—Comparing the options
Concrete or fibreglass pool
Concrete pools are built on site to any shape. Fibreglass pools arrive as a finished shell. Each suits different gardens and priorities.
Concrete pools are formed on site with steel and concrete, waterproofed and finished with tile, plaster or pebble. They can take almost any shape, size or depth and can include features such as infinity edges, ledges and integrated spas. Construction takes longer and involves more trades.
Comparison guides set out how two pool options differ and when an owner might prefer one over the other.
Fibreglass pools are manufactured as a one-piece shell, transported and lowered into an excavation. Installation is faster on site, and the gel-coat surface is smooth. Shapes and sizes are limited to available moulds, and delivery needs access for a large shell, often by crane — difficult in many walled villa gardens.
01Summary
What matters most here
Concrete: any shape
Fully custom.
Fibreglass: faster on site
Limited to moulds.
Access decides
Fibreglass shells need delivery space.
02Detail
Comparing
Design
A concrete pool can be any shape, size and depth; a fibreglass pool is limited to the shapes available from manufacturers’ moulds.
Access
Fibreglass needs crane or wide access.
Finishes
Concrete takes tile and mosaic; fibreglass has a gel coat.
Features
Infinity edges and spas suit concrete.
Construction
Fibreglass is quicker once the hole is dug.
03Before you start
Before choosing
Check access
For a shell delivery.
List features
That you want.
Compare shapes
Available moulds versus custom.
—In practice
How to use this
Check first whether a one-piece fibreglass shell can actually be delivered to your garden, and whether the available shapes and sizes suit you. If you want a custom shape, an infinity edge, integrated spa or particular depths, concrete is the flexible option. Compare both on the finished pool you want, not only on the shell.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Ignoring delivery access
- Fibreglass shells arrive in one piece and need a clear route, often by crane. Many walled gardens cannot take one.
- Assuming fibreglass is always quicker
- Site preparation, excavation and surrounds still take time. The difference in programme may be smaller than expected.
04FAQ
Common questions about this
- Which is more common in Dubai villas?
- Concrete pools, partly because of design freedom and access.
- Can fibreglass pools be tiled?
- Not in the usual way; their surface is the gel coat.
- Is fibreglass quicker?
- Installation is quicker once the excavation is ready.
- Can either have heating and cooling?
- Yes, both can.
- Can a fibreglass pool be heated and cooled?
- Yes; heating and cooling equipment works with either type of pool.
05Read next
More pool guides on this
- Tile or plaster for a pool interiorA related choice between two options.
- Salt or conventional chlorine for a new poolA related choice between two options.
- The stages of building a poolAnother stage of planning and building a pool.
- How long building a pool takesAnother stage of planning and building a pool.
Filed under new pool construction. Every pool guide is listed on the pool guides page.
—NEXT
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