Gunite pools are often favored by homeowners due to their extreme durability and versatile design options. In fact, gunite is the longest-lasting material you can choose for your pool construction.
But what is gunite? And what should you expect in terms of cost and the installation process? Read on for answers to these questions and more, straight from our pool experts at Liquid Luxury Pools.
Gunite is a type of concrete, but that statement really doesn’t capture what’s so amazing about this material. You see, gunite concrete is made from a mixture of very fine cement, water and sand.
This means—unlike standard concrete, which is made from large, chunky particles—gunite is highly adaptable, yet still ultra-sturdy.
Think about the curves and dips that accompany most swimming pools. The usual thick concrete you see pouring out of cement trucks on job sites around your city could never be smoothed into these delicate shapes. Gunite, on the other hand, is perfect for this purpose.
Now that you understand what gunite is, you might be wondering, “Can you paint a gunite pool?” The short answer is yes, you can paint the surface… but it might not be the best option in the long run.
Paint can flake off or fade over time, and the touch-ups quickly get expensive. Instead of painting, we’ll walk you through our various gunite pool colors during the design process. This way, the tone is mixed directly into your concrete—you won’t have to keep a can of paint on hand for retouching.
Unsurprisingly, because gunite pools are the most customizable and the most durable, they’re also the most expensive. Depending on a number of factors, a gunite pool costs about 30–50% more than a comparable pool in another material.
But with this in mind, it’s important to consider the potential duration of gunite when compared to other options. The average lifespan of a gunite swimming pool is around 30 to 50 years, but there are many examples of these pools lasting 100 years or more when well-maintained. Whereas the lifespan of a fiberglass pool might be from 25-30 years. Meaning, the total “cost per year” may actually be less for gunite.
The next question on your mind is likely, “How is a gunite pool made and installed?” Here’s the process we follow for every gunite inground pool we install:
1. Meet with our design team to discuss all your dreams, wants and questions—and then talk through how we’ll make them a reality.
2. We provide you with design details and a complete estimate, including timeline.
3. To prepare the ground and pool bed, we use heavy machinery, such as excavators and dump trucks, to dig out the existing ground and remove the unneeded dirt.
4. Next, we install the plumbing, as well as the sturdy rebar that acts as the “skeleton” of your pool.
5. We then use pressurized air to move dry concrete mix through a system of tubes and hoses. Once the concrete mix hits the nozzle, it mixes with water and becomes liquid concrete.
6. The pressurized air pushes the mix wherever our crew directs it, creating a thin, even layer of wet concrete, which hardens and cures over the course of approximately one month.
The great thing about this process is that you get an astoundingly durable, adaptable and structurally-smooth surface compared to other inground or above ground pools.
From here, we can overlay any kind of beautiful, custom plaster or tilework to create the aesthetic for the dream pool you’re envisioning. Our gunite pool builders will give you your very own backyard paradise with new water features and complete landscaping .
So, are you ready to talk more about creating your own swimming pool, custom-tailored for you and your family to enjoy for years to come? Get in touch to start realizing your dream today!