Yes, fiberglass pools have a smooth finish. Where a concrete pool was a pourus and rougher finish that gives alge something to grab on to. Also staining it. A low calcium level can pit a concrete pool, not a fiberglass, plus a fiberglass pool is more flexible,so ground movement wont crack it. In the long run the extra money you pay for fiberglass is worth it.
A fiberglass pool requires less maintenance, less repairs structurally in the future, is quick to install, and is good for smaller pools. Gunite pools are better for a pool deeper than 8 feet, custom shapes, and is a bit harder on the feet than a fiberglass pool.
there is a company that has a dealer base across the country called Fiber Tech. You will have to have a concrete floor but other than that they line your pool with fiberglass and special resins giving you a product with a 25 year warranty. They are located in Largo FL.
I am researching the same question and this is what I have found so far: having a "freeze line" is not a good condition for fiberglass pools. Fiberglass pools are cheaper to install and use less chemicals to maintain. I was told the chemicals also do less damage to fiberglass, if any?, than to gunite pools. Fiberglass pools must be filled at all times to avoid "popping up". The only thing that still has me leaning towards gunite is a custom pool shape we have in mind. Hope this helps. I am also trying to decide between fibergalss and gunite. I have been told (by a gunite dealer) that there is a problem with staining in fiberglass pools. Besides a low water level, what else might cause a fiberglass pool to pop up?
No, because fiberglass can make you slip unlike concrete steps
Yes it can, but it will be very costly. A great alternative (and much less expense option) would be to coat the pool with a new fiberglass surface. The new fiberglass shell will be extremely strong, will not tear like the vinyl liners, and will last many more years than the liners do. Fiberglass can be applied over plaster, aggregate (pebble-tec), vinyl liners, and virtually any other surface. You can see a video here:http://www.advancedpoolcoatings.com/videos.html
The gunite pool is basically what most people refer to as the in-ground concrete pool. Because this pool will shape to the contours of your yard, it is a great choice for those who want something more unique than the typical vinyl lined pools. The tile on the gunite pool can be cleaned with household tile cleaner when you are doing your deep cleaning of your pool. This requires that the pool be drained and rinsed thoroughly.
Far superior to an above ground pool, the fiberglass pool is still not cheap. If you install it yourself, depending on the various options, you will spend $12,000-$30,000. Add another $8,000-$20,000 to have it and a concrete barrier installed by a company.
Fiberglass insulation is better than air, but closed cell foam is better.
We had a fiberglass pool installed 3 years ago. We are very disappointed. We live in suburban Philadelphia. Last winter our fiberglass pool "popped" out of the ground. It was full of water and the deep end popped up, lifting the concrete and all. Now there is pressure on the sides causing the sides to bow inward. What is most distressing about our situation is that NOBODY will help us. We contacted the installer only to be frustrated with broken appointments and NO SERVICE. We contacted the manufacturer (we now have cracks and chips from the pressure, which should be covered under our warranty)only to be told, that they are much too busy. We contacted other installers only to be told they also, are too busy making money "hand over fist" to be bothered with our problem. So, if you are considering a fiberglass pool in the Northeast area, I would strongly research your installer for response to service, consider the type of soil you have and definitely have a form of a french drainage system installed.
All day long. Concrete pools have real tile instead of the fake liner tile look. You can update a concrete pool later on as styles change: with vinyl it's final.
You have slightly less maintainence with fiberglass than other types which might require periodic refinishing and acid washing. In addition it's slightly easier to maintain the balance in a fiberglass pool. So there seem to be no real special maintainence problems with fiberglass and less trouble than some other types.
Fiberglass is because concrete will crack Yes I agree also, because we had a concrete pool when I was growing up and we were always repairing leaks, maybe the pool was just bad, but now that we purchased a fiberglass pool. We love the pool and it does not require much maintenance. We're going on 6 years with the pool and it still looks new.