If you have decided to install a swimming pool in your home, their are two major categories of pool to choose from: You can install one above ground, or, install one in the ground. Both types come with several consumer options and require regular maintenance. This article will briefly discuss some of your swimming pool options and the steps involved in installing the pool of your choice.
- An Above Ground Pool: If you have limited space and cash, or just want a pool that is more difficult for pets and children to access, an above ground pool is a great way to go. These are normally kits that anyone can purchase and put together at home. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and luxury editions. They can feature decks, solar heating and diving boards. An above ground pool will never be as durable or aesthetically pleasing as an in-ground pool, but, for certain people they remain the right option.
- In Ground Pools: In-ground pools come in four major categories and installation for all four shares the same basic requirements of space and professional advice. The categories are: concrete, fiberglass, vinyl and green pool (swimming pond).
- Concrete: Like all in-ground pools, a concrete pool will require a contractor to dig the hole and set the supporting re-bar around the pool. Concrete is then poured in and distributed evenly. Often a glaze or plaster will be applied for greater attractiveness.
- Fiber glass: A fiber glass pool takes less time and money than a concrete pool but requires that the area be accessible by a flatbed truck and a crane. The contractor digs the hole and the fiber glass is then placed inside and filled with water. Mud is packed in and around the outer walls and edges of the pool to ensure it is well-supported and firmly in place.
- Vinyl: A vinyl pool is a lining, placed in the ground inside support walls of wood, fiber glass or aluminum. The hole for this kind of pool is always lined with a layer of packed sand for natural support.
Swimming Pond: A swimming pond, or, a green pool is a special kind of pool designed to clean and filter itself with the use of gravel and natural plants, planted in and around the pool. The pool will be a hole in the ground with an underlayment and a liner. The swimming area of the pool will then be separated from the “non-swimming area” so that the filtered swimming water pours over the separating wall and back into the pool, and the unfiltered water gets sucked out and filtered through rocks placed in the non-swimming area. Water dwelling plants, or bog plants, are planted in the non-swimming area where they anchor into the rocks. The plant roots provide additional filters and bacteria-free water.
