How to make a swimming pool at your dacha Stroimdom. A detailed guide to building swimming pools for your summer cottage

27.10.2023

On a hot summer day while relaxing at the dacha, it is very pleasant to plunge into a cool body of water. It’s good if there is a pond or river nearby. And if not? This is where your own pool comes in handy. Does it need to be as big as the Sports Palace? No, the purpose of a country artificial pond is to have fun, and not to set swimming records. Find out about all the nuances that you need to know about in more detail later in the article.

What types of country pools are there?

Types of pools found in summer cottages:

from scrap materials;
frame;
made of wood and film;
made of polypropylene;
from cinder blocks;
made of concrete;
made of composite plastic.

Which of these types to choose depends on the taste preferences of the owner and his experience in working with the materials used. The depth of a country artificial pond for adults usually does not exceed 1.5 m, and for swimming children - 0.5 m.

If the dacha plot has a slope, it is better to install the pool at its highest point. The location should not have trees or bushes in the immediate vicinity.

With a buried stationary option, the root system can damage the integrity of the structure and disrupt its waterproofing and tightness.

It is better to orient an artificial reservoir along the prevailing wind direction in the area. This arrangement will prevent dry leaves, grass and dust from getting into the water.

During the construction of a swimming pool on a summer cottage, stairs, gangways and ladders are provided. They will ensure safe entry and exit from the artificial reservoir from the outside and inside.

Additional attention should be paid to the system for filling the pool with water and emptying it. Typically, in large artificial reservoirs, automatic cleaning is used, when water is passed through a filter system in a closed cycle. This allows you to not change the water for a long time.

If engineering communications - water supply and sewerage - are connected to the dacha plot, you can use this fortunate circumstance. However, direct connection will require a project and permission from resource supply organizations. Unauthorized connection to these networks is unacceptable and may be punished with a large fine.

To supply power to pumps, filters, water heating devices and for lighting in the evening or at night, it is necessary to provide a power supply system.

Advice

It is better to entrust the connection of electrical equipment to specialists. This will protect against accidental electric shock both when connecting and during operation of the pool.

Frame

Frame pools include structures made of vertical posts and horizontal connecting strips installed at a certain pitch. They can be stationary or collapsible, that is, those that can be dismantled or moved to another location at any time.

The vertical posts of stationary pools are firmly pinched into the ground. In this case, either pre-dug pits or drilled wells are used. Racks can be in the form of metal pipes or rolled metal - a channel, an angle, an I-beam, concrete - of a round or rectangular section, wooden - in the form of logs or beams.

Pinching is done using concrete or cement-sand mortar. Before use, wooden elements must be treated with agents that prevent rotting, fungal damage and protect against insects that feed on wood. To reduce the flexibility of the racks when filling an artificial reservoir with a height of more than 50 cm, spacers are installed.

Horizontal planks are attached to the racks using bolts or self-tapping screws, creating either a solid board or a sparse one, if longitudinal gaps are left between the boards to save materials (in this case, the tensile strength of the film used is taken into account). Most often, horizontal planks are made from wooden edged boards.

In the simplest case, the inner bowl is lined with polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film. There are films produced specifically for swimming pools that have a rich blue color. In a more expensive version, for long-term stationary operation, sheet propylene is used, the seams of which are welded with a conventional construction hairdryer. Exterior finishing can also be made of polymer film or plastic sidings, onto which some kind of pattern or coloring is applied for decorative purposes.

If you are installing a stationary outdoor pool, you should ensure that its bowl is protected during the cold season from precipitation in the form of rain and snow, as well as dirt and dust blown by the wind. This way, preparation for the start of operation will be kept to a minimum. As such protection, you can use a set of several wooden panels that completely cover the pool bowl with a polyethylene or polypropylene film laid on top of them.

Structurally, the pool cover is made in various ways. This can be a separate building or an extension to the main house. Its manufacture is similar to the construction of a one-story building with a basement, resting on strip foundations.

The difference is that a cutout is made in the ceiling of the first floor for the pool bowl, and it itself is placed in the basement of the building or extension.

The finishing of such a pool and its enclosing structures is usually done with ceramic tiles, recreation areas are created, and sometimes a room is allocated for a bath or sauna.

Another option is a lightweight structure made of a metal (usually aluminum) profile, which is either covered with transparent fiberglass panels or covered with PVC film.

