Originally published in 2018. Updated August 2026 with current information on gunite pool construction, customization, and maintenance for Baton Rouge homeowners.
A gunite pool is a custom-built swimming pool constructed with a steel-reinforced concrete shell. Unlike a fiberglass pool that arrives as a premanufactured shell, a gunite pool is formed and built in your backyard, giving homeowners much more flexibility to customize the pool's shape, size, depth, features, and overall design.
For Baton Rouge homeowners considering an inground pool, that flexibility is one of the biggest reasons to consider gunite. At Lucas Firmin Pools, we have more than 20 years of experience designing, building, renovating, and maintaining pools throughout the greater Baton Rouge area, with custom gunite pool construction at the center of what we do.
What Is Gunite Made Of?
Gunite is a concrete application made from cement, sand, and water that is pneumatically applied over a reinforced steel framework to create a pool's structural shell.
During construction, a grid of steel reinforcement is installed to form the pool's structure. The gunite is then applied over and around that framework to create a solid shell.
Once properly cured, that shell becomes the foundation for the pool's interior finish, tile, coping, waterline, and other design elements.
You may also hear terms such as concrete, gunite, or shotcrete used when researching pools. The terminology can become confusing because the materials and application methods are closely related. For a homeowner, the important distinction is that this type of pool is constructed onsite around a reinforced structure rather than arriving as a prefabricated shell.
How Is a Gunite Pool Built?
A gunite pool is built on-site in several stages, beginning with a custom design and excavation and progressing through steel reinforcement, plumbing, gunite application, finishing, equipment installation, and startup.
Although every project is different, the general process includes:
- Design and planning: The pool's shape, dimensions, depth, features, placement, and surrounding outdoor space are planned around the property and homeowner's goals.
- Excavation: The pool area is excavated according to the approved design.
- Steel and plumbing: Reinforcing steel is installed to form the structure, while plumbing lines and other necessary components are placed.
- Gunite application: Gunite is pneumatically applied to form the pool's structural shell.
- Curing: The new shell needs time to cure properly before construction progresses.
- Tile, coping, and surrounding features: The design begins taking its finished appearance as tile, coping, decking, and other selected features are installed.
- Interior finish: The pool's interior surface is applied.
- Equipment and startup: Pumps, filters, sanitation equipment, automation, heaters, and other selected equipment are prepared for operation before the pool is filled, balanced, and started.
Building a custom pool involves much more than digging a hole and filling it with water. Each stage affects how the finished pool looks, operates, and fits into the property.
What Are the Advantages of a Gunite Pool?
The biggest advantages of a gunite pool are customization, structural strength, and the ability to integrate the pool into a larger outdoor living design.
Custom Shape and Size
Gunite construction gives homeowners significant freedom in pool design.
The pool can be designed around the available yard instead of choosing from a predetermined set of manufactured shapes. That can be especially valuable when working with unusual property dimensions, existing patios, outdoor kitchens, landscaping, or other backyard features.
It also means homeowners can make intentional decisions about depth, entry points, tanning ledges, benches, steps, and swimming areas based on how they expect to use the pool.
More Design Options
A custom gunite pool can incorporate features such as:
- Tanning ledges
- Integrated spas
- Benches and custom steps
- Waterfalls and water features
- Deck jets
- Custom lighting
- Specialty tile and coping
- Different interior finishes
- Automation
- Heating systems
The important question is not how many features can fit into a pool. It is which pool features will actually make it more enjoyable for the people using it.
Long-Term Renovation Potential
Gunite pools can also be renovated as they age.
Interior finishes, tile, coping, decking, equipment, lighting, and other elements can be repaired or updated over the pool's life. Depending on the existing structure and project scope, more extensive renovations may also change features or modernize portions of an older pool.
That can be particularly valuable for a pool intended to remain part of a home for many years.
What Is the Difference Between Gunite and Fiberglass Pools?
The primary difference is that a gunite pool is constructed on-site to a custom design, while a fiberglass pool uses a premanufactured shell delivered to the property.
Fiberglass can be a good choice for some homeowners. Because the shell is manufactured beforehand, installation can generally move faster once the site is prepared.
The tradeoff is design flexibility. Homeowners choose from the manufacturer's available shapes, sizes, depths, and configurations.
