In fact, GFRC panels make it easy for builders to create structures around slides with a predetermined final look, a predictable timeline, and reduced labour costs. As any builder who has worked with real rocks knows, procuring, moving, and placing boulders and stones in an attractive and structurally sound arrangement can take an inordinate amount of time from start to finish. It is often said, working with real rocks and boulders is an improvisational art because no two rocks are alike and piecing them together on-site can take an effort of many days or weeks. However, artificial rock and GFRC panels are designed expressly for stacking and colour matching—significantly reducing the amount of time to complete a project. Every artificial rock component and GFRC panel is finished and ready for the builder to assemble. The client can look at catalogue images and the various combinations of moulded panels which are engineered to come together quickly and easily. Commercial pools looking to incorporate long, fun, waterpark-style slides find artificial rock one of the most affordable ways to create a thrilling and “waterpark-like” atmosphere. Besides the main differences of natural to faux, both products can also be used with each other to create a visually appealing project.
For building caves and grottos around slides, builders only need to backfill these structures with concrete. Builders can also offer pool slides for both indoor and outdoor installations and surround them with the artificial rocks. Using standard kits, builders can get creative and combine different kits to obtain a unique design that is much easier to build, is cost-efficient, and will yield a predictable final look.
Prior to component systems, most builders were not interested in offering rockwork around slides. However, the trend toward adding water features with slides on pools can now be embraced, as trained builders can add artificial rock component systems as part of their repertoire.
Climbing walls
Climbing walls are all the rage at commercial aquatic facilities. Using new “climbing wall” castings, builders are now able to create climbing walls on pools that look like real stone structures. Made of high-tech concrete, these climbing wall castings even have natural handles designed into them for safety when climbing and jumping back into the pool. The panels are sold individually, making them ideal for custom installations.
Aquatic facilities and designers that want to add “waterpark thrills” to their pools frequently combine slides with climbing walls. These work well on indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities. The GFRC panels lend themselves to creating a structurally sound feature that is lightweight and lends itself to customization. The panels even come in several colours to match the surrounding esthetic of the facility. Rock-climbing handholds are also easy to attach to GFRC panels, to quickly turn them into a wall everyone wants to climb and then jump back into the pool water.
