ground pool. An above-ground swimming pool is not advisable as it has many disadvantages. So if you decide to build a pool, an in-ground pool is the best option. The bigger problem is choosing which material to use for the pool. Three materials are available – concrete, fiberglass, and vinyl. Deciding which one to use can be tricky, so we wrote this article to examine their pros and cons.
Concrete
Advantages
Flexible Design: concrete is a malleable material that can be used to build pools in any shape, size, and depth. This means you can customize it in any way you like, giving your house further aesthetic benefits.
Durable: Concrete is durable and lasts long if properly maintained.
Disadvantage
Maintenance: concrete pools are difficult to maintain. Keeping it clean is hard work. It requires brushing and chemicals to maintain its good state and needs to resurface every 10-15 years. Thus, a lot of money might go into maintenance
Roughness: the rough texture of the concrete pool makes it a suitable habitat for algae and sometimes difficult for children as the hardness can hurt their feet.
Longer construction period: building a concrete pool requires more time than other kinds of pool
Not suitable for salt chlorination: When salt chlorination is used, the pool has to be resurfaced sooner and requires more maintenance.
Fiberglass
Advantages
Maintenance: it is the easiest pool to maintain. Its smooth surface means algae can’t grow in it. It is also resistant to corrosion, making it suitable for salt chlorination.
Building time: unlike concrete, installing a fiberglass pool takes a short time because it is prefabricated offsite. All you have to do is fix it into the hole. Installation takes less than five days.
Smooth texture: the smooth surface of the pool makes it appropriate for adults and children.
Range of designs: It is also available in various colors and designs which you’ll be familiar with from the onset.
Durability: it does not require resurfacing like the concrete pool. And when damaged, it can be easily repaired. It can adapt to weather conditions as well as soil contraction and expansion.
Natural insulation: the fiberglass is an excellent insulator that will keep the pool water warm and save energy.
Disadvantage
Size: since the pool is prefabricated, it has to be transported from the manufacturer to the installation site. This has a limited size, unlike that of the concrete pool.
Not Flexible: concrete offers a broader range of designs, shapes, and structures. The mold design for fiberglass pools is limited.
Vinyl
Advantages
Cheap: the initial cost of building a vinyl pool is the cheapest of the three, making it affordable even if you’re working with a strict budget.
Customizable shape: they usually come in rectangular shape but can be customized for extra money
Disadvantages
Expensive to maintain: the cost of maintenance is high as you need to reline the surface every few years.
Durability: it is not compatible with salt chlorination as it has aluminum on its perimeter and metal wall panels. These will corrode with salt.
If you need any more advice find your local pool builder and ask them any questions you might have.
