Why We Build Your Custom Concrete Pool the Way We Do
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At LiveWell Outdoors, we build custom concrete pools to last. Rather than vinyl or fiberglass, we design and build shotcrete pools for our clients. We can hear you asking “What is a shotcrete pool?”
In a nutshell, it’s a pool made using concrete, which consists of sand, water, cement, and admixtures. This is basically the same mixture as regular concrete, with one, big difference.
Instead of pouring concrete section by section into a wood frame, we use a specialized spray pneumatic gun to forcefully apply the shotcrete. This building method makes the pool extremely durable. We apply shotcrete concrete at 5,000 PSI to the structure of your pool.
Your pool doesn’t have to be regular. You can customize the shape.
Are Gunite & Shotcrete Pools the Same?
If you’ve been pool shopping, you may have also heard the term “gunite.” Many people use “gunite” and “shotcrete” interchangeably.
But, Gunite is actually a manufacturer of dry shotcrete systems. It’s similar to when you hear someone ask for a Kleenex when they want a tissue, or say Xerox when they want to make a copy of a document. The brand is so tied to the product that it becomes the standard.
Two Types of Shotcrete
It’s important to mention that there are two types of shotcrete: dry and wet.
Dry shotcrete is sand and cement mixed on-site by the company truck. There is less quality control with the amount of cement in the mixture. In addition, there is usually more concrete rebound that needs to be removed from the shell because it can create weak points (i.e., negatively impact the hardness and strength of the concrete).
Wet shotcrete is mixed at a redimix concrete plant with higher quality control. The psi (pounds per square inch) can be specified and there is less concrete rebound. For these reasons, we install wet shotcrete shells for LiveWell Outdoors clients.
Customize your pool and get the features you want.
The Inner Workings of Your Custom Pool
Before we apply the shotcrete, a lot goes into the pool design. Every aspect of your custom inground pool is designed for strength and safety.
The features you may or may not be able to see in the finished product include:
- Thicker rebar (the “bones” or framework) and closer spacing
- Thicker beams, walls, and floor (to give the pool shell more strength)
- Base PebbleFina® for plaster (the stronger quartz lasts longer than standard white plaster which is marble)
- Oversized plumbing lines for safety and efficiency (to ensure that the main pool drain is safe and doesn’t become an entrapment or suction issue)
- Additional pool lights and smaller lights (for improved aesthetics)
- Automation (to control your pool lights, heat, pump, and other features via mobile app)
- Electric panel (including sturdy support for the electric panel)
In addition to all the strength and safety features that go into your custom inground pool, a key thing about a shotcrete pool is the ability to customize size, shape, finish, tile, coping, and more.
And, of course, we can add fun features into your finished inground pool design, including:
- Tanning ledge
- Diving rock
- Pool waterfall
- Therapeutic Spas
- Swim in place/ Riverflow
- Swim-up bar
- Grotto
- Beach entry
- Vanish Edge
- Slot edge
- Perimeter overflow
- Lazy Rivers
- And more!
Turn your backyard into a pool paradise.
Create Your Own Pool Paradise
And in addition to designing and building your custom concrete pool, the team here at LiveWell Outdoors can also install your pool decking, pool fence, patio, and pool landscaping. We do it all.
Dream It. Build It. Live It.
As experienced concrete pool builders, the team here at LiveWell Outdoors has gained a reputation for quality concrete pool design and installation. With all of the custom design and finishing features, no two swimming pools we build are exactly alike.
If you’re thinking about how a custom concrete pool could change your backyard into a pool paradise, please schedule a consultation. We would love to work with you. While we’re based in Upper Marlboro, we serve homeowners in much of Maryland, DC, and northern Virginia.
