Pool windows are a striking and attractive adornment to your swimming pool and are usually made of either glass or acrylic. What are the advantages of each type? 

Glass

Glass is the traditional material for making pool windows. Its main advantage is that, as it is a harder material than acrylic, it is much less likely to get scratched or scuffed. This is a particular issue when shipping the panes to their eventual destination, as acrylic panes can easily suffer slight damage in transit whereas glass is likely to arrive unblemished. Because of this, and because the techniques of working with glass are less specialised, it can be the cheaper option.

Glass is also unlikely to become discoloured over time. Although it may have a greenish tint when first installed, it will not lose its optical clarity over the years, whereas acrylic has a tendency to become yellowed over time, particularly when exposed to sunlight (although some newer types are becoming more resistant to this).

Acrylic

Acrylic, on the other hand, has the advantage of being much stronger than glass. It has a high impact strength and will not shatter under strain. Shattered glass would be a dangerous hazard where people are swimming, so this is an important safety consideration.

Acrylic is also easier to repair. Although it is more prone to being scratched, these scratches can be easily removed with special acrylic polishing kits. It would be much harder to repair a damaged glass pool window, and it may need to replaced altogether.

Acrylic also has better insulation than glass. This means that you will lose less heat from your pool, and will not have to use so much energy heating it, which will both lower your carbon footprint and keep your bills down. It also means there will be much less condensation on the outside of the pool windows.

Finally, acrylic pool windows have about half the density of glass ones. This means they do need to be as thick in order to support the same pressure of water as glass, and will consequently be a lot lighter. This means they are much easier to transport and to install once they have arrived on site.

Ultimately, the decision on whether to use glass or acrylic pool windows will depend on your own particular needs and wishes. If you are in any doubt, just talk to your local installer.