Fiberglass: 50 Years of Innovation

When it comes to backyard leisure, a swimming pool can’t be beat. But becoming a pool owner involves a myriad of decisions—selecting a pool design, size and contractor, among others. Potential pool owners often take one decision for granted: What materials should we use to construct our pool? Many immediately decide either vinyl-lined or gunite—but another stellar option exists: fiberglass, which has been pleasing pool owners for 50 years.

Fiberglass pools are constructed much like boat hulls and other marine vehicles—created by shaping fiberglass against a mold and coating it with a polymer or resin gel, which hardens into a waterproof shell. The first fiberglass pool, created by San Juan Pools in early 1958, was a great success. In fact, that pool can still be found in Washington—and is still in use today.

Because of its early start with a simple rectangle design, fiberglass has taken some heat from the pool-building industry as a second-class citizen—a reputation that couldn’t be farther from the truth today. “I had a customer in Coral Gables, Florida, who found out the town has a law against fiberglass pools,” says Kirk Sullivan, president of San Juan Pools, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in the fiberglass pool business this 2008. “The law reflects an old stereotype of boxy, unattractive pools, and probably doesn’t account for today’s fiberglass innovations.”

Low Maintenance, High Strength

Not only do fiberglass pools offer a myriad of designs and feature options, their smooth, non-reactive surfaces inhibit algae growth and reduce the amount of chemicals required to treat water. And fiberglass is strong and durable: A typical fiberglass pool features a structure more than 15 times stronger than concrete, yet flexible enough to survive ground movement, says Sullivan.

Since their original use, manufacturing materials remain largely consistent: Layers of glass threads are still used for the molds, held together by a resin or polymer. Only these hardening agents have changed, adding more strength and flexibility to the structures. Methods for using those materials, however, have changed dramatically, with new innovations making fiberglass pools more enticing than ever before.

Innovative new pool models have added versatility to designing a fiberglass backyard haven. Negative edges, a popular trend in pool design, are no longer feats of engineering for fiberglass pool installers. “In the past, contractors had to build overflow basins next to the pool if an owner wanted a negative edge—and it led to some problems if the basin wasn’t built quite right or wasn’t large enough,” Sullivan says. “We now offer pool models with vanishing edges built in, including a pre-built overflow basin. This removes the extra math work and labor for the contractor.” Other pool models include attached spas, spillways and other design features not commonly associated with fiberglass construction.

Ultimately, homeowners choosing among fiberglass, vinyl and gunite should make their decision based on the material that best suits their maintenance requirements and desired pool design. For durability, Sullivan says fiberglass can’t be beat. In fact, San Juan pools come with a 25-year warranty as a testament to their longevity—and Sullivan proudly admits that “we have more and more pool warranties expiring every day, and we now have products in the ground that have lasted twice their warranty!” Any pool can look gorgeous: Make a decision based on material quality to ensure continued satisfaction. “You have to use what criteria will make you happy with the final product for the rest of your life,” Sullivan says. “That’s the most important thing.”

Fitting with Fiberglass

Want an automatic cover but shopping for fiberglass? Have no fear--San Juan offers several attractive models with covers specifically built for them, saving you the hassle of sizing and shopping.

Automatic pool covers are a popular accessory that, until recently, were not available for most fiberglass pool owners. The reason: Because these covers are exact rectangles that run along a track, they require an exactly rectangular shape or one that allows for surrounding rectangular track. Most fiberglass pools are not exact rectangles, and outside tracks required a dual-layer deck, which added tremendous cost to a project.

So San Juan Pools came up with two solutions: “We designed a series of rectangular pools to fit the covers,” says company president Kirk Sullivan. “And we created a rectangular frame that the pool mold fits into perfectly. We ship the frame to Aquamatic Cover Systems, and they install the cover on the frame, test it and ship it to the pool location. This process ensures that the cover fits and works properly, and it changes the installation time from days to about four hours.”

San Juan Pools also patented a line of pools with heated wet bars, extending the swimming season for cooler climates. Designed as hollow underwater bar stools, the wet bar’s seats fasten over heated water returns in the pool. “Swimmers essentially sit on the heat source, which makes for a much more economical option than heating the entire pool when the weather gets colder,” Sullivan says.

Written by Breanne Cook for Pool & Spa Living magazine.

