When you’re choosing a swimming pool, you’re probably spending a LOT of time thinking about how it’s going to LOOK.
The shape.
The color.
The size.
The features.
The landscaping around it.
But here’s something you might not think about until you’re actually IN your pool:
How does it FEEL?
Bare feet walking across the floor.
Hands holding onto the sides.
Kids sitting and playing on the steps.
Legs stretched out across a tanning ledge.
Friends hanging out on built-in benches.
And maybe even a four-legged swimmer climbing in and out. 🐾
Your family is going to spend hours with their skin actually touching the surface of your swimming pool.
And that’s where fiberglass has another BIG advantage.
Fiberglass pools have a smooth, nonporous gelcoat surface that’s comfortable against skin, easier on feet and paws, and much less likely to snag or wear on swimsuits than a rough, abrasive pool finish.
In other words?
Your pool shouldn’t just LOOK good. It should FEEL good, too.
Smooth, Skin-Friendly and Made for Swimming
You don’t just look at your swimming pool.
You LIVE in it.
And the smooth surface of a fiberglass pool is one of those benefits you can actually FEEL.
Unlike rougher pool finishes, fiberglass has a smooth gelcoat surface that’s comfortable against bare skin.
No rough texture rubbing against feet.
No abrasive surface underneath your legs while you’re sitting on a bench.
No rough finish against knees, elbows or hands while the kids are playing on the steps.
Just a smooth, comfortable pool surface designed for swimming, lounging and ENJOYING.
We like to call that skin-friendly. 💙
And when your family spends hours and hours in the pool every summer?
That matters.
Your Feet Will Notice the Difference, Too 👣
Think about how much time you actually spend standing in a swimming pool.
Walking down the steps.
Standing in shallow areas.
Moving around on a tanning ledge.
Playing with the kids.
Standing on a bench.
Your bare feet are constantly coming into contact with the pool surface.
A rough pool finish can feel abrasive underfoot.
Fiberglass?
Smooth.
That comfortable surface is one of those differences that may seem small when you’re looking at pool pictures…
But once you’re actually IN the water?
You notice it.
And Your Swimsuits Will Appreciate It, Too 👙
Here’s one people don’t always think about until their favorite swimsuit has experienced it.
Rough pool surfaces can be tough on swimwear.
Think about what happens when you sit on a step, slide onto a bench, stretch out on a tanning ledge or brush against the side of a swimming pool.
Delicate swimsuit fabrics are coming directly into contact with that surface.
A rough or abrasive finish can contribute to snagging, pilling and premature wear on swimsuit fabric.
Fiberglass gives you a smooth gelcoat surface without that abrasive texture.
So whether you’re sitting on the steps, stretching out on the tanning ledge or hanging out along the side of the pool, you’re not rubbing your swimsuit against the same kind of rough surface.
Better for skin. Better for swimsuits. And a whole lot nicer to lounge on.
Especially Nice on Tanning Ledges, Steps and Benches
This advantage becomes even MORE noticeable when you start looking at today’s fiberglass pool designs.
Modern fiberglass pools can offer some pretty incredible features:
💦 Expansive tanning ledges
☀️ Splash pads and shallow lounging areas
🪑 Built-in seating
🏊 Full-length benches
👣 Wide entry steps
💙 Multiple lounging areas
These aren’t areas you’re simply swimming past.
You’re actually sitting, standing and relaxing ON them.
Maybe you’re sitting on the steps talking with friends.
Maybe you’re stretched out on a tanning ledge with a cold drink.
Maybe the kids have turned the splash pad into their personal water park.
Maybe you’re sitting on a full-length bench watching everyone else swim.
The more you actually USE the features built into your pool, the more the surface you’re sitting and standing on matters.
And that’s where a smooth, skin-friendly fiberglass surface really shines.
Kids Don’t Exactly Sit Still in a Pool 😂
If you’ve got kids, you already know where we’re going with this.
Kids aren’t gently floating around trying not to touch anything.
They’re climbing.
Playing.
Sitting on steps.
Jumping back in.
Climbing back out.
Sliding onto ledges.
Swimming underwater.
Feet, knees, hands and elbows are constantly coming into contact with the pool.
That’s another reason the smooth fiberglass surface is such a great fit for family pools.
It’s simply more comfortable against bare skin.
And when your pool is going to be one of the places your kids spend a HUGE part of their summers?
That’s a benefit worth thinking about.
Fur Babies Appreciate a Smooth Surface, Too 🐾
Of course, the humans aren’t necessarily the only ones using the pool.
