Concrete remains one of the most reliable materials for in-ground pool shells because of its unmatched strength and durability. It can protect the structure against regular use, heavy wear, and inclement weather. The concrete surface also grows resistant to stains and scratches, preserving its initial appearance.
Concrete pools are one of the most durable types of pools. An in-ground concrete pool costs an average of $55,000. If well-maintained, your pool can last up to 75 years. Concrete requires increased maintenance because it's porous.
Most Durable Pool Finish
Concrete pools are also able to withstand harsher weather conditions and are resistant to water chemical deterioration. This gives you flexibility in the water you choose for your pool — whether it's chlorine, saltwater, or magnesium mineral, a Plungie can handle it.
Durable: Vinyl Liner pools wall systems can last a lifetime with routine liner changes. In comparison, a well-maintained concrete or gunite pool can last for decades, but needs to be routinely resurfaced and acid washed approximately every 10 years.
Overall, vinyl liner pools are the cheapest inground swimming pools that money can buy. It's rare to find a pool builder who can build a concrete or fiberglass pool at a vinyl liner pool price.
A popular choice is a gunite swimming pool because it is highly durable and it can be created in just about any shape. Gunite pools use a rebar framework that is sprayed over with a concrete and sand mixture. Gunite is exceedingly durable, so swimming pools made of this substance are built to last.
Prolonged or frequent changes in the soil moisture can also lead to cracks in a concrete swimming pool. If the soil is excessively wet, it swells, the pool may develop cracks. The same is true for overly dry soil. During droughts, the soil shrinks, leaving the pool unsupported.
Every swimming pool built or manufactured must, at one time or another, be emptied for repair or resurfacing. There is no such thing as a pool that will never need to be drained, regardless of what you may have been led to believe. Draining a pool can cause serious damage to its structure.
Concrete is porous, no matter how dense it is, and water can eventually work its way into it. That is unless you have added pool waterproofing layers to it.
The pool water may begin to freeze on those 30-degree days, thaw on a 50-degree day, and freeze again when the temperature drops. As a result, the concrete and plaster can begin to crack as well. Now, it's totally common for concrete and plaster to crack over time regardless of the climate that your pool is subject to.
The Bottom Line
Concrete pools require the most maintenance. Vinyl pools come in second, and fiberglass needs the least maintenance of all. Keep in mind that the overall design and depth of fiberglass pools are limited, and renovating your pool is more difficult if it's made of fiberglass.
Vinyl liner pools are generally the cheapest inground pools with regard to upfront costs; however, their costs can increase significantly based on a number of factors. A ballpark figure on the lower end for an inground 12' x 24' vinyl liner pool with installation is around $42,000.
Cushioning. While it is clearly suggested that concrete slabs can be the best option for a base of your above ground pool, you should consider the hard surface your pool is resting on. Risks with a hard surface at the bottom of your pool along with the added friction your pool will encounter.
Adding more water to the concrete increases workability but more water also increases the potential for segregation (settling of coarse aggregate particles), increased bleeding, drying shrinkage and cracking in addition to decreasing the strength and durability.
Many concrete pool owners are being inquisitive whether they should get their pools lined with vinyl or not. For all such people who have this question hitting their minds, the answer is a big 'yes'. Yes, you can get your pools lined with vinyl lining for many reasons.
Concrete pools are more likely to sink or shift. A sinking or shifting pool is the worst possible outcome. With excavation required to fix, homeowner's insurance may or may not cover the repair. The cost to repair a sinking or shifting pool could run into thousands of dollars or could be a total loss.
On Average, Replastering is Every 10 Years
The short answer is about every 10 years. However, it's important to consider the factors mentioned above, as they are typical signs that your pool needs to be replastered. And, should you decide to have your pool replastered, be sure to get the right contractor for the job.
A high-quality concrete pool with a durable finished surface (like tile), is going to last a lot longer than a fiberglass pool and probably have a lower lifetime cost. On the other hand, a high-quality fiberglass pool could be more cost-effective than some concrete pools.
Formulated to stop pool leaks in concrete and gunite pools and spas, Pool Putty comes in cartridge form. To apply Pool Putty, simply cut open the cartridge, mix the two putty products (the single stick formula dispenses the products 1 to 1), and then apply the mixed putty to the crack on the pool or spa surface.
Concrete – Most Expensive and labor intensive construction of all. The pool finish can be abrasive on the bottom of the feet, especially once the swimmers feet become 'pruney' and extra soft.
The most common pool size and shape is a 16 by 32-foot rectangle. That's the minimum size you need for an 8-foot deep end. That gives you 8 feet of the shallow end. Bump up to a 16 by 40-foot pool, and you double your shallow end to 16 feet.
Long story short, the type of inground pool that is the easiest to maintain is clearly fiberglass. If you want an even more in-depth comparison of vinyl vs concrete vs fiberglass pools, check out our comparisons of inground pools.