Instagram trending architectural designs admire swimming pools for beating the heat of this summer 2022. Swimming is a relaxing and calming exercise beneficial for people of all ages. That’s why many consider a pool a necessity rather than a luxury. Nevertheless, swimming pools add class and value to your architectural space, whether it’s a home, a mall, or a spa. When building a classy and modern swimming pool, you have many designs to choose from. These include fiberglass, vinyl, and the popular one, concrete or shotcrete designs.
Concrete is the most widely available composite material, solid and stable enough to build and support many foundations. It is a mixture of sand, cement, water, and aggregates comprised of small crushed stones or gravel. You might have heard of shotcrete and gunite material when considering concrete-designed pools. But, do you know the difference? Is shotcrete a faster way to build a pool? The following description will help you learn the primary difference between shotcrete and Gunite. Moreover, it explains the applications, pros, and cons.
Shotcrete vs. Gunite Pool
Shotcrete and Gunite are the two terms used to indicate the method of applying sprayed concrete. Sprayed concrete is a popular construction solution for building tunnels, swimming pools, and other sturdy foundations. Gunite was invented by builders in 1910 when the cement gun was developed, and the American Concrete Institute first introduced the trademark term shotcrete in 1950. The primary difference between shotcrete and Gunite is the point when water is added following sprayed concrete. Gunite is a dry mix of concrete in which water is added as it passes through the nozzle. In contrast, shotcrete is a wet mix that is pneumatically shot out of the hose. In the case of the Gunite sprayed concrete method, the dry mix is added to the hopper, and the pressure is applied. So the mix is pushed pneumatically through the hose to the nozzle. The nozzle mixes a controlled amount of water to ease application and increase compressive strength. The gunite method requires professionals to control water addition based on the thickness required. Following shotcrete, water is added to the concrete mix before spraying through the nozzle. This technique utilizes less time, less labor, less equipment, and fewer skills and builds a more durable pool. Moreover, shotcrete is a faster application of concrete mix that avoids subsequent water addition. The construction process This simple construction process will help you understand how professional engineers and builders build your pool. It is a general method in which a builder can use shotcrete and Gunite. Excavation of hole according to the pool size required. It can be estimated from the available floor space and must be decided first before the engineer receives instructions.
Installation of pool plumbing.
- The construction of a steel cage bordering the walls and the bottom
- Sprayed concrete process utilizing either Gunite or shotcrete to cover the rebar
- Shaping and Finishing the concrete surface and letting it cure.
- Installation of tiles on the bottom and walls of the pool
- Building the patio
- Finishing process using plaster of Paris or other aggregates.
- Letting it all dry
- Starting filling the pool with water, and it’s ready.
Application of Gunite
For gunite application, builders use a piece of equipment called the cement gun in which high-pressure air is used to shoot out gunite. The dry mix of concrete with pressure passes through the hose to the nozzle. When at the nozzle, the professional controls the quantity of water added to the dry mix based on desired thickness.
Pros and cons of gunite pool
These pros and cons of gunite application will help you select what type of concrete mix will suit you.
The Advantages:
- Gunite is less expensive than shotcrete.
- High compressive strength
- Low shrinkage and super strength
- Easy to clean and apply
- The addition of water is possible according to the thickness desired.
The Disadvantages:
- Requires more time
- More pieces of equipment are required; thus, more maintenance
- Guite requires a highly experienced crew
- Dry mix can clog the hose.
- Messier and cluttered procedure than shotcrete application
- Low production rate
- Special paint is required for the final finishing
Application of Shotcrete
For shotcrete application, thoroughly premixed concrete is added with water in a cement mixer. Then, this wet concrete is added to the hopper with pressurized air as it passes through the hose to the nozzle that shoots out the mix as a fine spray.
Pros and cons of shotcrete pool
The advantages:
- No control over the water addition step eliminates the need for professionals too.
- Faster Application.
- Requires less time
- No need to add water in succession
- High production rate
- Requires less equipment
- Easy application and availability of materials
The disadvantages:
- Hoses are heavy.
- You cannot pause the application; it can be troublesome.
Shotcrete vs. Gunite- which is the best!
The gunite and shotcrete application procedures are good enough to build you a highly-engineered watertight, durable swimming pool. Nevertheless, suppose any process is not carried out accurately. In that case, it will lead to insufficiency, unreliability, and non-functionality of the pool. Moreover, the choice of application method depends on the builder, which in turn depends on his skills and material availability. However, considering the advantages mentioned above of shotcrete, it is a more reliable, quick, and easy procedure. Shotcrete helps build the most substantial and sturdy swimming pools to help you have fun throughout the summer. Gunite is easy to drill, but Shotcrete is as hard as a rock. This is the reason we at Smarty Pools prefer shotcrete over the gunite.
What’s the cost of constructing a shotcrete pool?
Engineers prefer concrete pools of larger sizes to be built with shotcrete. The overall installation cost starts around $55,000, which is way less expensive than the gunite application method requiring more labor, skills, time, and equipment.
Summing Up
To summarize, according to the Insta trends, swimming pools are becoming an integral part of an architectural space. Building such substantial pools is a great work that requires you to opt for a perfect construction technique. Based on the above data on the pros and cons of Gunite and shotcrete application methods, shotcrete is a more reliable, durable, simple, quick, easy, and economical way to realize your dream of a pool into reality.
Design a beautiful and durable pool in south Florida with Bash Pools
Regardless of whether you use shotcrete or gunite, it is essential to hire trained and qualified contractors. Wondering what a completed shotcrete pool looks like? Do you have any questions? Connect with us, and we will show you what finished shotcrete swimming pools look like!
