Do Fiberglass Pools Work with Shrink/Swell, Clay, and other Soil Conditions?

Although there are certainly quite a few myths out there regarding the drawbacks of fiberglass pools, one of the most amusing has to do with its ability to deal with adverse soil conditions. For example, just the other day, I had a lady ask me this question after she had sat down with a concrete pool salesman.

"So I hear fiberglass pools do not work well with shrink-swell soil conditions. Is that the case?"

At first, I could only smile, as it always amuses me to see the extent some swimming pool ‘experts' will go to introduce fear in the minds of consumers in an effort to push them one way or another.

Common Sense

But my answer to this lady was just like it is to anyone that poses such a question: "What do you think?"

The lady thought for a second and then retorted, "I would think fiberglass would be perfect for such a situation."

I smiled at her answer, knowing that common sense had again won over befuddling sales tactics.

You see, when someone actually considers the well known flex-strength of fiberglass, and then stacks it up against the utter inflexibility of concrete, it becomes quite apparent that fiberglass pools are perfectly ideal for adverse soil conditions—especially shrink-swell.

The Most Adaptive Pool in the World

This rule of thumb also applies to just about any other soil type, whether it is sand, rock, or clay. Simply put, fiberglass pools are incredibly adaptive to their environment and are therefore the most versatile pool in the world when it comes to soil conditions.

Now some reading this blog may say that I'm being biased. But for those of you that read the information found herein on a regular basis, you're already well aware of the fact that the purpose of this blog is to bring to light the good, the bad, and the ugly of all types of swimming pools, with a particular focus on fiberglass.

So even though fiberglass does have its own set of drawbacks (size/shapes limits), please don't let soil types be one of them. In fact, the next time you hear a concrete or vinyl pool sales person use this false analysis you can then be rest assured the individual is either a) pretty clueless regarding swimming pools or b) trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

Until the next time...as always...happy swimming.

At River Pools, we manufacture world-class fiberglass pools for customers across North America. If you're interested in getting a fiberglass pool for your home, you can browse our catalog of models, try out our pool pricing calculator, or request custom pricing using the button below.

Up Next:

Fiberglass Swimming Pools 101: Manufacturing, Cost, and More

Can You Put an Inground Pool in a Small Backyard?