Are you thinking of installing a pool in your backyard? Have you dreamed of creating an oasis on your property for fun and relaxation? Have you heard about fiberglass pools, but are not sure if they are the right fit for your home or budget? Fiberglass pools have grown in popularity over the years and can be a great option for homeowners looking to put in a pool. Let’s dig into everything you need to know about fiberglass pool installation, so you are armed with the right information to make the right decisions regarding this home upgrade.
Understanding how fiberglass pools are made and put in can help you make informed decisions on your fiberglass pool install. Ensuring a successful project means knowing what decisions you need to make before your pool is manufactured, how your pool plan will be laid out, what digging or excavating the hole for the pool to sit in looks like, what goes into installing your new fiberglass pool shell and plumbing, and finally everything about filling your new pool with water. Let’s start with learning a bit about what fiberglass pools are and what decisions go into having yours manufactured.
Fiberglass swimming pools are one of the three main types of inground swimming pools. The other two types are cement and vinyl. Fiberglass is generally the least expensive and simplest option on the market today because the pool shell is manufactured off-premise and delivered to your home for installation. Fiberglass pools though are also less versatile than other options and are usually made in standard sizes and shapes. They are manufactured as one single piece, or pool shell. The shell is made from several layers of reinforced fiberglass and covered in a protective gelcoat that gives it a smooth finish and its signature color.
A fiberglass pool installation takes about three to six weeks from start to finish once the pool shell is ready for delivery, but since your fiberglass pool shell is manufactured before your installation, there are several decisions you need to make beforehand. This includes the size, color, and shape of your pool shell.
There is not a set of standard fiberglass pool shell sizes, but for the most part fiberglass pools are generally between 12 to 16 feet wide and 35 to 40 feet long. Since the pool needs to be made off premise and delivered to your property, fiberglass pools cannot be longer than 40 feet due to highway restrictions and safety.
In terms of depth, the longer the pool, the deeper they can usually be. A pool that is under 27 feet usually has a depth range of 3 ½ to 5 ½ feet, which is on the smaller end. A pool in the mid-range, between 27 feet to 34 feet can hold a depth of up to 6 ½ feet. Pools that are 35 to 40 feet usually have a depth range between 3 ½ to 8 ½ feet. The size and depth of your pool will depend on the space you have on your property to accommodate it. You also need to take into consideration the pool deck and landscaping that will eventually surround your pool. Consulting your pool installer before you make this decision is important.
Another decision is your pool shape. For fiberglass pools, intricately designed and custom-built shapes are not possible. If you want a flamingo-shaped pool, you will have to invest in a cement pool since they are the most versatile when it comes to custom shapes. Fiberglass pool shells are, however, customizable up to a point. The most common shapes are the classic linear design as well as oval, kidney-shaped, L-shaped, Roman, Grecian, or a modified free-form design that combines these more traditional shapes into something more unique. Your personal style and taste will come into play when making this decision.
The most popular fiberglass pool color is blue, but such a seemingly narrow color choice is deceptively simple. Fiberglass pools come in a wide-range of blues, from the lightest of grayish-blue or an almost white with blue hints to the deepest of blues or those tinged with a more greenish-blue color to a more sapphire or cerulean. There is a wide range to choose from and each manufacturer will offer a different set of choices. Doing your research and consulting with your pool installer is a good idea to discover the colors that are available and knowing what will work best for your personal aesthetic.
Besides your pool size, shape, and color, you will also need to decide on custom features like decking tiles, tanning ledges, steps, lighting, fountains, and bubblers. In addition, the landscaping surrounding your pool will add to your pool’s aesthetics. These features will truly make your pool fit your unique personality and give you the backyard oasis you want. Hiring a landscape designer and professional pool installer that will work together to create a truly customized pool area on your property is also an important consideration.
This step by step guide on how to install a fiberglass pool will give you the information you need before you hire a professional pool installer and break ground on your new pool project.
This guide covers:
Although above ground fiberglass pool installation is somewhat possible, this guide covers the steps for installing a fiberglass inground pool shell. Fiberglass pools can only be installed partially above ground, rising about 18 inches from the ground line. This type of installation takes considerable modification to add a built-up structure to house the exposed portion of the pool. This type of modification is not covered in this article and is something you would want to discuss with your pool installer before pursuing.
Before breaking ground, your professional pool installer will make a dig sheet for your pool install. This will include accurate measurements for digging a hole in your backyard that will specifically fit the fiberglass pool you are having manufactured. This includes the width, length, and depth of your pool shell. The plan should also include your pool placement and landscaping specifications.
Your pool installer will also physically mark the pool placement in your yard. This will be the first step in seeing where in your yard your pool will be and give you a vision of the transformation about to take place. Pools are best constructed on level ground. An area in your yard with a flat grade is a preferable pool location. Extreme variations in grade are to be avoided.
The next step to installing a fiberglass pool is the excavation, or digging the hole for your new pool. This is when your project goes beyond vision and specifications to become a real change in your backyard.
