FAQ

A specialty form of concrete, gunite is a mix of sand, cement, and water. To build a gunite pool, crews apply it pneumatically, which means it is shot at high velocity through a high-pressure hose. The flexible, lasting material covers a network of steel bars, forming a thick, reinforced, rock-hard pool shell.

Gunite is similar to shotcrete. It is also called a “dry mix” because—unlike shotcrete—it arrives at the job site in dry form before water is added to make the material wet.

A gunite pool is built with a concrete blend that consists of sand, cement, and water. (Shotcrete is a similar blend, but also contains pea gravel.)

Construction crews spray the material through a high-pressure air hose onto a reinforcing network of steel bars to form a thick, rock-hard pool shell. Both gunite and shotcrete pools are engineered concrete creations that provides superb design flexibility and lasting durability.

Gunite pools offer many advantages. Unlike their fabricated fiberglass or vinyl liner counterparts, they are custom designed to your specifications and built to capitalize on unique variables in your backyard.

Gunite pools offer maximum creative freedom and visual appeal. Blue Custom Pools can form virtually any size, shape, depth, and multilevel configuration. A gunite design can seamlessly and more easily include a wider array of decorative and functional features than you can have in a vinyl or fiberglass pool.

Engineered to last for decades, gunite pool shells boast an engineered network of steel reinforcement that makes them the industry standard for strength and longevity.

With a gunite pool’s design versatility, shape options are virtually unlimited. Favorites fall into four broad categories: classic, Greco-Roman designs; straight-edge/geometric options such as rectangles or L-shapes; curvy, flowing silhouettes like a figure-8, “cloud,” and organic, free-form shapes; and custom configurations that mix curves and straight lines.

However, you can also request a modified version of any shape—even “set,” traditional ones like a Roman or a rectangle. Professional designers can surprise you with a creative, tailored shape.

Because gunite pools are custom projects—each with unique specifications, site conditions, and built with materials and craftsmen that vary by areas of Texas—it’s difficult to cite an average cost.

One major consideration will be whether or not the project includes a spa. This popular feature may add around 15 to 25 percent of the cost of the basic pool.

Other determining factors that affect the final price include size (often measured in perimeter feet), depth, shape, design elements, functional features, equipment and technology options (e.g., pool automation), material choices, accessories (e.g., a pool slide), local construction costs, local labor costs, and specific backyard building conditions.

By speaking to our designers and providing some general specifications, you will develop a sense for the typical starting pool prices in your area.

Yes, sources are available for pool loans, and we can help arrange pool financing for your project. Lenders provide both secured (where the borrower has collateral, such as home equity) and unsecured loans (where interest rates are typically higher).

Blue Custom Pools draws on an exclusive national network of home-improvement lenders to help clients obtain financing (on approved credit). Discuss your needs with your designer and He or She can offer solutions that might work for you.

Pool plaster or marcite (also called white coat) is a kind of interior surface for a pool. The key ingredients in marcite are water, white cement, marble dust, and additives to make it smooth.

The terms “marcite” and “plaster” are often used interchangeably. The term plaster is often used to refer to any form of interior pool finish, such as quartz or pebble.

Specialty tradesmen apply the wet material over the dried gunite shell. Once dry, the layer of plaster performs the critical job of waterproofing the pool structure. It also creates an attractive interior surface throughout the pool.

This is the standard pool plaster that comes in all Blue Custom Pool packages.

Unlike a traditional pool with a shallow end that transitions to an 8-foot deep end, a sports or play pool has two shallow ends and a slightly deeper section in the middle.

Typical configurations have depths of roughly 3-5-4 feet or 3.5-5.5-4 feet. These dimensions make it easier to stand in the water and engage in various activities.

For example, you can string a volleyball net across the middle (“deep”) area, and have players on each side compete on equal or comparable footing. These pools also provide a larger shallow end for children’s enjoyment.