10/19/2019
After you've got a great plan, then come the materials! First, your pool shell.
All “concrete” pools are not created equally—pay close attention and ask a lot of questions as arguably your pools shell is the most important structural component.
After the hole has been dug for your pool, it is shaped per your plan. Next it is lined with steel rebar for support, then comes the concrete shell. In essence all concrete pools are the same—a precise mixture of cement, sand, and water that is pneumatically applied. The key here is “precise” and it’s where the huge difference between SHOTCRETE and GUNITE come in.
Most commonly you will see Gunite as in most instances it is less costly for the builder to use. The cement and sand are dry-mixed at the job and through a hose and gun like applicator it is mixed with water and air by the person spraying in in your pool. Although you may save some money, the biggest disadvantage is that it boils down to the job is only as good as the crew who mix the sand and cement and the person then mixing that with water as he or she sprays it in your pool. Unfortunately, there is a lot room for error, and frankly not up to our standards.
At Tully Pools, we exclusively use Shotcrete. Again, it does cost a bit more, but the consistency and structural integrity are well worth it in the long run.
Like Gunite, Shotcrete is a mixture of cement, sand, and water and that’s where the similarities end. Unlike Gunite that is only as good as the crew mixing all of the components on the job site, Shotcrete is precisely mixed at the concrete facility and does not vary one bit because of possible crew error. The Shotcrete is then sprayed into your pool by a trained and skilled applicator.