How to Make a Homemade Pool

So it’s getting to that time of the year again; the sun is out and you’re melting. The only thing you want to do is jump into the nearest pool.

Unfortunately, your neighbor is tired of you using their pool and it’s time you thought about making your own. Luckily, I have a guide: Here’s just some of the things you should consider when thinking about building a DIY swimming pool.

1. Assess your situation

When looking for pools to build at home, you first need to look at what the laws and regulations are for your State. There’s many states enforcing regulation on pool safety as well as maintenance.

Arizona, for example, has the law A.R.S. 36-1681 which focuses on protecting children aged 6 and under. Each pool in the State of Arizona must have fencing to keep childrensafe. There are further regulations on the types of fencing that must be used.

Texas, on the other hand, has Chapter 757 which states that pools must have alarms on all doors and windows providing access. As well as this, they must sound whenever a person enters the pool.

For further information on any pool regulations look at the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Safety Barrier Guidelines for Residential pools.

2. Find your shape

Now you know what regulations you need to abide by, you’re at the fun part. You can choose the size, shape and overall design of your pool.

Firstly: think about whether you want your pool above or in-ground? Deciding this will dictate the materials you will need. For example, an above ground pool will be a pre-developed pool that simply needs erecting, while an inground pool will need excavation and materials to build.

Here’s some tips to think about when designing your pool:

• Keep it simple to save time and money
• Choose a flat bottom for simple excavation
• Keep it a box-shape as manufacturers have pre-made vinyl to fit this!
• Don’t go too deep as you’ll need further reinforcement for walls
• Think about your drainage so you can easily remove surface water
• Browse online forums for simple and natural design ideas

Related Reading: Swimming pool games for adults

3. Hunt your materials

Ok, you’ve scoured all of social media and discovered the perfect natural swimming pool you can DIY at home. Now, how to get started on making a homemade pool; you’ll need materials.

If you’ve chosen an above ground pool, your materials will likely consist of your pre-made pool, some water treatment, a drain and a cover. If you’ve chosen an inground pool, you’ll need to think about digging your hole and what you’re going to fill it with.

Here’s a list of materials I’d recommend when making a homemade pool:

• Digger – in order to create the hole that will become your pool.
• Concrete – to create a reinforced pool shape.
• Sandbags – you can use these instead of concrete to reinforce your shape.
• Tiling – The pretty stuff. Although blue tiling is common, pink is always an option for the fabulous homeowners out there.
• A fiber glass pool mold – this can reduce your build-speed to 1-3 days!
• Fencing – don’t forget to keep in line with your State regulations.
• Pipe drainage – you’ll want to invest in good pipes to maintain a constant water flow. This will prevent mildew and algae build-up during the Summer months.
• Galvanized stock tank – this is the cheapest and easiest pool to build for anyone out there; you simply fill, enjoy and maintain by hand as there are no pipes or filters needed.
• Black liner – this is a material that generates heat when in contact with the sun. It will provide quick and affordable heating options for your pool.

Related Reading: 7 Top Baby Floats for Infants to Toddlers 

4. Choose your accessories

As with most backyard pools, you’ll probably want to make it look pretty using wooden decking, tiling, pathways, natural bushes and more.

So, using inspiration from your research, have a think about which accessories you’d like to bring your homemade pool to life.

There are many ways to incorporate beautiful and easy decoration into your DIY pool. I’d suggest bringing in color. Whether it’s through tiling, a special colored fiberglass pool or painting a galvanized stock tank. You could even create a DIY bar out of pallets, or for steps and other furniture.

There’s so many possibilities to make a homemade pool more inviting. Other accessories could include an emergency telephone system, alarm, pool cover, automatic pool cleaner and more.

5. Fill your pool

The finished product is nearly here, all that’s left is for you to fill your pool and have it professionally treated so you can jump in.

Find your water source. Be it the creepy well in the woods, your neighbors pool or even your own water supply and start filling. Assuming you’re using an outside water tap with an average pumping speed of 8 gallons per minute, you could probably expect an outdoor pool to take at least 24 hours to fill up.

However, if your pool is made from a galvanized stock tank of around 5000 gallons, it may only take up to 10 hours for your pool to reach full capacity.

In order to know what the water capacity of your swimming pool is, there’s many online calculators you can use. You’ll need these numbers to understand how much water to put in as well as which chemicals your pool needs.

The final step would be to treat your pool. You can do this yourself with the correct equipment and chemicals, however I’ll always suggest using a pool treatment service such as America’s Swimming Pool Company. At least for the first time.

If you’re choosing to go full-DIY, then have a look at what you pool needs:

• Your pool needs a PH balance of 7.4 to 7.6
• Chlorine
• Calcium
• Cyanuric acid
• A dip test
• Shock dose of chemicals (needed for the first time or if there is an issue)

Of course, there are many products on the market offering all-in-one pool treatment chemicals and there are other companies providing stand-alone structures.

Even a natural swimming pool will need treatment to prevent algae, bacteria and calcium build-up. So, get in contact with online communities, family, neighbors and even your local leisure center for more information on which chemicals you will need and when.

The final step: jump in and enjoy the crystal clear waters on a hot Summer’s day.

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