Pipes, including plastic ones used for plumbing, and metal profiles can be used as racks and upper chords of arches or trusses; in addition to the most common rolled products, box-shaped or “C”-shaped sections are allowed.

Horizontal and cross connections for rigidity are made in the form of metal or plastic strips.

First, an outdoor pool is installed, then a fencing structure is installed around it. To prevent the collapse of such a structure from the loads acting on it, before its manufacture, it is better to calculate the load-bearing capacity.

Structurally, a lightweight building over a pool can have a gable configuration with a pediment, a hipped one, a round one - in the form of a tent or a yurt, an arched or semi-arched system. Side guards can be:

sliding;
removable.

In some cases, only a covering in the form of a canopy or awning is installed, protecting from atmospheric influences in the form of rain or direct sunlight.

From scrap materials

This type of pool can be both very simple and one that requires a lot of effort and time.

The fastest and easiest way to make a pool is to adapt for this purpose some ready-made container that already has a bottom and walls. These could be old cast iron bathtubs, metal containers with an open top. They can be installed either buried in the ground or installed directly on the ground. This type of pool is filled with water using a hose and drained by hand scooping or using a hand pump.

Sometimes used tires from giant wheels of heavy-duty vehicles are used as artificial reservoirs.

These pools are installed on a concrete base, buried in the ground to its own thickness (for the open version) or the height of the tire is added to it - for the option involving complete burial in the ground.

Once installed, this pool can be painted or finished in a variety of ways. It is very suitable for children's games and entertainment.

There are pools made from railway metal containers, with the upper part cut to the required height. Such pools can be completely or partially buried in the ground or simply installed on a planned earthen area.

For use along the walls and bottom of the pool, waterproofing is installed on the inside, and they themselves are decorated either with ceramic tiles laid on a cement-sand mortar or with polypropylene film.

Another option is to construct a pool with a frame assembled from wooden pallets - pallets used for loading and transporting various goods. The configuration of such a pool depends on the area allocated for it.

The number of pallets needed to make a pool is four or more. And it itself can have a plan view from a simple square to more complex polygons with an even and odd number of sides. On a prepared base, preferably a flat concrete area, the required polygon is assembled from pallets and then tied together in 3 or 4 levels with plastic tapes, which perform the same function as metal hoops in a wooden barrel.

The bottom and walls of the resulting pool are lined with polypropylene film. Such a pool turns out to be collapsible. It easily decomposes into component elements that can be stored indoors for the winter, transported to another site, etc.

Sometimes you come across recommendations - to fold the walls of the pool from old plastic bottles. This advice seems very dubious for sanitary and hygienic reasons, since the required amount of this “material” required even for a small pool can only be collected at the nearest landfill.

Made from polypropylene

These pools are usually made in two ways.

For an artificial reservoir, a ready-made bowl made of cast propylene of the required depth and dimensions in plan, manufactured in a factory, is purchased. The owner is only required to prepare a flat area or pit (if the option is buried), and also landscape the surrounding area.

Factory-made bowls have limited dimensions to ensure their safe transportation. If the owner wishes to go beyond these dimensions, the pool can be independently welded from sheet polypropylene. At the same time, to ensure stability from the bursting loads of the water column of a filled pool, you can use both a frame system and the soil walls of an open pit. Sheets of propylene are cut in accordance with the configuration of the pool and welded together using a construction hair dryer.

The advantages of polypropylene pools are that this material:

has a dense, water-impermeable structure;
resistant to aggressive atmospheric influences, including temperature changes;
neutral to the effects of solar ultraviolet radiation, not subject to fading and loss of original color;

is environmentally friendly and harmless to humans, does not release any harmful chemical compounds into the water that can cause allergies or poisoning;
has low heat transfer, allowing you to keep water heated for a long time without exchanging temperature with the surrounding space;
the flexibility and elasticity of polypropylene make it possible to form bowls of various configurations and shapes, including those with rounded edges and transitions of the walls into the bottom;
welds well using a heat gun, ensuring reliable sealing.

Made from concrete

Despite the relatively high cost and labor intensity of construction, artificial reservoirs made of monolithic reinforced concrete are the most effective for long-term use. These types of pools can be used for decades, requiring only minimal cosmetic repairs and, in rare cases, replacement of decorative trim.

