I. Introduction

Swimming pools can have many uses. The standard pool we think of is an 18' X 36' rectangle with a deep end for diving and a shallow end for wading. Right? Well, not anymore. There are certainly a lot of those around, and many being built each day. But the notion of a standard pool is quickly being blurred, as designers and builders are creating more and more kinds of swimming pools.

In fact the term 'swimming pool' may someday be replaced by some other term. Pools are not just for swimming. Some pools are specifically built for playing volleyball, or for diving, or wading, or just for looking at.

Regardless of how a pool is used, the construction techniques fall into definable categories. Below we outline the primary types of pools based on how they are built and what materials are used in construction.

II. Types of Swimming Pools

A. Gunite Pool with Plaster Finish

People are often confused about the word 'gunite'. Gunite is simply a type of concrete that is shot out of a gun. It is mixed on site and pumped through a hose, then sprayed to form the walls and floor of a pool. It is a very dry mixture that sets up quickly and can be shaped with a trowel. Gunite dries very hard, and it is reinforced with steel to make an extremely durable shell. Typically it is eight inches thick, then coated with a 1/2" layer of plaster. Since the plaster finish is what people see, the term gunite is a bit confusing at first.

Plaster is the smooth white surface many people associate with swimming pools. But even plaster has more to it than meets the eye. Plaster is typically a mixture of Portland white cement and marble dust. Sometimes calcium is mixed in to make it cure faster. Black dye can also be added to the plaster give us varying shades of gray. 

Plaster has been made this way for decades, but in recent years changes have occurred. Now you can get plaster with quartz or pebbles blended in, replacing marble dust. This gives the plaster strength, texture and color like never before. 

Contrary to popular myth, plaster should never be painted. Rather, it should be re-plastered. Painting leads down a road that eventually results in sand blasting, which is messy and expensive. 

One distinguishing characteristic of gunite pools is the ceramic tile at the water line. The tile not only protects the plaster from oily deposits, it enhances the beauty of the pool and gives it a distinctive appearance. 

B. Vinyl Liner Pools

Vinyl liner pools can be either above ground or in ground. The liner is the same in either case, but the structure of the pool is different. An above ground pool gets its strength from the metal walls and top edge support brackets. An in ground vinyl liner pool can have metal or plastic walls, with the dirt floor covered with sand, cement, or vermiculite. 

Liner pools have two great selling features. They cost less to install than gunite pools, and the liner can be replaced at an affordable price. When the liner is replaced, it's like getting a new pool. And the entire look can be changed literally overnight. 

Liner patterns used to be ho-hum. There's no kinder way to put it. But in the past decade liner manufacturers have shown a creative flare that is nothing short of miraculous. Every year new liner patterns burst onto the scene with color, style and pizzazz. Photo realistic tile, bold new colors and computer aided fitting techniques mean that replacing a liner is a chance to upgrade the look of a pool dramatically.

A liner typically lasts 6 to 10 years, depending on how well it is cared for. Over chlorinating or abusing the pH can ruin a liner in 2 years. Liners treated with loving care can last as long as 15 to 20 years. It all depends on the pool owner.
 

C. Fiberglass Pools

Fiberglass pools come in two forms: one piece fiberglass shell or rolled on fiberglass matt. One piece types are manufactured at a factory, shipped to the job site, dropped into a hole in the ground, then backfilled with sand. Rolled on types are constructed much like a vinyl liner pool, then the fiberglass is applied layer by layer, and finally painted with a gel coat. Tile is added to complete the look of a plastered pool. We call them gunite look-alikes because you cannot tell the difference without close inspection.

Fiberglass pools have the advantage of costing thousands less than a gunite pool, and in some cases less than a liner pool. A significant disadvantage peculiar to one piece fiberglass pools is that there is no real structure beyond the fiberglass, so walls can, and often do, bow inward as the sand behind them shifts. Another disadvantage of all fiberglass pools is that there are very few people qualified to repair the fiberglass should it ever crack. Here in Memphis we are fortunate to have Howard, but he's about the only one. (Howard Mikita, owner, Howard's Pool Service, 901-685-9541) If you have a fiberglass pool in Memphis, you need to know Howard.

D. Above Ground Pools

Above ground pools are basically vinyl liner pools that are not in the ground. They can be small with simple systems or large with systems comparable to in-ground pools. It depends on the price. For $600 you can get a do it yourself pool package with everything but the water - 24 feet diameter, 4 feet deep. At the other end of the spectrum there are above ground pools that have a deep end dug out, surrounded by a wooden deck for an in ground experience.

To be honest, some pool companies don't want to service or repair above ground pools, at least the smaller ones. One reason is that these pools typically use different parts or different size materials than their in-ground cousins. That means a pool truck would have to carry two of everything. Another reason is that the techniques for cleaning an above ground pool are different and a bit awkward, because you are leaning over the rim that may be up to your armpits, plus you're usually dealing with a flooded system.

The third reason it purely economic. People spend $1200 on an above ground pool because they don't want to spend 10 or 20 times that much on an in-ground pool. So when it comes time to replace the filter and pump for say $800, the home owner rightly says, "Heck, I can almost get a whole new pool for that."

Oddly enough, many of the companies that sell above ground pool kits, and even come out and set the pool up, refuse later to service or repair them. Some don't even carry replacement parts for the pools they sell. Thus, most above ground pool owners end up being do-it-yourself-ers (the same is true of most hot tub owners for a similar set of reasons).

The important thing to know about above ground pools in relation to this website is that everything we talk about refers equally to above ground pools and in-ground pools. Water is water whether it's kept in a hole in the ground or not. And the water is arguably the most important part of the pool (unless you're a skateboarder, I suppose).

E. Other Types of Pools

The four pool types outlined above are the main ones, but not the only ones. I have seen pools made out of all kinds of materials. Some of them include:

• cinder blocks - across the Miss. River in Ark., a very square home-built pool
• stainless steel - on the 3rd floor of a Downtown Memphis hotel, very shiny
• combination pools - made of two or more materials  For example, the builder pours a concrete floor while the upper 3 feet of the walls are made of fiberglass or steel (I even saw a corrugated steel wall/concrete bottom pool in a backyard in southeast Memphis. It was unique, and strong. But apparently the idea didn't catch on.)

III. Conclusion

Swimming pools come in all shapes and sizes, designed for many uses, made from a variety of materials. They all have one thing in common. When constructed properly, they hold water and can be used for recreation. The water is the thing that binds all swimming pools to each other. Whether it is a child's wading pool in the back yard, or an Olympic size pool at a world famous resort, the squeals of delight sound the same. 

This website is called "All Is Water" because the vessel that holds the water is not as important as the water. Yet to own a swimming pool means to care for it. And to care for it properly you need to know what the pool is made of and how it is constructed. Whether you are a new pool owner or a seasoned pool owner, you will benefit from owning a book or two about swimming pools. I encourage you to visit libraries, bookstores, online bookstores, and our virtual library to find interesting book titles about swimming pools.

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