What's better? Vinyl liner or fiberglass pool?

When planning the installation of a new backyard swimming pool, one of the first decisions a homeowner encounters is what type of swimming pool should I install?  Being located in Central Indiana the two most popular types of pools are vinyl liner and fiberglass.  Discussing with your local swimming pool builder, typically whatever pool they specialize in is the best.  So which one is ideal for your family?

Like any major home project there are pros and cons to either choice.  So lets explore some of them:

A fiberglass pool being installed in backyard.

A fiberglass pool can look beautiful and bring years of entertainment for your family with minimal costs to the actual fiberglass shell itself.  Being molded in a factory allows your fiberglass pool to hold the same great shape year after year.  Installing a high quality fiberglass pool can typically come with a warranty for up to 30 years.  Be sure to research the quality of fiberglass so that your pool won't crack, blister or peel to quickly.  With advancements in technology, more options are available such as entry steps and benches to give your pool a little something extra.

Fiberglass pool coming apart from deck and lifting out of the ground.

One of the first downsides you will hear about a fiberglass pool is that it easily can pop out of the ground.  Depending on different variables, this could be a big con or not a problem for your backyard.  In Central Indiana homeowners can have a high ground water table.  If your backyard is on a hill or elevated, you typically don't have any issues with a high water table.  If not though you may have to deal with a high water table.  Simply put if the ground water during the spring (from melting snow and spring rain) rises and more water is underneath your pool than what is in the pool, the pressure can displace (or pop out) the pool.  Due to water tables, the majority of fiberglass pools are not diving depth safe either.  If your backyard ever has standing water or gets saturated during the spring, a fiberglass pool might not be the best fit.

When planning a fiberglass pool, don't expect a custom layout.  You are limited to what a manufacturer offers on size, shape and layouts.  Some pools have benches, steps or ledges but the placement is predetermined.  What you see is what you can choose from.

Custom vinyl liner pool.

A vinyl liner swimming pool allows a homeowner to design their dream pool (with a few limitations) for their backyard.  Technological advances now allow liner pools to add steps, sun ledges, or benches to the shape and size pool they desire, with thousands of configurations to choose from.  The options are endless and your family can have a custom pool without breaking the bank.   Does your family want to dive into their pool?  With a liner pool, you can configure it so that the deep end is safe for diving.  Get tired of looking at the same old thing after years?  Liners typically need changed roughly 10-12 years in the future, giving you the opportunity to update the pool and make it look brand new at a fraction of the cost of a new pool.

A big downside to fiberglass pools is the water table, but how does that affect liner pools?  Liner pools are constructed with a vermiculite bottom that is porous like sand, but sets up firm similar to concrete.  This allows any ground water to pass through it and not cause and structural damage to your investment.  On the flip side, the con can be as water passes through the vermiculite and push the liner up, the result can be wrinkles in the bottom of the pool.  Pro to no structural damage but con to having to look at wrinkles for the summer.

Wrinkles formed from ground water in a liner pool.

Even though you get to refresh your liner pool in the future, you still have to replace the liner eventually and homeowners can expect $3k to $5k for a liner replacement.  Because the liner is very valuable to your pool holding water, your family has to be careful not to rip a liner.  This isn't an everyday happening (yes, liners can be patched easily too), but being negligent to what you put around the pool can quickly lead to a costly repair.

When it comes time to price your dream pool, a liner pool will typically cost $10k - $15k cheaper than a fiberglass pool up front.  After 30 years and a couple new liners, the pools may end up costing the same depending on how you want to view your pool costs.

So what is better?  A vinyl liner or fiberglass pool?  You still may not have the right answer, but hopefully this gives you some quick pros and cons to either option.  Every backyard and situation is different and we encourage you to talk your local pool builder about any concerns you may have.  Don't be afraid to get a second opinion either.  We like most builders offer a backyard consultation to help your family find the perfect pool.