The cladding is usually ceramic tiles, painted in different colors, allowing installation in the form of patterns or geometric shapes. Also, using tiles in the pool, you can distinguish special zones, the boundaries of which are clearly visible both on the surface and under water.

At the first stage, after preparing and planning the site, as well as laying out the axes of the site, they begin to open a pit using manual labor or special earth-moving machines.

The bottom of the pit is also subject to leveling and leveling. For this, ordinary quartz sand is used. Rolled waterproofing is laid on top of the sand cushion and filled with hot bitumen. Next, the slab is concreted, reinforcing it with a mesh of metal rods. The grade of concrete must be no lower than M300...M450 in the old marking or from B22.5 to B35 in the new classification.

After 10…14 days, vertical formwork is installed on the bottom and concreting of the bowl walls begins. The thickness of the walls of a pool buried 1.5 m into the ground can be from 25 to 30 cm. It is better to reinforce the walls with a vertical mesh installed closer to the edge facing the pit. This is due to the fact that the vertical parts of the artificial reservoir are subject to lateral stresses from the water pressure, and the working fittings must be located on the side opposite to the applied force.

After concreting the walls and setting the concrete, internal waterproofing of the resulting bowl is performed. To do this, roll materials reinforced with fiberglass are used, rolling them overlapping along the bottom and wrapping them on the walls. Melted bitumen or special cold-curing mastics are used as glue.

Another method is to apply several layers of a special thick composition based on artificial rubber. After polymerization, it turns into a seamless, durable rubber-like insert, up to 5 mm thick. When concreting, you must remember to install round foam plastic inserts with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the pipes in places where utilities are supplied.

Interruptions in concreting walls should not be allowed for more than 5 hours. In this case, the concrete will turn out to be layered with hairline cracks, which will compromise the waterproof properties and structural integrity of the pool.

The formwork can be inventory - plastic, metal, from special formwork plywood, or homemade - from wooden panels knocked together with your own hands.

To save money, you can use an unedged slab board as a formwork material.

Complex reinforcement elements - frames, meshes are made by knitting, when individual parts are tied together with soft knitting wire.

It is strictly not recommended to use electric arc and acetylene welding, since exposure to high temperatures reduces the tensile strength of reinforcing bars and weakens the load-bearing capacity of a reinforced concrete structure.

You can prepare concrete yourself using a concrete mixer installed directly on your summer cottage. But in order to prevent accidental errors with the proportions of the constituent ingredients, it is better to use purchased concrete delivered by special mixer trucks. An additional bonus will be that all responsibility for low-quality concrete (if this happens) will be borne by its seller or supplier.

After dismantling and dismantling the formwork, voids are formed between the concrete and the ground wall of the pit, which are called reverse sinuses. Up to the level of the ground surface, they are covered with sand in layers, watered with water and compacted. Next, a concrete blind area is installed along the perimeter of the pool walls to a width of at least 0.5 m.

In order to avoid accidental injuries, it is lined with ceramic tiles with an anti-slip coating.

In the process of final finishing and tiling the pool with ceramic tiles, it is better to use a special fine-mesh mesh, fiberglass-reinforced mesh. To increase the water resistance of the cladding, the seams between the tiles should be cut and rubbed with silicone mastic.

From cinder block

Cinder block was very often used in the restoration and construction of buildings in the 50s of the 20th century. Then it was completely replaced by silicate (white) brick, which became more widespread. Currently, this material has received a rebirth.

Cinder blocks are now most often used for the construction of secondary buildings - garages, warehouses, summer kitchens, fences. Artificial stones made from cinder concrete are sometimes better than brick for the following reasons:

one cinder block, due to its increased size, immediately replaces several bricks, so masonry made from it is simpler than brick;
the extensive internal voids of the cinder block improve its heat-shielding properties;
technologies for the amateur production of cinder blocks have been developed.

The experience of using cinder blocks for constructing swimming pools at the dacha has shown itself to be positive. The strength of the walls made of this material turned out to be sufficient to withstand the lateral pressure of the poured water.

It should be noted that the masonry should not be made with cement-lime mortar, traditionally used for brick and stone masonry, but with cement-sand mortar. For better adhesion (gluing) of the solution to cinder blocks, plasticizer additives must be added to the solution. These can be polyvinyl acetate emulsion (PVA), acrylic or styrene-based latexes.

