Can a gunite swimming pool handle the intense heat of Phoenix, AZ? Does gunite or a shotcrete pool have cracking issues? You have had a gunite pool now for years. It is wearing down?
Most pool companies claim gunite pools last decades. What does that mean? How long to they last and does the Arizona heat make a difference? Also, many homeowners confuse the gunite shell of the pool and the interior finish. Shasta uses Pebbletec products for most pool finishes.
This article showcases the benefits of gunite or shotcrete pools. We share how heat impacts the pool shell versus how it effects the interior surface. Now, you can figure out what is the right type of swimming pool for your specific needs.
Table of Contents
- How Long Do Gunite Swimming Pool Shells Last?
- Does Arizona Heat Damage a Gunite Pool Shell?
- Signs Your Gunite Pool Needs Resurfacing
- Does Arizona Heat Shorten a Gunite Pool's Life?
How Long Do Gunite Swimming Pool Shells Last?
Most gunite pools offer long last durability. From a reputable pool builder, the pool shell is the longest lasting item.
A properly built gunite/shotcrete shell lasts 50+ years. Many experienced builders report 75–100 years when the pool is maintained.
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Shasta's structural shell carries a lifetime warranty for the original owner. (5-year coverage on plumbing/equipment/interior finish, 2-year on natural stone decking, lifetime on the shotcrete shell itself)
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Shasta has been building concrete pools for over 60 years.
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The shell is steel-reinforced concrete. This doesn't react the way a porous interior finish does.
What's the Difference Between Gunite and Shotcrete?
Both are pneumatically applied concrete sprayed onto a steel rebar framework. This gives either one its strength and lets builders form custom shapes.
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Gunite is the dry-mix method. The cement and sand are sprayed dry. Then water is added.
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Shotcrete uses a wet-mix method. The concrete is pre-mixed with water before it's sprayed.
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Shasta's new pool construction builds use shotcrete. For most homeowners, they still call the pool's shell "gunite."
Shotcrete Fills the Steel Rebar Skeleton of Your Pool
"In this phase, the crews are going to bring out rebar, and they're going to actually be kind of like artists crafting the steel cage into that freshly dug hole. I could relate it to the skeletal structure of our bodies. Same thing with the steel — it helps support the pool shell. Step five is going to be the shotcrete or the concrete of the pool shell. So shotcrete — here's where that nomenclature comes from. It's kind of shot through a big hose, similar to like a fire hose, but instead of water coming out, it's concrete... during this process, they're going to be covering up that steel that we talked about a little earlier." - Chris Wood, Sales Manager Shasta Pools
Does Arizona Heat Damage a Gunite Pool Shell?
Arizona heat and UV can cause a lot of damage around your pool. The good news is your gunite shell typically isn't an issue.
The gunite shell is underground or underwanted and not exposed to sun's UV rays and intense heat.
After 60 years building pools, Shasta hasn't see shotcrete pool shells cracking from Arizona's heat.
Many gunite pool shells carry a lifetime warranty for the original owner.
Your water chemistry and interior finish are effected completely different than the shell's structural integrity.
What Stresses a Pool Shell in Arizona?
Arizona sits on expansive soil. The ground swells when it absorbs moisture and shrinks when it dries out. The constant movement happens directly underneath and around your pool. Expansive soil causes many of the pool's structural failures.
Shasta's fix is a key-locking deck. No. 4 steel running through the pool's bond beam, plus vertical "sky bars" spaced every three feet around the pool's circumference, wrapping the shell and tying directly into the deck concrete.
Deck Lifts Over the Pool Shell
"a normal deck out here, they would just pour the concrete right on top of the pool shell... the decking wants to lift up over the pool shell, and you get this unsightly gap between the bottom of the deck and the top of the pool tile. holds it and locks it into place so it doesn't go and lift off like a normal floating deck would do" - James Arrowood, Shasta Pool Designer
Signs Your Gunite Pool Needs Resurfacing
You need to resurface when the finish itself starts failing. This is different than the shell itself. Your interior finish needs to be replaced when you see etching, chalky or rough texture, staining that won't lift, and rising chemical use.
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If you don't balance your chemicals, you can etch your plaster or Pebble Tec.
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If you don't keep that balance right, you can draw the calcium and stuff in the cement out of a pebble tech pool.
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Very soon after putting in a plaster finish, it will be stained, it will be etched, and it will be discolored.
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A finish that's degrading takes more chlorine and acid to keep sanitized.
Cheap Plaster Interior Finishes
"Without a doubt, plaster finishes, any cheap version of plaster, we get folks who call us within inside of a year and say, yeah, I went cheap. My plaster looks terrible. It looks stained. It looks very cloudy. And we're regretful that we didn't go with a more durable finish." - Herschel Holder, Remodel Sales Manager
Does Arizona Heat Shorten a Gunite Pool's Life?
Not the shell. Shasta's been building gunite sell pools for over 60 years. The structural shotcrete shell carries a lifetime warranty. If anything stresses the shell in Arizona, it's the ground moving underneath it.
The finish is the part most people mean. Hot water needs more chlorine and acid to stay sanitized. That chemistry is hard on plaster. Left alone, plaster gets rougher and holds algae more easily. One of many reasons, Shasta installs Pebbletec interior finishes.
So if you're a few years, you're starting to see staining and chalkiness. That's the finish having issues and not the gunite shell.
If you're deciding between gunite and fiberglass, Shasta's design team can share insights and local experience. We can help what fits your backyard and support how your family is going to use it. We've been building and taking care of Arizona pools since 1966.
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