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River Pools & Spas Blog
The most educational swimming pool blog in the country, providing fiberglass pool articles and videos, as well as information on inground concrete and liner pools.
Concrete Pool Information | Installation & Construction | Options and Accessories
Concrete pools are often called “gunite” pools... but you may have heard of "shotcrete" pools, too. Researching your options when you want to buy an inground pool can feel overwhelming if you're unfamiliar with all the terms, technologies, methods, and processes professional pool builders toss around on a daily basis. But it's not as complicated as it can seem from the outside. This guide will help you understand the differences and similarities between plain old concrete, gunite, and shotcrete -- particularly when you want to use this material to build a sleek inground pool in your backyard. When you can speak a pool builder's language, you'll be on firm footing to negotiate your pool project's dimensions, costs, timelines, and options. Let's get started... Concrete fundamentals Concrete is a mix of water, cement, sand, and a coarse aggregate, which is a material made up of small particles, usually small crushed stones or gravel. The difference between sand and aggregate mainly comes down to the size of the particles and (sometimes) what they're made of. The sand you'll find at the beach or in the desert is usually made of quartz or limestone, but sand particles are always smaller than gravel, even if sand and gravel are made up of the same basic chemicals. Dry concrete is considered an "initial mixture" of cement, sand, and aggregate. The process of mixing water into an initial mixture of concrete gives the end product its name.
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Pool Maintenance | Swimming Pool FAQs
Odds are, you’ve heard pool people tell you, frantically and with tears in their eyes, “Don’t drain your inground pool!” They mention hydrostatic pressure as the reasoning before running off to warn the next pool owner they can find. It’s nice of them to alert you…but what are they talking about? Why shouldn’t you drain your pool, really? What does “hydrostatic” even mean? Not to worry, friend. I have your back. Let’s talk pool physics.
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Don't blindly wonder if a fiberglass, concrete, or vinyl liner pool is right for you. Our educational ebook does a deep-dive comparison of the 3 types, all while noting the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Pool Design Guides | Swimming Pool Design | Swimming Pool FAQs
A lot of people with medium-sized pets like to let them play in the pool. Have a dog? Sheep? Llama? Small horse? They might be interested!
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Options and Accessories | Pool Closing/Winterization | Swimming Pool Accessories
If you’re new to the world of pool ownership, get ready to use your Surprised Face… You don’t have to have a pool cover. I always got the impression that you did, but it’s actually not required. The obligatory fence around the pool area is your first line of defense in the safety arena.
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Let’s be honest: we all like to seem super skilled and smart. My personal tricks include: Reciting all of “Beauty and the Beast” from memory Counting on my fingers how many novels I’ve written, using dramatic pauses Using the phrase “nonlinear progression of time” (I may not be much fun at parties, now that I think about it.) Anyway, my point is, here’s a topic that you can try out for yourself: science! Science may not be your specialty, but you can impress your neighbors if you casually explain some chemistry to them in precise scientific terms, so it’s worth a shot.
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Pool Closing/Winterization | Pool Maintenance | Swimming Pool FAQs
I have zero tolerance for the cold. My family teases me for my wimpiness. I’ve accepted it. Around November or December every year, I vow to move to Hawaii. I spent most of my life in a pretty chilly area and now live in a warmer climate—and I still hate winter. If I have to wear a coat outside, I don’t want to go outside. I’d rather huddle indoors with blankets and hot chocolate for four months.
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Cost and Pricing | Installation & Construction | Vinyl Liner Pool Information
Most of us have been around vinyl liner pools at one time or another. (For example, my grandparents have one. I now know that they needed to replace the liner years ago. Don't blame the grandkids for rusted wall panels, Nana.) But personal experience doesn't necessarily mean someone knows the details. Curious about the basics? Here at River Pools, we worked exclusively with them for years before we discovered and fell madly in love with fiberglass pools. We’re all about making information available to you and easy to understand. That includes all types of pools.
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Options and Accessories | Pool Design Guides | Swimming Pool Design | Swimming Pool FAQs
For my family, a diving board is a runway. It's all very dramatic. We waddle like penguins, strut like models, wave like royalty, and stroll like oblivious pedestrians...and then drop into the deep end of the pool, still “walking.”
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Concrete Pool Information | Installation & Construction | Swimming Pool Design
What’s the best concrete thickness for your pool? If you’re asking this question, you’re probably already looking at and comparing the pool contractors in your area. The vast majority of us can’t DIY a concrete pool; the process is too complicated and technical. You’ll contract professionals to engineer and construct it. Be sure to ask them the relevant questions we lay out in our Swimming Pool Builder Vetting Checklist to confirm their integrity and expertise.
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Fiberglass Pool Information | Fiberglass Pool Manufacturers | Finding A Pool Contractor
Okay, I know warranties aren’t exactly a fun conversation topic. But bear with me! Most of us skim over Terms and Conditions, but you do actually need to read your fiberglass pool warranty—and you need to know what to look for. As fiberglass pool manufacturers and installers, we at River Pools can offer expert advice.
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