Preparation work, excavation, as well as the installation of a horizontal slab - the bottom is carried out in the same way as it is prepared for a reinforced concrete monolithic pool. The walls are laid out to the required height with a thickness of half a cinder block, which is about 20 cm. Horizontal seams should be reinforced with a mesh of rods with a diameter of 6 mm.

Backfilling of the return sinuses should be done with a mixture of sand and crushed stone with very careful compaction.

If there are voids in them, one or more cinder concrete blocks under water pressure can be squeezed out of the vertical plane.

The leaked moisture will fall under the bottom and cause uneven subsidence of the soil at the base of the concrete slab with the formation of kinks and cracks in it. Such a pool will most likely be unsuitable for repair and will need to be disassembled and rebuilt.

After the construction of cinder block walls, the inner surface of the resulting bowl requires waterproofing and final finishing. Before using roll waterproofing, it is recommended to use deep penetration impregnation primer to further strengthen and protect cinder blocks and seams.

Other block materials are also used to make swimming pools, such as brick, concrete blocks, rubble and sawn natural stone. The laying of such materials is practically no different from the laying of cinder blocks.

When constructing such artificial reservoirs, it is not recommended to use silicate (white) bricks, as well as blocks or panels with gypsum binder. This is because they have poor weather resistance, especially when wet or saturated with water.

When operating an artificial reservoir made of cinder block, you need to carefully monitor the technical condition of its structure. If cracks appear, immediately take measures to eliminate them by deep jointing and filling them with silicone mastic. Sometimes cracks can be disguised as tile seams, so inspections and repairs must be carried out regularly and very carefully. Then the pool will be usable for many years. Which will bring a lot of joy to the owner of the dacha and his family members.

With the development of construction technologies and materials, more and more people are deciding to build a pool on their property with their own hands in order to swim and cool off in the summer heat, to please their children and grandchildren, to decorate their private property and give them greater comfort. Properly designed and manufactured strictly according to technology, located in a well-chosen location and beautifully decorated, the pond will become a favorite vacation spot for the whole family.

Advantages and disadvantages of stationary pools

The design of stationary pools is fundamentally different from prefabricated types; it has its own characteristics:

strength and durability;
the ability to create any complex and multi-level shapes, small or huge dimensions and volumes;
placement both indoors and in open areas, use in winter;
a large selection of construction and finishing materials and decor allows you to realize your wildest design fantasies;
the ability to connect communications and additional options and devices: hydromassage areas, fountains and waterfalls, slides, lighting, water purification and filtration systems, drainage and automatic heating;
such an object is built once and for all, its dismantling is impossible without destruction and will require significant financial and labor costs;
in winter, the bathhouse must be preserved so that frost does not damage the walls;
Unlike lightweight inflatable and frame low-budget models that are quickly installed, stationary reservoirs are built in compliance with all construction standards, drying times for materials; errors and shortcomings are unacceptable here and can lead to serious problems.

Stationary structures have both advantages and disadvantages

How to make a stationary pool with your own hands

There is a huge range of ready-made swimming pools on the market, various prefabricated models made from various materials, and accessories for them. You can buy a ready-made composite bowl and dig it in near the house, or you can build a monolithic pool from reinforced concrete or lay it out of brick. In any case, you first need to create a project and draw a pool plan with dimensions, calculate the estimate and quantity of materials, prepare tools and equipment for the work.

It will no longer be possible to move the finished object, so it is important to choose a suitable location and determine the area allocated for the recreation area, following simple rules:

An open sunny area promotes natural heating of water. This arrangement will save on electricity bills;
the bowl must be strictly horizontal, so it is recommended to choose flat areas without relief;
large trees can damage or deform the bottom and walls; species such as willow, poplar, chestnut, whose root system is developed, are especially undesirable. Replanting or removing a tree from your property costs much less than renovating a pool;
a slight slope can be used to simplify drainage;
Shrubs and low-growing fruit trees growing nearby lose their leaves throughout the season, which means you will have to constantly collect fallen leaves and perishable fruits and berries from the surface of the water;
the site must be protected from the wind and prying eyes, you can choose a place near a fence, wall, hedge, the distance to the fence is preferably at least 2 m;
the risk of accidents and leaks, moisture getting under the foundation of the house or flooding of the basement should be taken into account;
the convenience of connecting communications and placing equipment, drainage is important;
if the footage allows, then it is worth setting aside a place for a recreation area where you can sunbathe;
You cannot make a pit on moving or unstable soils; if the groundwater level is high, then it is not recommended to deepen the reservoir; it is better to choose a model for installation on the surface.

