What Is The Difference Between A Gunite Pool And A Shotcrete Pool?

The most popular pools today are concrete pools. Typically, concrete pools come in two forms; gunite and shotcrete. The majority of homeowners love concrete pools due to their high adaptability and durability. With concrete, you can customize your pool to match any design. But what is the difference between a gunite pool and a shotcrete pool?

Gunite pool construction #

Gunite is a mixture of sand, cement, and water. But water is usually mixed with gunite at the site of construction. What happens is that pool contractors use a hose with two distinct lines. They insert a dry combination of sand and cement into one line in the hose. Then, they insert water into the other line of the hose. During pool construction, the dry concrete mix integrates with the water at the nozzle to form gunite. Gunite has to get sprayed over the rebar framework at high pressure.

Advantages of gunite pools #

• During the gunite application, you can always take a break and resume from where you left. Doing this would not create uneven surfaces.
• Pool owners spend less on constructing gunite pools. Shotcrete pools are more costly.

Disadvantages of gunite #

• Applying gunite is not a walk in the park. You have to hire an expert gunite pool builder. One mistake during gunite application can cost you thousands of dollars on pool repairs.
• Since gunite a dry concrete mix, it can cause blockage of the hose pipe.

Shotcrete pool construction #

On the other hand, shotcrete is a combination of sand, water, and cement inserted in a high-pressure nozzle. So, typically, for shotcrete, water is pre-mixed with sand ad cement before application. Now, you can see the significant difference between gunite and shotcrete. Generally, shotcrete is a wet mix of concrete, while gunite is a dry mix of concrete combine with water at the hose’s nozzle during pool construction.

Advantages of Shotcrete #

• Unlike gunite pools, constructing a shotcrete pool does not need a lot of expertise. Remember, sand water and cement are already mixed. You can actually conduct a DIY project if you have the knowledge and expertise.
• The material shotcrete is robust and creates a uniform surface layer.
• It takes less time to apply shotcrete during pool construction.

Disadvantages of Shotcrete #

• Unlike gunite, you cannot pause during application. Since the mixture is wet, it has to get applied fast to facilitate proper bonding.
• In case you add the wrong proportion of water into the mix, there could be the development of cracks.
• It is more costly to create a shotcrete pool than a gunite pool.
• At times, pool contractors have to keep adding water to the mixture during transportation to keep the shotcrete in good condition. However, doing this tampers with the robustness of the shotcrete.

Summary #

Ultimately, shotcrete and gunite pools are both products of concrete. Before settling for one option, always consult your pool builder.