Photo courtesy of San Juan Pools

The first San Juan pool, built in 1958, is still in use. Today’s models are even more versatile, durable, and strong.

When it comes to backyard leisure, a swimming pool can’t be beat. But becoming a pool owner involves a myriad of decisions—selecting a pool design, size and contractor, among others. Potential pool owners often take one decision for granted: What materials should we use to construct our pool? Many immediately decide either vinyl-lined or gunite—but another stellar option exists: fiberglass, which has been pleasing pool owners for 50 years.

Fiberglass pools are constructed much like boat hulls and other marine vehicles—created by shaping fiberglass against a mold and coating it with a polymer or resin gel, which hardens into a waterproof shell. The first fiberglass pool, created by San Juan Pools in early 1958, was a great success. In fact, that pool can still be found in Washington—and is still in use today.

Because of its early start with a simple rectangle design, fiberglass has taken some heat from the pool-building industry as a second-class citizen—a reputation that couldn’t be farther from the truth today. “I had a customer in Coral Gables, Florida, who found out the town has a law against fiberglass pools,” says Kirk Sullivan, president of San Juan Pools, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in the fiberglass pool business this 2008. “The law reflects an old stereotype of boxy, unattractive pools, and probably doesn’t account for today’s fiberglass innovations.”

Low Maintenance, High Strength

Not only do fiberglass pools offer a myriad of designs and feature options, their smooth, non-reactive surfaces inhibit algae growth and reduce the amount of chemicals required to treat water. And fiberglass is strong and durable: A typical fiberglass pool features a structure more than 15 times stronger than concrete, yet flexible enough to survive ground movement, says Sullivan.

Since their original use, manufacturing materials remain largely consistent: Layers of glass threads are still used for the molds, held together by a resin or polymer. Only these hardening agents have changed, adding more strength and flexibility to the structures. Methods for using those materials, however, have changed dramatically, with new innovations making fiberglass pools more enticing than ever before.

Innovative new pool models have added versatility to designing a fiberglass backyard haven. Negative edges, a popular trend in pool design, are no longer feats of engineering for fiberglass pool installers. “In the past, contractors had to build overflow basins next to the pool if an owner wanted a negative edge—and it led to some problems if the basin wasn’t built quite right or wasn’t large enough,” Sullivan says. “We now offer pool models with vanishing edges built in, including a pre-built overflow basin. This removes the extra math work and labor for the contractor.” Other pool models include attached spas, spillways and other design features not commonly associated with fiberglass construction.

Ultimately, homeowners choosing among fiberglass, vinyl and gunite should make their decision based on the material that best suits their maintenance requirements and desired pool design. For durability, Sullivan says fiberglass can’t be beat. In fact, San Juan pools come with a 25-year warranty as a testament to their longevity—and Sullivan proudly admits that “we have more and more pool warranties expiring every day, and we now have products in the ground that have lasted twice their warranty!” Any pool can look gorgeous: Make a decision based on material quality to ensure continued satisfaction. “You have to use what criteria will make you happy with the final product for the rest of your life,” Sullivan says. “That’s the most important thing.”

Fitting with Fiberglass

Want an automatic cover but shopping for fiberglass? Have no fear--San Juan offers several attractive models with covers specifically built for them, saving you the hassle of sizing and shopping.

Automatic pool covers are a popular accessory that, until recently, were not available for most fiberglass pool owners. The reason: Because these covers are exact rectangles that run along a track, they require an exactly rectangular shape or one that allows for surrounding rectangular track. Most fiberglass pools are not exact rectangles, and outside tracks required a dual-layer deck, which added tremendous cost to a project.

So San Juan Pools came up with two solutions: “We designed a series of rectangular pools to fit the covers,” says company president Kirk Sullivan. “And we created a rectangular frame that the pool mold fits into perfectly. We ship the frame to Aquamatic Cover Systems, and they install the cover on the frame, test it and ship it to the pool location. This process ensures that the cover fits and works properly, and it changes the installation time from days to about four hours.”

San Juan Pools also patented a line of pools with heated wet bars, extending the swimming season for cooler climates. Designed as hollow underwater bar stools, the wet bar’s seats fasten over heated water returns in the pool. “Swimmers essentially sit on the heat source, which makes for a much more economical option than heating the entire pool when the weather gets colder,” Sullivan says.

Photo courtesy of San Juan Pools