Next, you need to decide on the size and shape of the reservoir; these parameters depend on the purpose of the pool. Elongated shapes are more suitable for swimming, and round bowls are more suitable for relaxing with children. For independent construction, it is better to choose simple shapes - a rectangle or a circle, which are less labor-intensive to execute.

The depth of the bowl varies from 0.5 m for children's bathing and up to 1.5 m for adults. If you plan to jump from a springboard, then the depth must be increased to 2.3 m to avoid hitting the bottom. You can divide the bottom into children's and adult areas with a gentle depth difference, or build two bowls separated by a partition to avoid children getting into the deep part.

Made from concrete

The most durable and durable construction technology is considered to be concrete reinforced with steel rods. For beginners, it is convenient to use polystyrene foam blocks as permanent formwork; they are inexpensive.

List of required tools and materials:

cement grade of at least M-300;
concrete mixer, if you need a lot of concrete, it makes sense to order a machine for ready-mixed concrete in a mixer;
roulette;
pegs;
cord for marking on the site;
shovel;
hammer;
screwdriver;
self-tapping screws;
formwork boards or polystyrene foam blocks;
sand;
crushed stone;
geotextiles;
insulation;
reinforcement in the form of steel bars;
finishing materials and decorative elements.

Stages of work:

Mark the site, mark the dimensions with pegs, and stretch the cord around the perimeter. The boundaries of the pit should be larger than the dimensions of the bowl by approximately 1 m on each side. Dig a pit; it needs to be deepened 50 cm from the size of the pool. The bottom must be thoroughly compacted and leveled, clods of earth and stones must be removed, and roots must be uprooted. Then pour a 25–30 cm layer of crushed stone.
Place the reinforcement on special supports so that the reinforcing grid, after pouring the solution, is located in the thickness of the concrete layer. This will ensure the strength of the structure. Put together formwork from boards and make reinforcing supports.
Fill the bottom of the pit with crushed stone and install the screed
Pour the concrete screed in one go. The thickness of the layer is 25 cm, level it with a vibrator or simply pierce the layer several times with a rod to expel air bubbles.
Pour concrete solution
Wait until the screed dries and reaches its design strength, periodically moistening the surface, this will help the concrete not crack when drying. Drying takes 7–14 days.
Line the pool bowl with geotextile or dense polyethylene. The best solution would be to treat the concrete surface with a penetrating waterproofing agent or a layer of liquid rubber.
Lay insulation or polystyrene foam blocks on top and secure them with tape. Lay out the walls of the formwork, inserting a reinforcing rod into each section of the block.
Install formwork
Install ladders and recesses for additional equipment. Pour concrete into the formwork and wait time for drying.
Pour the concrete and wait for it to harden
The inside of the bowl is decorated with ceramic tiles, mosaics, special film, and if necessary, it is primed and covered with waterproof paint for swimming pools.
From the outside, the pit is backfilled and the sides are finished, the necessary filtering equipment is installed, and the water supply and drain are connected.
Finish the bowl with ceramic tiles

Made of brick

Another popular construction material is brick. The advantages of this method:

reliability and strength of the structure, long service life;
possibility of laying out various shapes and sizes of bowls;
ease of installation of stairs, slides and other additional equipment;

There are also disadvantages:

the need for insulation due to low thermal conductivity;
long construction period and complex technology;
high cost of material.

For work you will need the following tools and materials:

container for mixing cement-sand mixture;
drill with mixer attachment;
brick;
cement;
sand;
crushed stone;
liquid soap or cheap dishwashing detergent as a plasticizer; reinforcement in the form of rods and mesh;
plaster mixture for finishing;
coating composition for waterproofing;
geotextiles;
Master OK;
putty knife;
level;
roulette;
shovel.

Here is the sequence of technological steps.

Made from polypropylene

This relatively recently invented material has properties that allow it to be successfully used in the construction of swimming pools:

easy to process;
fastened by welding with sealed continuous seams;
does not require the creation of formwork or frame;
safe for humans;
has a smooth and non-slip surface;
Keeps warm for a long time.

