What You Need To Know Before Buying a Swimming Pool
May 22, 2023
If you’re looking at inground swimming pools for your backyard, you might be asking yourself: should I buy a vinyl liner pool or a fiberglass pool? The choice you make between these two will affect the total cost, how much maintenance is required, and the long-time enjoyment of your pool, so it’s important that you choose wisely. With that in mind, below are the main differences between the two.
Fiberglass is a simultaneously lightweight and strong material manufactured from tiny glass fibers that have been woven together before being reinforced with a polyester resin. This results in a smooth, non-porous surface. Because of this smooth surface of fiberglass pools, they offer a great level of swimming comfort and they are naturally resistant to algae, helping the swimming pool water to be healthier.
Fiberglass pools require basic maintenance to keep them healthy and looking beautiful. Balancing the water correctly is key, as is removing debris. Sometimes there can be waterline stain build-up, which is easily removed with a sponge soaked in pool cleaning solution. So, if you’re looking for the fastest possible swimming pool installation with the lowest amount of ongoing maintenance, a fiberglass swimming pool would be perfect for you.
Swimming pools made using vinyl liner are traditionally one of the most affordable options available, providing a cost-effective solution to those families on a budget who are looking for an inground or above ground pool installation. Made out of colourised PVC, the vinyl liner is hung in the bead track located around the top of the wall. Once the vinyl liner is in position, it is vacuumed into the walls and the floor, becoming the membrane or surface of the entire swimming pool before the pool is filled up with water.
Due to the lower costs, there are a number of downsides when considering a vinyl liner pool. Vinyl swimming pool liners will fade pretty quickly over time because they are usually exposed to direct sunlight, as well as exposure to higher levels of chemicals than normal fiberglass pools. They’re also a lot more likely to develop noticeable waterline stains. All of this means that you can expect to replace vinyl liners at least once every 5 to 10 years.
A swimming pool can be a lifetime investment, so evaluating the costs of maintenance is essential to help you determine which type will provide the most value for you and your budget. And over a 10-year period and beyond, pools made from fiberglass are easily the best value with the lowest maintenance costs. In fact, fiberglass swimming pool owners typically spend both less money and less time maintaining their pools.
Fiberglass pools have a well-earned reputation for being some of the most durable swimming pools in the industry, so unlike with a vinyl liner, you don’t need to worry about the surface of your fiberglass pool fading or becoming damaged. Even in the unlikely event that the surface does somehow get damaged, it’s most likely a relatively easy and cheap job to repair compared to the ongoing cost of replacing an entire liner.
Fiberglass swimming pools are available in a wide range of beautiful finishes, with pretty colours, water features and pool lights among the possibilities. That’s why fiberglass pools are considered to be a stylish and versatile type of swimming pool.
Once you do a little research between them both, you’ll find that the majority of people who used fiberglass for their swimming pool design are totally happy with their choice. When you’re looking at small inground pools as well as larger sizes, the extra durability and longer lifespan of these grand pools are sure to make them well worth the extra upfront cost in the end.
Speak to the team at Narellan Pools to learn more about the benefits of a fiberglass swimming pool.
