River Pools & Spas Blog | Fiberglass Pool Information (14)

11 Simple Ways to Enhance the Look of Your Backyard Swimming Pool Oasis

By: Marcus Sheridan

Although there are certainly many ways to dress up an inground swimming pool, I wanted to write a brief list showing 11 things (just about all of which are shown in the video) you may consider to dress up the overall appearance of your backyard ‘poolscape’. Keep in mind that as you read the following ideas they are just that—ideas, and by no means a requisite to having a beautiful pool in your backyard. As I always say, it’s better to have a pool in your backyard without all the options you wanted, than it is to have a beautiful pool with every option you ever dreamed of...in your head…and not in your backyard.

Pool Excavation: 4 Questions You May Not Think to Ask!

By: Guest Author

One of our goals with this blog is to nullify what we refer to as the “curse of knowledge” throughout the swimming pool industry. Pool professionals, and all professionals for that matter, often forget that the common customer lacks the depth of knowledge that they have taken years to acquire. What results is a breakdown in communication regarding products, services, construction processes, and an overall misconception of what exactly will happens in the backyard. I’m certainly not immune to this, as I certainly make the same mistake from time to time with my clients. So the purpose of this article is to discuss one of the most common pool construction processes that fall under the dreaded “curse of knowledge”: Swimming Pool Excavation.

Comparing Fiberglass, Concrete, and Vinyl Liner Pools in the Modern Age

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.

Fiberglass Pool Information | Finding A Pool Contractor | Installation & Construction | Pool Design Guides

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

By: Marcus Sheridan

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?"

The Top 7 Hidden Costs of a Swimming Pool Project

By: Guest Author

We see homeowners frequently asking questions about why pool builders charge such wildly different amounts for the same project. Comparing proposals can be challenging and sometimes exasperating, especially when it feels like you're comparing apples to oranges. Heck, sometimes it's even difficult to spot or even understand the differences between proposals. But how do you know that a proposal covers everything needed? In many cases it's very tempting to move forward with the cheapest proposal, but these situations can lead to surprise expenses for you, the homeowner. While surprises can be fun in situations like birthday parties or gifts, they're not fun when they come in the form of unexpected or hidden costs in the middle of your pool project.

Top 5 Fiberglass Pool Innovations of the Last 25 Years

By: Marcus Sheridan

When one looks back on the fiberglass pool industry over the last 25 years or so, it's truly amazing the amount of progress the industry has made as a whole. Upon reflection on these changes, I figured it would be a good thing to look at this time period and mention the innovations that have made their mark on the industry.

The Top 15 Reasons Why Moms Love Swimming Pools

By: Marcus Sheridan

First of all, let me preface this article by saying that I'm not a mom nor am I a woman, so by no means am I speaking here as if I'm an expert on the subject of "Mom stuff." Notwithstanding, my wife is a mother of 3 and upon discussing the subject with her, as well as having informal discussions with our substantial customer base of mothers here at River Pools, I decided to come up with the following list, which I think is pretty cool. So here goes:

Boats vs. Swimming Pools: Which Is a Better Investment for My Family?

By: Marcus Sheridan

Should I invest in a boat or a swimming pool? Such a question I've heard over and over again from customers over these past 9 years of owning a swimming pool company in a part of the world (Virginia) where boats, in many ways, are a major part of the life and culture.

Fiberglass Pools Gain More Market Share with Educated Consumers

By: Marcus Sheridan

Having been in this business for over 10 years now, it's absolutely unbelievable just how much the inground swimming pool market has changed during this time. This trend was made even more evident to me when I recently sat down with a customer in Baltimore, Maryland, who, by all intents and purposes, was a self-taught fiberglass pool expert.

Small Inground Fiberglass Pool Design Awards for 2010

By: Marcus Sheridan

One of my favorite parts of maintaining a blog about the fiberglass pool industry is the chance I have to look at the unique designs that manufacturers are coming up with as the industry progresses. Last year, we posted another very successful article regarding the top fiberglass pool designs of 2009 but this year I wanted to break things down even further and take this opportunity to solely focus on the ‘little guys' of the industry and analyze what makes some of these small inground pools (anything less than 30' in length) such a unique design.

How to Pour Concrete Coping around a Fiberglass Pool [Video]

By: Guest Author

One of the biggest factors in the success of a fiberglass pool project is the proper forming and pouring of the concrete patio. The absolute best way to achieve maximum structural integrity, as well as aesthetics, is to use cantilever forms. But as we've talked about many times in this blog, the reality is that many fiberglass pool builders have not yet fully grasped this construction technique.