A fiberglass shell MUST have at least a two foot and preferably a 3 foot concrete collar. This provides added weight and rigidity, especially if the pool needs to be emptied for service needs. Concrete crack formation can be minimized by using certain techniques that may add to the up front cost. Some masons cut these corners to come in on a job at a lower cost. Cut corners may include improper soil prep, fewer expansion joints, cheap mix, thin spots, and a litany of other potential variables. While it's true that even with the extra steps taken, concrete may still form a crack, it creates a surface that will last decades and will be unaffected by a salt cell's use. A swimming pool salt water chlorine generator won't create cracks or make them worse. Someone is swinging the FUD bat. FWIW, pavers are usually made of concrete, just in smaller pieces. Some regions actually pour a concrete bed first. Sea water is a different animal than water in a pool. It's a different salt and in a different concentration plus there are a lot of other factors that are different. What the ocean does to concrete and steel vs. what pool water does is comparing apple to oranges. Scott

Next spring I will be putting an ING pool. Probably a vinyl lined pool. I think I remember hearing that you have to wait a season for the pool to "settle" before you can make the concrete or paver patio surrounding the pool. Is this right?? I live on Long Island if that makes a difference This post was edited by twingle on Fri, Jun 28, 13 at 21:15

I also have pavers - I have had them for 4 years now- I pressure wash (lightly, more like hosing off) at least once a season- I have had NO problem with mine- (The small area of concrete I had poured at the same time looks terrible due to cracking-wish I could tear out the concrete and replace with pavers) Pavers are great, especially here in Florida, as they allow the deck to shift as needed on the sandy surface-Mine are still as straight as the day they were installed, with no cracks like the concrete. It almost seems like the OP sprayed the pressure washer directly into each joint of the pavers if he blew that much sand out. Plumbago-try using a pump up sprayer with about a 25%-50% mix of chlorine bleach and water, spray down a section of the deck, and hose it off with a garden hose. This will get rid of the mold/mildew, and keep the sand in the joints of the pavers- Also, start at the edge of the pool and work your way AWAY from the pool, this way any debris and sand that is pulled up is going AWAY from the pool, not into the pool and your cleaner will not need to suffer.

Looks amazing! Love the tile work around the pool! Nice job!