Shotcrete vs Gunite

[DaBomb650]

Any thoughts on which is better?

We are having a pool put in by a nationwide company. One of the reasons we went with them is that they are using Gunite and not shotcrete.
From what I have read, the Gunite is stronger.

Great forum by the way! Lots of great information.

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

Good luck getting a straight answer... I think this is going to be similar to a vinyl vs plaster discussion :-D I do have to say that my 30 yr old gunite pool looks as good as new with no major problems since install... of course you could probably find someone with a 2 yr old gunite pool with complete failure.

[imfignewton]

It does not make any difference wether you use gunite or shotcrete both will do the job. The important part is your pool company or sub good at the method of application. There are bad gunite jobs and bad shotcrete jobs.

[JonnyG]

I have a shotcrete pool. In all of my research, shotcrete seem to be the best with the only downside being slump. This is where the heavy concrete tends to not stay straight on the walls. The gunite seemed to need more expertise to be applied and could have more problems with having the higher strength of the lareger aggregrate concrete. Based on everything, I choose the shotcrete and I am very happy I did. The slump prblem never happened and the pool looks beautiful. I would worry if the the guy running the gunite gun is learning to do it on your pool or hes an expert. Seems that he could ruin your pool and it may take a few years to find out (or you can have a piece of the pool sent out and tested for hardness). The question is whether you trust the guy they send to your house to mix the gunite on site or the concrete plant that does this all the time. I chose the concrete plant (shotcrete pool).

My two cents

John

[DaBomb650]

Well, the pool contractor is offering a "lifetime warranty" on the gunite pool structure. They tell me they 1 guy that does their gunite, he has been doing it for 20 years. These make me feel a little better about the whole thing.

[Simmons99]

I would go with what the pool builder is most experienced at installing.

[beary]

I would go with what the pool builder is most experienced at installing.

This makes a lot of sense. Our builder had bad experience with shotgrete here in the middle of Oklahoma. He said that our shotcrete just didn't hold up as well to our shifting red clay. He thinks it would be fine in most other types of soil.

I can't say how true that is at all, but as Simmons99 says, use what the builder is experienced at installing.