Gunite construction provides considerably more freedom to create a pool around the property and the homeowner's preferences.
If you want a relatively straightforward pool and can find a fiberglass model that fits your property and budget, fiberglass may be worth considering. If you have a specific vision for the backyard, want greater control over dimensions and features, or need the pool designed around an existing space, gunite may offer more flexibility.
The right choice depends on the property, budget, timeline, and what you want from the finished pool.
Are There Any Disadvantages to a Gunite Pool?
Gunite pools offer significant customization and durability, but homeowners should also understand that they typically require a longer construction process and continued surface and water-chemistry maintenance.
Because the pool is constructed on-site through multiple stages, building a gunite pool takes time. Weather, permitting, inspections, material selections, site conditions, and project complexity can all affect the schedule.
Gunite pools also use an interior finish that requires proper water chemistry and may eventually need refinishing as it ages.
This is an important part of choosing a pool type. Gunite is not automatically the best choice for every homeowner simply because it offers more customization. The advantages should match what you actually want from your pool.
How Long Does a Gunite Pool Last?
A properly constructed gunite pool is designed to be a long-term addition to a home. However, individual finishes, equipment, and other components will require maintenance, repair, or replacement over time.
It is helpful to separate the pool's structural shell from everything attached to it.
The shell provides the pool's underlying structure. The interior finish, pumps, filters, heaters, lights, automation, tile, and other components have their own maintenance needs and service lives.
Eventually needing to replace a pump or refinish the interior does not mean the pool itself has reached the end of its useful life.
Consistent maintenance is one of the best ways to protect that investment. Proper water balance is particularly important because poor chemistry can affect pool finishes and equipment long before a homeowner expects to replace them.
Are Gunite Pools Good for Baton Rouge Homes?
Gunite pools can be an excellent option for Baton Rouge homeowners who want a custom pool designed around their property, lifestyle, and outdoor space.
South Louisiana also presents considerations to address during the planning process.
Heavy rainfall, drainage, soil and site conditions, existing utilities, backyard access, landscaping, and the home's location can all affect a pool project. These factors are one reason an onsite evaluation is so important before finalizing a design.
A design that looks great on paper still needs to make sense for the property where it will actually be built.
Local experience matters here. A pool builder familiar with Baton Rouge-area properties can evaluate the site and help homeowners understand how yard-specific conditions may influence the project.
Can a Gunite Pool Be Customized to Match Your Backyard?
Yes. One of the primary reasons homeowners choose gunite is the ability to design the pool as part of the overall backyard rather than treating it as a separate feature.
A well-designed pool should consider how people will move between the house, pool, patio, and other outdoor areas.
For example, a family that frequently entertains may prioritize a large tanning ledge, seating areas, lighting, and easy access between the pool and outdoor kitchen. A homeowner interested primarily in swimming may prefer a longer open swimming area. Families with children may think differently about steps, depths, benches, and visibility across the pool.
No single gunite pool design is ideal because different homeowners use their backyards differently.
That is where customization becomes valuable. The goal is not simply to create an unusual pool shape. It is to design a pool that works for the people who will actually use it.
Is a Gunite Pool Right for You?
A gunite pool may be right for you if customization, design flexibility, long-term use, and integration with your outdoor living space are priorities.
Before deciding, think about:
- How you plan to use the pool
- Who will use it most often
- Your preferred size and depth
- Features you consider important
- Your desired construction timeline
- Your long-term maintenance expectations
- How the pool should fit with the rest of your backyard
- Your overall project budget
A good pool consultation should help you work through those decisions rather than immediately pushing you toward a particular design.
How Do You Start Planning a Custom Gunite Pool in Baton Rouge?
Start by defining how you want to use your backyard and having an experienced pool builder evaluate what is possible on your property.
Bring ideas and inspiration to the conversation, but do not feel like you need to design the entire pool yourself. Part of working with a custom pool builder is turning those ideas into a design that works with the home's architecture, available space, site conditions, budget, and intended use.
Lucas Firmin Pools has designed and built custom gunite pools throughout the greater Baton Rouge area for more than 20 years. Our team can help you evaluate your property, work through design options, and determine whether gunite construction is the right fit for your backyard.
If you are considering adding a pool to your home, contact Lucas Firmin Pools to start the conversation about your backyard and what you want your pool to become.
