Fiberglass vs. Concrete Pools in Mid-Missouri: Which One Is Right for Your Backyard?

It's one of the first questions almost every Mid-Missouri homeowner asks when they start seriously thinking about an inground pool: fiberglass or concrete? Both are legitimate options, both can look spectacular, and both have been installed in backyards across central Missouri for decades. But they are genuinely different products with different performance profiles, different maintenance demands, and different long-term cost pictures. The answer for your specific situation depends on factors that are worth understanding before you commit — because this is a decision you'll live with for 20 or 30 years.

How Each Pool Type Is Built

A fiberglass pool arrives at your property as a single pre-manufactured shell — molded at a factory, transported by truck, and set into a prepared excavation in a single installation day. The shell is a composite structure with a smooth gelcoat surface that's non-porous and doesn't require interior finishing. Once it's set and backfilled, you're looking at water in the pool within a few days.



A concrete pool (also called a gunite or shotcrete pool) is built in place. The excavation is dug, a rebar framework is constructed to define the pool's shape, and a high-pressure concrete mixture is sprayed over the steel structure. After curing — a process that takes several weeks — the interior surface is finished with plaster, aggregate, or tile. The timeline from excavation to swim-ready is typically 3–4 months.

Maintenance Reality in Missouri's Climate

This is where the two pool types diverge most meaningfully for Mid-Missouri homeowners. Fiberglass pools have a smooth, non-porous gelcoat surface that doesn't support algae growth the way a plaster or aggregate surface does. The result is significantly lower chemical consumption — most fiberglass pool owners report using 50–70% less chlorine than comparable concrete pool owners. In a state where pool season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, that chemical savings adds up.

Concrete pools require resurfacing every 10–15 years — the plaster or aggregate interior wears and becomes rough, increasing algae adhesion and chemical demand. A pool resurfacing project typically runs $10,000–$20,000 depending on pool size and finish choice. Fiberglass shells have no equivalent maintenance requirement — the gelcoat surface, properly cared for, lasts the life of the pool.

Customization: Where Concrete Has a Real Advantage

The strongest case for concrete over fiberglass is design flexibility. A concrete pool can be built in any shape, any size, and any configuration — freeform lagoon shapes, complex step systems, integrated grottos, beach entries that transition gradually from zero depth. If your backyard vision is a specific shape that doesn't correspond to any manufacturer's mold, or a size significantly larger than the standard fiberglass lineup, concrete is the path that gets you there.

Firebird's fiberglass pool lineup includes an extensive range of models — from compact options suited to smaller lots to large-format pools in the 40-foot range — covering the majority of what Mid-Missouri homeowners are looking for. Browse by size to find models that match your space.

Which Makes More Sense for Most Mid-Missouri Homeowners

For the majority of residential pool buyers in central Missouri — homeowners who want a durable, attractive, low-maintenance pool at a reasonable price — fiberglass is the stronger value proposition. Lower chemical costs, no resurfacing requirement, faster installation, and a smoother swim experience add up to a meaningful long-term cost advantage over concrete.

For homeowners with a specific design vision that fiberglass can't accommodate, or a very large project footprint, concrete remains the right answer. Firebird installs both — and we'll always give you an honest assessment of which makes sense for your specific situation.

Ready to start comparing? Firebird Concrete & Pools offers free quotes for homeowners throughout Mid-Missouri. Call 573-469-4010 or visit firebirdconcreteandpools.com to get started — we'll walk you through the options without any pressure.