Shotcrete (or gunite) is similar to concrete, it’s even mixed and delivered the same way, in concrete trucks. Shotcrete is basically a different mix of concrete, it can be shot (like stucco) out of a hose. Stucco is shot at a thin layer of chicken wire to hold it’s shape, shotcrete is shot at the steel rebar framework inside your pool and it takes the shape of that sculpture.
Things to Expect in the Shotcrete or Gunite Phase of Building Your Pool:
Depending on the size of your pool, this is a relatively quick phase of your pool’s construction, it can be done in one day. The crew will show up with their trucks of equipment and concrete mixers. The crew will set up a tarp-like barrier to protect your home from shotcrete splash-back. One person will man the hose and begin shooting the mix at the steel framework while his teammates get to work leveling and smoothing the floors and walls after they’ve been filled. Typically, walls are 6 inches thick and floors tend to be 8 inches thick, this provides plenty of structural integrity for your pool.
Remember, the shotcrete or gunite is sprayed through the latticework of rebar, which has been furred out at an even distance from the wall. This means that there is shotcrete on both sides of the steel. When it dries, this will strengthen the walls and keep the mix from slipping down the wall and puddling on the floor of the pool.
After a few hours the contractors will be finished spraying, troweling and cleaning up their mess, leaving their discarded mud in a tarp or a tub to dry and be picked up later.
Finally, it will be up to you to hose down the entire pool three times a day for a week to slow down the curing process.
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