One of the disadvantages is the darkening of the surface over time.

Polypropylene structures are easy to process and install

First you need to prepare the equipment and components:

polypropylene sheets with a thickness of at least 8 mm;
extruder for welding them;
construction hair dryer for correcting seams;
PVC film;
shovel;
level;
roulette;
reinforcement for screed;
concrete solution;
sand;
crushed stone;
geotextiles.

Installation steps:

Rules of care

All types of pools require systematic care and cleaning. Recommendations will help you keep your pond in order.

You can collect debris and leaves from the surface with a skimmer or a simple net with a fine mesh; bottom vacuum cleaners or brushes are used to clean the bottom.
To change a huge volume of water less frequently, you can use disinfectants based on chlorine and active oxygen, and ionizing units.
The tank must be preserved for the winter.
You can protect the surface of the water from dirt by covering it with a special film.
Regularly check the integrity and performance of filter elements, communications, and the tightness of the finish.
You can cover the pond with a polycarbonate roof or build a pavilion around the bathhouse.

The pool needs to be cleaned regularly

Many people associate a swimming pool with luxury and wealth, but to create it you only need hard work and adherence to technology. And if you have creative imagination, you can turn an ordinary concrete or brick tank into a real decoration of the site, a bright element of the landscape and a wonderful place to relax.

The July heat evokes thoughts of water, swimming, cool rivers and lakes. It is difficult to imagine a person who, in such weather, would refuse to have his own swimming pool for relaxation and cooling. Especially if he has a personal plot or works in the country.

However, not every yard has room for a large swimming pool, just as not every owner has the means to build one from scratch. Therefore, in this article we have collected 6 of the best modern ideas for a small but inexpensive pool that will turn this heat into your best relaxation partner.

Frame, inflatable and made by yourself - then you will get acquainted with the simplest and most economical options for swimming pools today, and also see them in 40 photos in the design of a summer house or a small courtyard!

1. Best choice of 2016 - frame pool (10 photos)

Modern frame pools are available in a wide range of sizes and prices. A simple children's version measuring 2.5 by 1.5 m and a volume of 1200 liters costs about $60 (1500 UAH or 4000 rubles).

A more spacious model with a volume of 6500 liters and a diameter of about 4 meters will cost twice as much. But you must admit: this is an inexpensive price to pay for such pleasure, especially when you consider the following advantages of frame pools:

Quick and easy installation (the pool is folded, not inflated);
Reliable, stainless metal frame;
Dense walls made of heavy-duty PVC and polyester;
Additional support for the walls with thick tapes;
The presence of a drain valve that can be connected to a garden hose to carefully empty the pool of water;
No need for maintenance (only keeping the surface clean and sometimes checking the water filter);
Warranty (length depends on the manufacturer).

Many frame pool models come with a cover that will protect the pool from leaves and other debris on days or times when you won't be using it.

Since the pool can safely stand all summer, it is sometimes additionally equipped with a body or even a podium so that this entire structure fits beautifully into the design of your dacha or plot. Here's how some craftsmen design a frame pool (photo below):

2. Children’s and family inflatable pools - photo on site

Children's and "adult" inflatable pools are considered the main competitors of frame ones. They are easy to transport and relatively quick to install, although you will need to tinker with the pump for some time. The walls are also made of dense PVC and polyester + most manufacturers complete inflatable pools with a protective cover against debris.

Perhaps the main advantage is the cost of such pools - they are 1.5 times cheaper than frame ones. At the same time, they also have one serious drawback - the lack of water drainage. In addition, if the inflatable pool is large, you will need to purchase an additional electric pump.

We attach beautiful photos of inflatable pools on personal plots.

3. Concrete pool to order or do it yourself

Of course, this option is not feasible for everyone, and the cost will be decent, but there are craftsmen who managed to build a concrete pool with their own hands. So we decided to include it in our list of inexpensive ideas.

The most problematic aspect in this matter is digging a hole. You can only handle this on your own if you are planning to build a small and shallow pool. Renting a crane today is extremely expensive, and it is only advisable when creating a luxurious swimming pool, and not just for relaxing in the heat.

