Why I Only Build Gunite Pools in Rhode Island
Updated: Sep 28
After years of building on this island, gunite is the only pool I will put my name on.
People ask me all the time whether they should go with vinyl, fiberglass or gunite. My answer is always the same. Gunite is the only pool we build, and it is the reason I became a Certified Genesis Pool Builder. Gunite is a mix of cement and sand, sprayed at high pressure over a cage of steel and then shaped by hand on your property. When it cures you have one solid concrete shell built for that exact spot. It is closer to building a stone foundation than installing a product.
It fits the land you have
Very few properties on this island are flat and simple. There is ledge under the lawn, a slope toward the water, an old wall you want to keep. Fiberglass shells come in the shapes they come in, and they have to fit on a truck. Vinyl liners are limited too. Gunite can step down a hill, curve around a mature tree, run a long clean rectangle beside a stone terrace, or tuck a spa into the corner. That freedom is what lets a pool look like it belongs to the property instead of being dropped into it.
That freedom is what lets a pool look like it belongs to the property instead of being dropped into it.
It lasts, and it works with stone
A well-built gunite shell handles our winters, our salt air and our shifting coastal soils better than anything else I have worked with. Interior finishes get refreshed over the years, the way you would care for any fine stone surface, but the structure is built to stay. And because gunite is formed in place, the coping, the steps and the terrace stone can be tied right into the pool. We set the bluestone and natural stone around our pools ourselves, so the transition from water to stone to lawn feels like one piece of work.
It is only as good as the builder
Gunite gives you a lot of freedom, which also means it depends on the person designing and building it. Steel placement, the thickness of the shell, drainage around the pool and how it sits on the grade all matter. That is why I went through the Genesis program, and why I would encourage you to ask any builder who actually designed the pool and who will be on site while it is built.
Beginning your project
The best time to start designing is the fall or winter before you want to swim. You can see more of our pool and water work here. Call me at 401-619-1607 or request a consultation, and I will come out and walk the property with you.
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