Everyone’s summer dream is to have a pool in their backyard to enjoy on long hot days. It is also an infallible solution for long afternoons with children and gatherings with friends. A swimming pool is not only meant for swimming, it is also an aesthetic element that provides good times during summer days and nights.
Even though swimming pools are not attainable for everybody, if you plan on installing one in your home you should keep in mind the different types out there to see which one is more suitable for your needs. You can also see affordable alternatives to traditional pools that can be just as enjoyable.
Not all pools are the same. Each of them has its advantages. Read closely because we are here to help you decide which one is the best fit for your backyard.
Prefabricated vs Built in swimming pools
1. Built in swimming pools
These are one of the most common kinds. The material often used to build them is usually concrete or Gunite, which grants water-tightness and provides a solid structure to keep the walls from warping. This material is perfect for any shape, size, and depth. They can also be built with concrete blocks. This second option is usually easier to cover up and more versatile in adding different designs to the bottom of the pool.
In their building process, a hole is dug on the ground where the concrete is later incorporated. One of their advantages is their durability. They are very resistant. On the contrary, you should watch out for any pressure or water leakages. In this case, the price is slightly higher than in the other options though their maintenance is more affordable.
Another advantage of built in swimming pools is the number of different finishings it allows for:
- Glass mosaics are the most common and well-known of them, but we can also coat them with paint, micro cement, or a liner.
Vinyl liner swimming pools
This is a versatile coating due to its low price and the different kinds out there. It is easy and quick to install. A variety of images can be printed on the vinyl lining, replicating any material. It is also easy to repair and replace when damaged.
Though less common, there are other innovative design solutions such as natural pools, sand pools, and infinity or mirror pools. This last kind can be built or prefabricated
Natural swimming pools
The building process of this kind of pool doesn’t solely depend on the workforce, as do the other ones. Therefore, it can take longer to finish.
Their main advantage is their high decorative impact. It can turn a simple garden into a magical place. Since it doesn’t use chemicals, it can host animals such as fish, which even help to keep it in good conditions.
Sand swimming pools
Do you want to have a beach in your backyard? You can make this happen, and it is one of the latest trends in swimming pools though, we warn you, it is not cheap. To make the cleaning process doable you will need compact sand. A benefit to them is that this type of sand is anti-slip, making it ideal for children and people with reduced mobility.
2. Built in swimming pools with high visual impact/prefabricated
There are other types that allow for various designs at the bottom of the pool, for complexity making a visual impact but still deal with the cost of construction and installation. They are the following ones.
Infinity or mirror swimming pools
You must have been stunned if you have seen pools without margins, where the water covers just above the pool and where it seems like the edge of the water is its only separation. These pools are what’s trending when it comes to high-end swimming pools and are usually best suited or placed in areas with a natural appearance or where an uneven plot of land is visible
These types of swimming pools are adapted to large environments and built in a separate category. In this case, the water overflows on one or more sides of the pool and is retrieved in channels. We call it the mirror effect when the water overflows on all sides of the pool. The largest inconvenience of these types of pools is that both their maintenance and installation are expensive. Despite that, their design is very aesthetically pleasing and exclusive.
There is a subcategory to these: transparent pools, known as infinity pools. Their characteristics are the same, but a thick security glass is used in their fabrication, as can be seen in the image below.
Industrialized swimming pools
a) Polyester or prefabricated swimming pools
This is the material of the pool’s shell. These are fully made in a factory with a resin and fiberglass base. The shell provides shape, structure and keeps the water-tightness of the pool.
This is the easiest way of installing a swimming pool. It doesn’t require a complex construction process since the pool is one whole piece. You simply dig a hole on the ground and insert the polyester shell, although filters and drainpipes also need to be installed
These are the most commonly used types of pools since their building process is the simplest and quickest. One of their disadvantages is that they cannot be painted since the paint eventually chips off. To give it a decent aspect, trained workers have to coat it with a specific resin. Fortunately, there are different variants of these pools, and they are also an affordable option.
Polyester or prefabricated pools are the perfect solutions for those looking for a functional and not too expensive option. On the other hand, if you wish to have a design/high-end personalized pool with specific shapes and designs, traditional build in pools would be your best option.
b) Stainless-steel swimming pools
Though the price of these pools is not for everyone, they offer numerous benefits: perfect water-tightness, made of sustainable material, 100% reusable, being light-weighted. The latter one makes them a perfect solution for attics. On the flip side, we should be careful with the chemicals used in these pools since they can cause rusting or damage to the material. They are incompatible with salt electrolysis.
Affordable swimming pools
Summertime is almost here. If you’re looking for an affordable and easy-to-install option, there is nothing you should worry about; there are solutions for every wallet.
a) Detachable swimming pools
Without a doubt, these are the least expensive and easiest to install. One of their disadvantages is that they are neither as durable nor as stable as build-in pools. Despite that, they can save up space when they are not in use since you can put them away.
Another way of classifying them: above-ground vs inground pools
Above-ground swimming pools
- Advantages:
- More affordable
- Easier installation. No construction is needed. A compact levelled plot of land is enough.
- Ideal for tight areas since they can be put away.
- Simple maintenance
- Disadvantages:
- Les benefits than in inground pools.
- Limitation when it comes to maintenance. It is difficult to implement simple depuration methods, so the water is never as well treated as it could be.
Inground swimming pools
- Advantages:
- More benefits
- Better maintenance with more complex methods to treat the water
- More durable
- Disadvantages:
- They need a large investment
- Construction is done by professionals.
- Having to decide the spot where they will be placed since they will be forever permanent.
In the future we will talk about the points to take into account to opt for any of these types of pool, assessing time is its installation and budget, for example, among other characteristics.
Of all these types of pools that we have explained, which is the one that you liked the most? From GRUPO PAGÈS BCN we have it clear! And you?
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