Unlike frame and inflatable pools, the concrete version is stationary, but at the same time one of the highest quality and most durable. To make such a pool with your own hands, you usually use a mixture of concrete and sand, which is sprayed onto a metal frame. The general procedure is as follows:

Dig a hole for the pool. Its depth and width should be 23-31 cm greater than the expected dimensions of your pool. This distance will be filled by the form.
Install water supply. Typically this will include a drain pipe that will be located at the bottom of the pool, as well as all the necessary structure (pipes, filters and pumps) to ensure a safe flow of water through the pool. It is acceptable to use PVC pipes with a strong binding material.
Cover the walls and bottom of the pool with a steel frame, which will maintain its shape and strength over a long period of use.
Spray the concrete and sand mixture onto the steel mesh using a powerful sprayer. The most popular mixture for building a pool today is Gunite (sprayed dry) or shotcrete(mixed with water). When applying, it is recommended to keep the sprayer nozzle at a distance of about 1 m from the steel mesh, direct the jet perpendicular to the surface and move it in a circular motion.

Then you just have to wait until the concrete hardens, after which you can begin decorating the walls of the pool with tiles or paint (optional).

Photos of finished projects on the topic of how to build a swimming pool with your own hands:

Also read:

4. Swimming pond or natural pool

Another option for an inexpensive stationary pool that you can build with your own hands. Instead of concrete, gravel and clay will serve as walls, and natural aquatic plants (reeds, sedges, lilies, etc.) can serve as decorations.

The principle of building such a pond-pool is similar to creating a concrete pool, but can be done without a steel frame - just try to ensure that the walls have a good slope and are not perpendicular to the bottom. When the walls turn out to be perpendicular, then for stability they are covered with a layer of clay or bentonite.

It is believed that a natural pool can do without expensive filters and pumps if it is planted with natural plants. However, in order for them to truly purify the water, approximately 50% of the entire surface needs to be planted with them.

In a natural pool, the water must be constantly circulated and aerated, otherwise it will stagnate and become filled with unpleasant-smelling bacteria. To direct the flow of water through the pool, flexible PVC pipes that are not afraid of cold weather are best suited. They are buried in the soil approximately 45 cm deep. For underwater aeration, you can use an air compressor and high-strength pipes that connect to a diffuser. Note that aeration devices consume little energy and should operate only 4-8 hours a day (depending on the size of the pool).

Also read:

5. Metal containers as an inexpensive pool for a summer residence

Cargo containers and other large containers can easily serve you as a swimming pool for your garden or a children's pool on your property. The only problem with their use is that some metal containers are not protected from rust. To solve the problem, they are painted or covered with another waterproof finishing material. If you don’t want to do this, then use galvanized tanks as a pool, which are not in danger of corrosion.

6. Simple ideas on how to make a swimming pool with your own hands (photo on the site)

Tarpaulin is another material that is widely used for creating simple DIY pools. All you need to do is make a reliable body from scrap materials and cover it with a tarpaulin. We invite you to look at the latest photos in this article and evaluate what a pool made of wooden pallets, haystacks or other materials looks like in a country house or garden.

Also read:

Inexpensive pool for a yard or cottage: 6 ideas + 40 photos updated: March 12, 2017 by: Margarita Glushko

The desire to have an artificial pond in their own home is familiar to many owners of country real estate. It's so nice to splash around in the clean and cool water of your own pool on a hot summer day. Water perfectly relaxes the body and relieves fatigue after a hard day at work.

Building a swimming pool with your own hands will help solve this problem. It has long been recognized that swimming treats many diseases of the musculoskeletal system, improves immunity, helps get rid of excess weight and simply improves well-being. Having your own body of water emphasizes the wealth of its owner and serves as a sign of well-being.

Determining the location of the pool

At the first stage of building a pool, you need to decide where to place it. In solving this issue, an important condition is an elegant combination with the overall design of the house and the entire site as a whole. It is also necessary to ensure that the pool is located near the water supply and drainage well, which is necessary for regular cleaning and water supply of the artificial reservoir. After all, long hoses throughout the area will cause a lot of inconvenience.

It is recommended to build a swimming pool with your own hands in an open, sunny area. This is necessary for constant heating of the water. To partially protect the pond from the wind, you can place it next to the house or along a high concrete fence. But the pool cannot be located very close to the house. Firstly, no one is immune from leaks. Secondly, when water overflows, it can enter the basement and even erode the foundation of the house.

