Swimming pools in the home provide an enjoyable way for families and friends to bond while adding curb appeal and increasing the value of the property. But how to construct home swimming pools?
Swimming offers many health advantages beyond being fun! Water-based exercise is less strenuous on joints while relaxing beside a pool can promote better sleep patterns.
Size
Before building your own pool, it is essential to take into account both the size of your yard and how you intend to utilize the space. Furthermore, knowing local requirements and regulations pertaining to residential pools is also helpful as these vary depending on where you live.
A pool should be large enough for your entire family to use and enjoy. But you should also take into account its use for outdoor dining and entertaining, firepits, lounge furniture, etc. Your available space will dictate its dimensions and design.
When selecting the size of a swimming pool, it’s essential that you work with an experienced contractor who can help find an optimal balance between function, aesthetics, and maintenance costs. Also, keep in mind how often and if guests will use the pool. A larger pool allows more people to swim simultaneously – ideal if children wish to invite friends over. Furthermore, larger pools may feature slanted edges to make transitioning between shallow and deeper waters easier on legs.
Shape
An outdoor pool’s shape can have a significant impact on how it is used and is connected to how to construct home swimming pools. Consider what activities will occur within it: swimming laps, hosting parties, or playing water polo. Furthermore, keep existing landscaping in mind as well as plans to add plants, decks, or other features to your backyard.
Choose a pool that complements both your lifestyle and the architecture of the home. A classic rectangle pool will add grandeur, while many homeowners soften its look by rounding off corners or softening edges.
Kidney-shaped pools feature an indentation on one side that blends them seamlessly into the landscape, accommodating yard features like fountains or landscaping more effectively and being easier to maintain due to less surface area for algae growth.
Materials
Selecting materials for your pool construction is the first step of the process when learning how to construct home swimming pools. Are you seeking a tropical resort feel or do you prefer a natural pond look? Your response will determine your material choices.
Most inground swimming pools are made from concrete (gunite or shotcrete) and fiberglass materials. Gunite takes several weeks to construct, but offers greater freedom when designing shapes and designs; once finished, its surface can be covered in plaster that can be colored, textured or finished off with ceramic tiles to complete its appearance.
Pools can also be fitted with custom safety covers designed to keep animals and children away from the water as well as debris out. Covers are stored on reels that can be operated manually or automatically by motor; should an impeller become clogged it’s best to unclog it using an impeller cleaning kit rather than trying to do it yourself.
Design
No matter the shape or style of the pool you choose, it is crucial that it fits seamlessly with the surrounding landscape and architecture of your home. A pool should complement rather than stand out against this overall design aesthetic.
This contemporary home features an eye-catching square pool which perfectly accentuates its clean lines, patio, and house. Even its wooden elements are repeated by furniture near the pool for a cohesive appearance.
For an aesthetic that blends in seamlessly with its surrounding environment, create a pool like this one by architects from Ike Kligerman Barkley that appears embedded into its environment. Additionally, this zero-entry pool allows swimmers to gradually enter the water similar to how beachgoers do – perfect for children, older adults, and people with accessibility needs.
No matter the kind of pool you select, be sure to include a fence around its perimeter as a necessary safety measure in many regions and as part of a smart safety strategy. In addition, invest in a lockable cover and pool alarms so as to prevent unsupervised access by children.
Maintenance
Your pool may need to be winterized depending on where you live; in this instance, use nontoxic antifreeze to blow out all pipes before disconnecting the pump, heater, and chemical feeders as well as drain any remaining water through an air compressor – this helps avoid frozen and cracked lines that could be costly to repair later on.
An effective way to combat algae growth and other problems with your pool water is testing it regularly and keeping sanitizer levels optimal. There are simple-to-use testing kits using liquid or disposable test strips available at many hardware and discount stores as well as home improvement centers.
Vacuuming should be performed at least once every week as part of pool maintenance. Attach a hose to your vacuum head and use it to sweep both the bottom of the pool as well as its ladder, using a telescopic pole to easily reach all four walls with brush bristles – this helps minimize calcium deposits and prevent algae build-up while using a pumice stone or putty knife may help remove stubborn deposits.