Excavators and backhoes are used to dig a hole by removing grass and dirt from the marked area. The hole must also accommodate your pool’s plumbing and any accessories you may have chosen. The dig sheet is used to guide the accuracy of this work. It may seem like this phase is simply about digging a big hole, but the accuracy and precision of the work during excavation will affect the rest of the project. The hole should be very close to the actual pool size and the surrounding soil left intact as it will help support the pool shell. The depth of the hole will be measured using a measuring stick and transit level. Most pools are over dug about 3 to 4 inches.
The excavation stage of your installation may extend your timeline depending on your property and the accessibility of your yard for the excavation equipment. If unstable soil or troublesome organic material is discovered during excavation, it will need to be removed to achieve a stable bottom for your pool and prevent settlement. This removal may also extend your fiberglass pool installation timeline.
After the hole is dug and before your pool is delivered, the floor of your pool needs to be set to provide a stable base for the pool shell to sit. This is an important step to ensure your pool fits into the hole properly. It also helps prevent settling, which can create stress cracks in your pool. It also makes setting the pool in the next step easier. A stable floor is created with a bed of gravel. A level surface is achieved with the use of screed rails and a transit. It is important for the bottom to be square and well formed to create a solid foundation for the pool shell.
There are many steps in your fiberglass pool installation before your pool is delivered, but it is exciting when the day finally arrives. The pool shell comes on a specially designed low trailer and is lifted from the trailer and set into the excavated hole using a crane.
The truck-trailer and crane are not small equipment. A feasibility plan needs to be in place before your pool shell arrives so it can be safely moved into your yard and set into place. The shell should also be inspected upon delivery to make sure it did not get damaged during transport. Your plumbing equipment is also delivered along with your pool shell.
Pool shell placement includes lowering it into the excavated hole and then checking levels to ensure it is set properly. A pool shell may be lifted and reset several times to make sure it has a good fit. The pool bottom should sit firmly on the prepared excavated floor and be within only a half an inch from level to the ground.
Installing your pool plumbing and any electrical items is the next step in your fiberglass pool installation. Your plumbing system includes fittings for a skimmer box, deep end suction, and returns along with piping from these items to your pump and filter. This set-up creates a pool circulation system where water is drawn through the skimmer to the pump and then pushed through the filter and back into the pool through the returns. Proper set up is, of course, important for your pool to run smoothly. A pressure release pipe, valves to control water flow, or a salt water chlorination system may also be installed as a part of your pool plumbing system. Your pool electrical installation will be done at the same time, such as wiring for lights, a heater, or an automatic cover.
The next step in your fiberglass pool installation is backfilling the area surrounding your pool with gravel and filling your pool with water. It is important that these two procedures are done at the same time, which is why they are considered one step. The purpose of doing them simultaneously is to ensure equal pressure on both the outside and inside of your pool. The gravel creates pressure from the outside while the water creates it from the inside. A drain pipe is also installed at this phase of pool construction, which allows for future draining, if necessary.
One of the final steps in your fiberglass pool installation is putting in your pool decking and coping. The coping is a cap or edging that surrounds the top parameter of your swimming pool. It separates the pool shell from the surrounding area, which is often tiling or patio decking. It is the space where the patio meets the pool’s edge. It adds a barrier between the pool and surrounding dirt, protecting against water seeping behind the pool wall, which can damage your pool. Coping can be made of concrete, stone, or tile.
Once the coping is installed your pool decking can be put in. Decking is part necessity and part aesthetics and comes in many different materials, including concrete, stone pavers, brick, composite materials, or sometimes a combination of these. Decking adds usable patio space and landscaped paths or steps to your swimming pool area. It also provides drainage. Make sure to choose materials that do not become slippery when wet or are uncomfortable to walk on with bare feet. Also consider more heat-reflective material that will not become too hot to walk on either.
Once your pool decking and coping have been completed, there are only a few final touches that need to be done before you can enjoy your new pool. The most important is a pool fence. National building codes require that inground swimming pools have a fence barrier at least 48 inches high that surrounds the pool to prevent accidental drowning. A self-closing, latched gate must also be installed.
Fiberglass Pool Installation: Common Challenges and Solutions
Fiberglass pools can last between 25-40 years if properly installed. This is an investment worth making for your property, but the properly installed part is the most important.
Some common challenges with fiberglass pool installation include:
Most of the solutions to these common problems can all be tied to proper installation. Hiring a pool installer with experience installing fiberglass pools is vital, along with an installer who will communicate with you every step of the way. Having this primer on fiberglass pool installation will help you ask the right questions when looking for a professional installer.
Once your pool is installed, proper maintenance becomes the key to your new swimming pool providing an ideal space for fun and relaxation for many years to come.
Some tips for fiberglass pool maintenance include:
If you are thinking of installing a fiberglass pool in your backyard, hiring a reputable and reliable pool installer is one of your biggest considerations. Understanding the steps involved in the fiberglass pool installation process can help you find the right pool installer to put in the right pool for you. Tracer Pool and Landscaping can help you take that next step in creating your dream pool oasis.
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