Gel coat
The gel coat is the surface layer that gives a fiberglass pool that beautiful smooth texture. It is the same texture as most boats and water slides have. It also gives the pool its color.
Leisure Pools has the exclusive USA rights to manufacture with the world leading Aquaguard® gel coats from FGI, a division of Nuplex Industries. FGI is a world leader in fiberglass technology.
About our Aquagaurd® Gel Coat
Aquaguard® Gel coat finishes have been developed and tested by Fiberglass International (FGI) through the 1980's and 1990's in Australia. Over the years of development, the product called for exceptional chemical resistance, mechanical strength and weathering properties especially later for use in exterior applications in Australia where the UV intensity is extremely high.
The technology is unique and has been subject to extensive testing programs (both accelerated and real-time ) concentrated on the combination of weathering and chemical resistance.
These stunning color gel coats have been specifically developed over the last 12 years for swimming pools and designed and tested to withstand the extreme Australian UV conditions. Simply put, they are the very best gel coats in the world and they are only available to be used in manufacturing within in the United States by Leisure Pools.
Resin and Fiberglass
Leisure Pools uses the highest quality isophthalics resin available from AOC, a world leader in resin technology.
AOC isophthalic resin is generally used in the manufacture of water and petroleum tanks. These superior resins possess a far greater resistance, strength and heat tolerance than that of the more common general purpose resins.
To our knowledge, Leisure Pools is the only USA manufacturer to use this high quality resin. Why? Simply because we are committed to building the very best quality pool available and we will not compromise on our product and stand behind our lifetime warranty.
Sure isophthalics resins cost more. In contrast, most other manufacturers use low cost “odd lot” resins that can be procured cheaply. So before you buy a pool, check with the supplier of the resin to determine the quality.
The fiberglass used in our pools is supplied by PPG. We use the highest quality Hybon 6000 which has excellent consistency and resin impregnation properties.
PPG’s fiberglass businesses continue to expand through innovation and leadership, making PPG one of the largest global manufacturers of continuous-strand fiberglass. PPG Fiberglass is a world leader in manufacturing continuous strand fiberglass used in a wide range of fiberglass applications.
Vinyl Ester or Barrier Coat Resins
The use of these resins has become widely adopted and has eliminated the problems of blistering that was evident in fiberglass product such as boats and pools about 10 years ago. Regrettably, there are still some manufactures that do not use vinyl ester or barrier coat resins.
Leisure Pools uses the highest quality AOC Vinyl Ester resins to provide the very best barrier coat protection possible.
It is a simple fact that if the mold is not straight, then the installer must torque the shell. This can compromise the structural integrity of the shell such that with say 50 tons of water in it may lead to problems over time.
So why risk it? Ask if the mold is laser leveled. Some manufacturers knowingly produce pools that are out of level and offer these to dealers with instructions on how to install the pool and get it level. Please do not let this happen to you. Only buy from manufacturers who use laser level molds that are under 10 years old.
The end result is a very correct pool with beautiful lines. Consider the lines of a Corvette, Porsche or Ferrari compared to that of an old beat up truck and you start to get the idea.
All of the Leisure Pools molds are made with steel substructures rather than using wood, which is a cheap alternative. Why use steel? Because steel is very rigid and resists flexing or moving. Wood or timber absorbs atmospheric conditions and can torque from day to day.
Imagine the flexibility over a 40 foot pool from a wooden mold. The pool you make today can be different from the pool you make tomorrow due to the atmospheric conditions. The end result is a pool that is out of level and must be torqued by the installer to get it level when installed. Don’t be fooled. Steel substructure molds have always been used by Leisure Pools and always will be due to our quality commitments.
What Quality Control procedures are in place?
Having the very best raw materials, molds and manufacturing technology is great but you need quality control to ensure consistency. Leisure Pools maintains quality control in every phase of the manufacturing process with a system of checks and balances that are quantitatively and qualitatively based.
There are many choices for homeowners when deciding on a new pool. We understand the choices and have set out below some of the compelling reasons your next pool should be a Leisure Pool. 