Why we use hand lamination for our Fibreglass Pools:
Hand Lamination
Hand lamination ensures consistent thickness of the fiberglass shell by using fiberglass supplied in rolls or sheets. These sheets are cut to size and layered on the mold during lamination, ensuring uniform thickness across the product.
In contrast, the chopper gun method relies heavily on the operator, leading to inconsistent thickness throughout the process. This variability was evident when Sundance acquired a new fiberglass shell from a reputable manufacturer and drilled 18 samples across it. None of the samples had the same thickness, ranging from 2mm to 5.4mm, highlighting differences of up to 3.4mm within the shell walls.
Maintaining uniform thickness is crucial for ensuring the strength and integrity of fiberglass pool shells, which must support considerable weight from water.
Fiberglass Tissue
We apply a thin layer of fiberglass tissue beneath the colored gel coat. This layer serves two critical purposes: firstly, it creates a resin-rich barrier essential for waterproofing, shielding the color from any fibers that might otherwise penetrate from below, thereby preventing the possibility of osmosis. Secondly, the fiberglass tissue ensures a smooth and polished surface finish, which is crucial for the final product quality.
In contrast, the chopper gun method of manufacturing does not incorporate this vital fiberglass tissue layer.
Fibres in the fibreglass
The fiberglass rolls used in Sundance Pools feature long fibers, which are crucial for achieving an excellent bond and ensuring a structurally sound surface over large areas like pool structures. This strength is essential because these pools can hold between 10,000 gallons to 70,000 liters of water. In contrast, the chopper gun method involves chopping fiberglass fibers into small pieces and spraying them onto the mold surface.
Sundance Pools firmly believes that the use of longer fiberglass strands is far more suitable for manufacturing fiberglass pools with large surface areas compared to other applications such as vehicle canopies, for which chopper guns were originally designed.
Coremat
We utilize a product known as Coremat, which is strategically placed between layers of fiberglass in our pool shells. Coremat significantly enhances the rigidity of the fiberglass structure. This rigidity not only facilitates the installation of the pool but also eliminates the need for additional outer ribs or other forms of support that some manufacturers may employ.
Isothelic resins
We exclusively use the highest quality resins available on the market, specifically Isothalic resins, along with premium NPG gelcoats. This meticulous selection ensures that your pool can be heated without any concerns about compromising the structure or the integrity of the interior surface.
Overlaps
During our manufacturing process, when fiberglass sheets are applied to the mold, they overlap at certain points. These overlaps create areas where the fiberglass shell becomes twice as thick. This overlapping technique naturally forms a built-in rib-like system within the fiberglass shell, significantly enhancing its strength.
This unique feature is absent in the chopper gun method of manufacturing, where fiberglass is applied as a spray rather than in sheets.
Reinforcing beam
We laminate a reinforcing beam around the top exterior of the pool shell. This beam serves several important purposes: it enhances the structural integrity of the pool during transportation, provides additional strength for installation, and facilitates the connection to the concrete ring beam that is cast around the top of the pool during installation. This reinforcement ensures that the pool remains sturdy and secure throughout its lifetime.
Labour intensive
The hand lamination method is indeed more labor-intensive and requires more materials, making it a more expensive process for manufacturing fiberglass pool structures. In contrast, the chopper gun method is less labor-intensive and uses fewer materials, resulting in lower production costs. This cost advantage is a significant benefit for manufacturers opting for the chopper gun method over hand lamination.
However, Sundance Pools firmly believes that despite the higher costs associated with hand lamination, it is a vastly superior and reliable method for manufacturing fiberglass swimming pools in South Africa. This method ensures exceptional strength, product integrity, and provides peace of mind to customers. Despite claims by some manufacturers that the chopper gun method represents "modern technology" while labeling hand lamination as "outdated," Sundance Pools stands by their decades-long commitment to hand lamination.
They emphasize that they could easily switch to the chopper gun system in a short period and at a lower cost, yet they remain steadfast in their belief in the tried and tested hand lamination method. Sundance Pools proudly asserts that their commitment to quality through hand lamination has never resulted in a single manufacturing structural failure over the years. To them, the adage holds true: quality is not expensive—it is priceless.