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 Swimming Pools - Swimming pools provides details of what types of pools are available, the materials used including fiberglass and vinyl, the use of stenciled concrete for pool decks, and offers advice on heaters, covers and filters as well as the positioning of swimming pools in your garden.
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Describes the benefits of inground pools, the different types available, what to consider when buying a pool and some general information about the construction of inground pools.
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The benefits of inground pools
An inground pool is going to be more expensive than an above ground pools, but they are also a permanent home
improvementy adding aesthetic, as well as intrinsic, value to your home. When it comes time to sell your house,
an inground pool will be generally more appealing to potential buyers.
Inground pools range from play pools with depths of 3-5 feet, to large swimming and diving pools for those more
serious about water sports. Before you purchase an inground pool, you need to think about how your family will use
it. Are they going to be splashers or keen swimmers ? Splashers need a "play pool" set up and swimmers are better
with a rectangular pool, perhaps even fitted out with the latest continuous flow water machines so they can
practice their swimming strokes.
How about an L-shaped pool so everyone is happy?
Thinking about usage and then designing with those needs in mind is the key to building inground pools that your entire
family will be happy with for years to come.
You want a pool - what are the next steps ?
Okay, let's assume you've decided how your family will use the pool, now let's talk about what you should consider
for inground pools.
An inground swimming pool is only as good as the quality of its planning and design as well as the materials that
go into it.
There are many factors to consider including:
your budget;
the size of your plot;
how much time and money you want to spend on maintenance;
what part of the country you live in (important for colder climates where an indoor or heated option may be more suited)
Remember to ask your potential supplier the following key questions for the different types of inground pools you might be interested in:
1. Price: What's it actually going to cost, including decking, landscaping and options?
2. Maintenance requirements: How much work will be involved in keeping inground pools clean and what types and quantities of
chemicals will be needed?
3. Installation: completion period before you can actually use the pool?
4. Service: Do they take care of what they sell?
What types of inground pools are there ?
There are three main types that you can have installed in your back yard, depending on the space
available and the particular design that you want.
1 .. Gunite (a special, high-strength concrete) inground pools are designed to reduce the amount of leakage
that is found with many standard concrete swimming pools. The area where the pool is to be installed is excavated
in the shape and size required and then the steel supports, drains etc. are added next. Finally, the Gunite is
sprayed at high pressure into inground pools to form the base and walls all at once. This is then left to cure for a
week or so before a coat of finish is added (usually made from plaster or combination aggregate). The water is
then added to inground pools, normally before the finish dries completely, allowing for it to finish curing
underwater. The advantage of these pools is that they can be any shape or size and designed just how you want
it to be, adding other features as desired. "Gunite" is a trade name for "dry gunned" concrete, invented and patented
by a North Carolina man. The term "gunite" has been used so much that, to most people, it means spray applied concrete.
People often talk about gunite inground pools as meaning a concrete pool where the concrete is pneumatically applied or
sprayed in place using air pressure. Many in the concrete spraying business have started using the term "dry gun"
to delineate this process. "Dry gun" means the cement and sand are injected into an air stream conveying it to the nozzle.
The nozzle operator then adds the water at the nozzle and has total control of the water-cement ratio for inground pools. The delivery
hose of the mix is generally quite light, as the hose is mostly filled with air containing the mix of cement and sand.
(just thought you might like to know - ed.)
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 Above Ground Pools - Above ground pools describes the variety and types of pools available today, what permission from the authorities may be required and how to avoid the common problems associated with above ground pools.
 Pool Supplies - Pool supplies includes information about maintaining your pool and the equipment needed such as filters, heaters, liners and covers for above ground or inground pools. Not forgetting Health & Safety issues as well as pool supplies for relaxation and fun.
types of inground pools continued
2 .. Vinyl pools are so-called because of the liner that acts as the
bottom and walls of your swimming pool. The main structure of the pool is usually made of steel, fiberglass,
aluminum or sometimes pressure-treated wood. This is then, in turn, supported by a bracing system which prevents
the pool from collapsing in on itself once the water has been added. The inground pools liner is then added to the bottom of the
pool once it has been covered in a material to make it smooth (such as sand or concrete). These liners are removable
and can be changed if and when wear and tear makes this necessary.
3 .. Fiberglass pools are another option for inground pools. The fiberglass shell is lowered by a crane
into the excavated hole once the electrical and plumbing work has been completed. The base of the hole is usually
covered in a two-inch layer of sand which serves as an even surface on which the shell can rest. Once the fiberglass
has been positioned properly, some water is added to anchor it. Inground pools can then be filled at the same rate as sand
is filled round the edges of the pool, helping to stop it from distorting once all the water has been added. A concrete
deck then anchors the whole structure in place.
Other considerations
There are several things to remember when planning the installation of inground pools. Not only do you need to
choose the correct type of material, taking any geological factors into consideration, you must also take care to
adhere to any laws that may restrict the construction of an inground pool. This will help you avoid any disappointment
when building the new addition to your house! So please check with your local planning authority for the rules
you need to adhere associated with planning, the build construction and also for those very important Health & Safety
issues.
Information about the contruction process of inground pools
The dig - the fun bit ! but make sure that the approved plans are followed - mistakes at this stage with size and location
of inground pools could be very expensive;
Putting up the walls - the choice is either a steel wall pool or a polymer wall pool.
Simply stated, the steel wall pools have steel walls and steel support braces. Conversely, the polymer wall
pools have polymer walls and polymer support braces. Both type of inground pools have unique features and benefits of their
own although much is to do with cost (so do your research);
Laying of plumbing, skimmer, lights, return & filter systems;
Concrete footer;
Gravel and sand backfill;
Pool-Krete bottom - Pool-Krete premix is a quality blend of expanded vermiculite, portland cement, and admixtures
designed to be mixed with water and troweled to form a long-lasting hard bottom for vinyl-lined inground
pools. The proper use of Pool-Krete can enhance the quality of the pool installation and prolong the life of
the vinyl liner. Pool-Krete is a porous but rigid liner base, which offers numerous benefits to both the pool
installer and the owners of inground pools.
Liner installation - Vinyl liners are all the craze for inground swimming pools today. The liners are 20 millimetres
thick with higher millimetre thickness' available if necessary. Vinyl liners can come with built in displays of tile
borders and printed walls to give you an array of colours and designs.
Inground pools end - have fun.
The most relevant links we could find, placed here free
 Easy Pools UK
- for swimming pools, spas, saunas, sunbeds and steamrooms. Construction, supply and pool maintenance. www.easypools.co.uk
Concrete Network
- Information from the Concrete Network. www.concretenetwork.com
Poolboy
- Poolboy is an excellent UK based site for Inground swimming pools, Inground swimming pool installer, Inground pools, Inground pool installer, Liner Pools, Concrete construction swimming pools. www.poolboy.co.uk
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