The Different Types of Swimming Pools

Before you get to how you’ll treat the water, there’s a bigger decision: what kind of pool you actually want. Shape, size, and material all affect what it costs to build, how much upkeep it needs, and how it’ll actually get used, whether that’s a quiet lap swim before work or the whole family piling in on a Florida weekend. Whether you’re planning a first pool, weighing up a renovation, or you’re a builder helping a client decide, here’s a rundown of the main types you’ll come across.

1. Family Pools

Anything bigger than roughly 23 by 10 feet generally falls into family pool territory, and the shape can be angular, round, or freeform depending on the yard. These are built to do more than one job: exercise, play, and a spot for the whole household and guests to gather. If you’re picturing kids doing cannonballs while the adults actually get to relax and supervise from one spot, this is the category built for that. Because they cover so much ground, family pools also tend to be where the choice of shell material matters most, since it affects the upfront cost, how long the build takes, and how the pool holds up over years of regular use.

Above-Ground Pools

Above-ground pools are the go-to when an in-ground pool isn’t realistic, tight backyards, sloped or uneven terrain, or budget constraints. Shells are typically plastic, resin, fiberglass, or steel, and one underrated upside is safety: the higher entry point makes it harder for young kids to wander unsupervised, and the same raised structure means less debris and yard runoff getting into the water. They also tend to need fewer chemicals to maintain than a full in-ground pool, and because they go in faster with less excavation, they’re usually the most budget-friendly way to get a full-size pool into a backyard.

Gunite Pools

A gunite pool is a steel-reinforced shell built by spraying a dry concrete mix through a hose and mixing it with water right at the nozzle, which is what lets builders shape it into pretty much any custom design, tanning ledges, built-in spas, and freeform edges included. Shotcrete is a bit different; a wet, pre-mixed concrete sprayed under high pressure, is the other common method, and tends to go up faster with more consistent strength, though the two are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. Either way, the finish is durable and porous enough to be replastered over the years rather than replaced outright, and curved, freeform designs generally don’t cost more than a standard rectangle. The tradeoff is build time: gunite pools typically take longer to construct than a fiberglass or vinyl option, since the shell needs time to cure before plastering and finishing.

Fiberglass Pools

This arrives as a single pre-built shell, trucked in and lowered into the ground with a crane rather than built on-site piece by piece. That’s a big part of the appeal: installation is faster since there’s no curing time for poured concrete, and a well-installed fiberglass shell can last 30 years or more. The surface is also smooth and non-porous, which means less algae to scrub and generally less chemical use to keep it balanced. The main limitation is choice: you’re picking from a manufacturer’s existing shapes and sizes rather than designing something custom, and larger shells can be tricky to transport and maneuver into tighter backyards.

Vinyl-Liner Pools

These kinds of pools use a fitted liner over a metal or plastic frame, either above ground or set into an excavated hole. It’s typically the lowest upfront cost of the in-ground options, and the liner itself has a soft, smooth feel underfoot compared to plaster or gunite. The tradeoff shows up over time: the liner breaks down with prolonged sun and weather exposure, though a quality liner with UV inhibitors typically holds up for 10 to 18 years before it needs replacing, and that replacement is the main maintenance cost to budget for down the line.

2. Lap Pools

Lap pools run longer and noticeably narrower than a typical family pool; a straight lap pool often measures around 33 by 8 feet, built for swimming continuous laps rather than lounging. Many include water jets, underwater lighting, and heating so they’re usable year-round, which matters if swimming laps is the actual point rather than just cooling off. Their narrow footprint also makes them a practical fit for side yards or long, narrow lots where a wider family pool simply wouldn’t fit.

3. Infinity Pools

An infinity pool is designed so water appears to flow over one or more edges with no visible boundary, creating that suspended-in-the-view effect. They’re most common on properties with a coastline, hillside, or open landscape worth showing off, since the whole design is built around the view. That visual effect comes with added engineering: infinity edges need a catch basin and extra plumbing to recirculate the overflow, which generally makes them a bigger investment and a longer build than a standard pool of the same size.

Whichever Pool You Choose, the Water Still Needs a Plan

Shape and material get most of the attention, but how you actually treat the water is a separate decision, and it applies no matter which type you build. Most new pools default to chlorine or a saltwater system, both of which mean ongoing chemical costs, equipment wear, and the red eyes and dry skin that come standard with them. It’s also one of the few parts of a pool build where genuinely new technology, rather than just a new shape or finish, can change the day-to-day experience of owning one.

Naked’s Freshwater system is built as an alternative to both. It’s best described as a water conditioning and oxidation system with mineral-assisted water balance, using copper and silver ions to help keep the water balanced with only a trace of chlorine, far less than what’s already coming out of your tap, and none of the ongoing salt a saltwater system needs. It works with new builds and can be retrofitted onto most existing pools and spas too, whatever type or material you’re working with, a plunge pool, a gunite lap pool, or anything in between.

For families, that generally means less irritation for sensitive skin and eyes, which counts for a lot when your kids are in the pool most of the summer across Florida and the Sun Belt. And if you’re a builder or designer, it’s a way to offer clients a genuinely different system rather than the same chlorine-or-salt choice everyone else is pitching. It’s also picked up real third-party recognition in Australia, including a Good Design Award and an asthma and allergy safety endorsement. Talk to a Naked Freshwater expert about which pool type and system combination makes sense for your backyard.