The best site for a pool will be clay soil. If the waterproofing is damaged, clay will stop water leakage.

You should also not place the pool near trees and bushes. Constantly falling leaves will clog the water. This will cause constant cleaning of the pool.

Before building a pool, it is not enough to decide only on its location. The choice of the shape and size of the reservoir is also an important point. The ideal size for a country pool would be a small pond of 4x4 m. Regarding the shape, it is better to give preference to simple options: square, circle, rectangle. After determining the necessary parameters, equipment, tools and materials for building the pool are purchased.

What materials are needed to build a swimming pool:

Fine gravel.
Sand.
Cement.
Ruberoid.
Fittings.
Boards for formwork.
Wire.
Sealant.
Bars.
Hydrophilic rubber.
Plaster mortar.
Facing tiles.

Equipment

To build a pool, it is necessary to calculate the following systems:

heating water (optional);
disinfection;
filtration;
water supply and drainage.

Based on the filtration system, pools are divided into two types:

skimmer;
overflow.

In the first case, special devices are installed in pools - skimmers, which are capable of taking the top layer of water, which is the dirtiest. To replenish the tanks with water, holes are located along the perimeter of the walls.

Overflow systems involve pouring water from the pool into side gutters, which are at the same level with the sides. Purified and disinfected water in this case comes from the bottom of the tank.

When using high-quality filtration stations with additional filters, their installation is carried out immediately. Such filtration systems take up a lot of space; their location is thought out in advance.

Antibacterial water treatment is a prerequisite for maintaining a healthy pond environment. Active oxygen, chlorine, bromine and hydrogen peroxide can be successfully used to kill bacteria. Ultraviolet installations and ozonation also purify water efficiently.

To build a swimming pool, you can also use the following decorative elements:

sculptures;
handrails;
stairs and so on.

Step-by-step instructions for building a swimming pool with your own hands

The construction of a swimming pool consists of several stages. In order for a concrete pool to be safe, comfortable and beautiful, all stages must be thought out in advance. To do this, as a rule, they draw a drawing and carry out the work strictly according to the diagram.

Pit preparation

Internal waterproofing of the pool

Since water has a destructive effect on materials, the entire resulting structure must be protected from moisture. There are many different materials and methods for internal waterproofing pool walls. But studying their advantages and disadvantages prompts us to give preference to the most economical and reliable method of protection - coating insulation.

But before applying the insulating material, it is necessary to plaster the walls of the pool and apply a self-leveling mixture to the floor surface. After all surfaces have dried, the concrete bowl is cleaned of debris and dirt.

To install internal waterproofing during the construction of a swimming pool, it is not enough to simply apply a coating material to its surface. Much attention is paid to the joints between the walls and the bottom of the tank. To prevent leaks in these areas, hydrophilic rubber is used, which is secured with a sealant. The material can expand when exposed to moisture.

Before applying the waterproofing material, the bottom and walls of the pool are treated with a primer. Next, water is added to the dry waterproofing mixture and the solution is mixed well. The resulting material is applied to the inner surface of the pool using a brush. The thickness of the waterproofing layer should be approximately 3-4 mm.

Lining the walls and bottom of the pool

The following materials are used for lining the internal surfaces of the pool:

ceramic tile;
mosaic;
porcelain stoneware

If you build a wooden deck with railings at the exit from the pool, you can place sun loungers on it. Attach folding seats and tables to the railings. A landscaped area next to the pool in this way will become an excellent relaxation place for guests and owners. And if you add kebabs and soft drinks to all this delight? Your vacation will be unique.

Construction of a pool from a finished bowl

The bowl sinks to the bottom of the pit.
The necessary communications are installed. The protective sleeve is put on the pipes and fixed with tape (to avoid displacement during concreting).
To prevent the composite or plastic bowl from bending under the weight of concrete, spacers are installed inside it.
Reinforcement is installed along the entire perimeter and formwork is installed.
Concrete is poured as follows: the bowl is filled to 30-40 cm with water, the concrete is poured to the same height. After the solution has hardened, water is poured into the bowl again and the formwork is filled with concrete. The concrete layer must be brought to the surface of the earth.
The formwork is removed one day after pouring.
The voids left after removing the formwork are filled with sand and compacted with water.

All that remains is to fill the pool with clean water and enjoy the warm, pleasant water.