Swimming Pool on a TIGHT budget!

cosmokramer2004

Hi all,

I was hoping someone here might be able to advise as to the feasibility of my idea for building a swimming pool on a budget - I've looked all over google but can't find any details of similar sounding projects - I don't know if it's possible, I'm hoping that it might fall into the "so crazy it might just work" category. So, anyway, here's my idea.

• Dig out swimming pool dimensions to desired sizes in standard way
• Build 10degree outward angle into walls to prevent collapse
• Line entire swimming pool area with large (as possible) sheets of 10mm polycarbonate/perspex and join/waterproof seams on outside with 5mm polycarbonate and silicon binder.
• Paint entire thing internally with swimming pool epoxy/rubber paint

That's pretty much it - anyone got any idea if that would be feasible? It's basically just a really really big fish tank! Obviously I'd build in the pumps/heating/other stuff independently - but as a general concept, how does it sound?

Look forward to hearing opinions :beer:

googler

As a general concept, it sounds like a liability.

Have you allowed for any filtration? Have you allowed for drainage, so that if the worst comes to the worst, you can actually empty it to maintain the structure?

What happens if it doesn't leak when half full, but does start to leak when 95% full? What will you do then? Where will you drain the water to?

If it does have a slow leak which goes un-noticed for a while, it will seep into the surrounding ground. How long will it take to seep to the neighbours' properties? How will they feel to have waterlogged gardens?

googler

Have you googled "swimming pool construction methods" ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_methods_for_private_pools

PasturesNew

You'll need at least a shed for the pipework and to store the chemicals.

And it's about £150 to fill a small pool if you're on a meter.

Loanranger

Don't forget the cost of a cover for it.

cosmokramer2004

googler wrote: »

As a general concept, it sounds like a liability.

Have you allowed for any filtration? Have you allowed for drainage, so that if the worst comes to the worst, you can actually empty it to maintain the structure?

What happens if it doesn't leak when half full, but does start to leak when 95% full? What will you do then? Where will you drain the water to?

If it does have a slow leak which goes un-noticed for a while, it will seep into the surrounding ground. How long will it take to seep to the neighbours' properties? How will they feel to have waterlogged gardens?

Hi, thanks for the reply - I have looked at "by the book" swimming pool construction methods/videos/tutorials, I was just trying to come up with a cheaper method.. For drainage I assumed I could just dump directly into sewer pipe - obviously with some kind of backwash protection So if things did go wrong during filling I'd jettison water into sewer.

I'd be hoping the polycarbonate sheets would be strong enough to support the pressures i'd be applying; i would check this with manufacturer.. The main problem I'd be worried about is subsidence of the overall structure or failure of the seams..

Filtration/pumps/heating etc. would all be included, not sure how yet, really just dipping my toes in the water..

I should add, the property i'd be doing this on is pretty remote and the nearest neighbour would be a few hundred yards away so if worst came to worst I'd be the only one sitting in a quagmire

PasturesNew

No, if the worst came to the worst you'd not notice anything ... until your house slumped into the ground as it pooled underneath it for 5 years.

googler

I see you're in Scotland.

There's a reason why there aren't many outdoor pools up here. For a good few months of the year, they're more usable as curling ponds.

googler

cosmokramer2004 wrote: »

I'd be hoping the polycarbonate sheets would be strong enough to support the pressures i'd be applying

The 'by the book' method involves (typically) a base of concrete, and sides of concrete, and you're hoping that 10mm polycarbonate will have the same strength.....?

cosmokramer2004

googler wrote: »

I see you're in Scotland.

There's a reason why there aren't many outdoor pools up here. For a good few months of the year, they're more usable as curling ponds.

Lol, very good point, especially since this fantasy pool would exist on the Isle of Skye!

cosmokramer2004

googler wrote: »

The 'by the book' method involves (typically) a base of concrete, and sides of concrete, and you're hoping that 10mm polycarbonate will have the same strength.....?

Well, to be fair, some vinyl liner pools seem to have borders defined by prefab wood.. My idea is simply trying to combine the waterproof liner and the bordering framework into one single material.. I am not an engineer (hence probably shouldn't even be thinking of trying this) but I figure that compression is the main attribute of the material to be concerned with.. comparing concrete (200kg/sq.cm = ~19MPa) with polycarbonate (>80 MPa).. so I think it should be strong enough. (Don't quote me on the concrete compressive strength though, that was just from quick google, and I don't know how reliable that conversion is!)