Dogs paddle, climb, push against the sides and use their paws to find their footing when entering and exiting the water.
A smooth fiberglass surface can be much friendlier to paws than a rough, abrasive pool finish.
And today’s fiberglass designs can add even more pet-friendly features with tanning ledges, splash areas, wide steps, benches and multiple places to enter, rest and exit.
We took a much deeper look at that in Pet-Friendly Pools: What Does That Mean? And YES, We’ve Got ‘Em!.
Because around here…
Pets are family, too. 🐶💙
Smooth Doesn’t Mean Delicate
This is important.
When people hear smooth, they sometimes associate it with delicate.
But that’s definitely not what we’re talking about here.
Fiberglass pools combine that smooth surface with a strong composite shell engineered for long-term performance.
So you aren’t choosing between:
Comfort OR durability.
You get BOTH.
Fiberglass is strong, durable and has a degree of flexibility that can be an advantage when installed in the ground.
We go much deeper into that in Are Fiberglass Pools More Durable? Why Strength AND Flexibility Matter.
Smooth on the outside. Strong underneath.
That’s a pretty great combination.
Funny Thing About That Smooth Surface…
People love it.
Algae?
Not so much. 😂
The same smooth, nonporous surface that’s comfortable against your skin also creates a VERY different environment for algae.
Algae likes places where it can grab hold and take root.
The smooth, nonporous fiberglass surface makes it extremely difficult for algae to root into the pool surface itself.
So the same characteristic that makes your pool more comfortable can ALSO help make it easier to maintain.
We just took a closer look at that advantage in Do Fiberglass Pools Get Algae? Why the Surface Makes a BIG Difference.
One surface.
A whole LOT of benefits.
Smooth + Nonporous Does A LOT
The more we talk about the fiberglass surface, the more you start to realize just how many ownership advantages come from this ONE characteristic of the pool.
A smooth, nonporous fiberglass surface is:
💙 Skin-friendly
👙 Swimsuit-friendly
🐾 Paw-friendly
👣 Comfortable underfoot
🦠 Extremely difficult for algae to root into
🧹 Easier to clean
🧪 Designed for easier water care
💪 Durable
✨ And it doesn’t require routine resurfacing
That’s a pretty impressive list for something you might initially think is simply there to make the pool look beautiful.
No Routine Resurfacing Means It STAYS a Different Kind of Surface
There’s another important long-term benefit here.
Concrete and gunite pools rely on an interior finish that wears over time and eventually needs to be resurfaced.
Fiberglass doesn’t require routine resurfacing as part of normal pool ownership.
That’s a BIG long-term ownership advantage, and we’ve broken down exactly why in Do Fiberglass Pools Need Resurfacing? One BIG Long-Term Advantage.
So that smooth fiberglass surface isn’t only about how your pool feels during your first summer.
It’s part of what makes fiberglass such an attractive long-term choice.
Easier to Maintain Is Pretty Comfortable, Too 😉
Okay…
Maybe this isn’t technically about how the pool feels against your skin.
But we’d argue that spending less time maintaining your swimming pool feels PRETTY GOOD. 😂
That same smooth, nonporous surface helps make everyday pool care easier.
Less aggressive scrubbing.
Less opportunity for algae to become established in the surface.
Less chemical intervention.
No routine resurfacing.
And more time doing what you actually bought the pool to do:
ENJOY IT.
That’s why easier maintenance is another one of our favorite fiberglass advantages.
You can learn more in Are Fiberglass Pools Easier to Maintain?.
Your Pool Should Feel as Good as It Looks
Beautiful pool?
ABSOLUTELY.
But you’re not investing in a swimming pool just to stand at the kitchen window and admire it.
You’re going to be IN IT.
Sitting on the steps.
Lounging on the tanning ledge.
Playing with the kids.
Hanging out on the benches.
Swimming.
Floating.
Relaxing.
Making memories.
And when your skin, feet and swimsuit are actually touching that pool for hours at a time…
SMOOTH matters.
Skin-friendly.
Swimsuit-friendly.
Family-friendly.
Even fur-baby-friendly.
That’s fiberglass. 💙💦
And it’s one more reason fiberglass made our list of the Top 7 Benefits of Fiberglass Pools.
Gary’s Pool & Patio has specialized in fiberglass pools since 1979, and we’d love to help you find a pool that’s not only beautiful…
but feels pretty incredible to enjoy, too.
Let’s Get You Swimming! 💦
💙 Gary’s Pool & Patio
📞 210.494.5002
🌐 GarysPoolAndPatio.com