6 things to know before building a swimming pool

A swimming pool has become an important feature for homes, pool villas, condos, hotels and resorts, thanks to its many benefits: exercise, a place to relax and enjoy activities, and added beauty and value for the home. Today there are many types and styles of swimming pool. If you want one, what should you consider before building, so you get a pool that meets your needs without problems later or a budget that spirals? Let's take a look.

1. Work out what you need

The first thing to do before deciding to build a swimming pool is to work out what you want it for, for example:

• Build a pool to make your home more beautiful. A pool is like another piece of furniture that makes your home look more beautiful and stand out.
• Build a pool for exercise, such as walking, running, water aerobics or even yoga in the water, none of which causes joint pain, since the buoyancy of the water helps support our body weight. In addition, water resistance helps build muscle strength.
• Build a pool as another favourite spot, a place to sit, relax and unwind, and a shared activity area for the family, or throw a poolside party so family members or a group of friends can have fun together.
• Build a pool according to feng shui principles, to bring smoothness to life, attract good fortune and strengthen various aspects of luck.
• Build to add value to a real-estate development: pool villas, and shared pools for hotels, resorts and condos. With a pool, the value or room rate goes up.

2. Survey the area for the pool

Once you know what you need, check whether the area around your home is wide enough for the size of pool you want. Nowadays, a home with a plot of only 50 square wah (about 200 m²) can already have a swimming pool, though it may need a width of at least 3 metres to accommodate the pool systems. A pool doesn't always have to be large, but it shouldn't be very small either; it depends on how you plan to use it. A newly built home may have an advantage over an existing one, as you can have the pool placed right next to the house, but you should consult the architect and a swimming pool builder right from the early stage of the house design, so that the structure to support the pool can be prepared in advance and the pool style can be planned to blend in with the style of the house.

3. Pool position, and safety of the house and users

When choosing where to place the swimming pool, we should consider several factors: the distance from the house and the usable space around the pool; and the position of the pool steps, children's pool and spa relative to the house, for convenience and to add atmosphere to the home. The pool should be somewhere clearly visible, such as from a lounge or living room. Consider the direction of the sun: the pool should not be on the west side, as it would take direct sun in the afternoon and reflect light into the house. The best position for the pool is on the north side, so that the house provides shade for the pool.

Safety of the house

Building a pool close to the house can cause problems for the house. Watch for splashing water from the pool damaging the floors inside the home, so flooring next to the pool should be made of a material that resists water well and is also non-slip. A pool attached to the house therefore needs more attention to safety than one built away from the house.

Safety of users

The safety of users, family members and pets is also important.

• The depth of the pool depends mainly on the owner's height and how it will be used. On average for Thai people it is about 1.20–1.30 m, which puts the water surface at about chest level.
• Homes with small children or pets may need extra care. Install a safety fence or an automatic pool cover with automatic open-close control that can bear more than 300 kilograms. Besides safety, it also keeps dust and fallen leaves out of the pool and reduces the evaporation of water and chemicals, saving twice as much water and chemicals.

4. Types of swimming pool

Concrete pools

Concrete pools A pool whose walls and floor are reinforced steel structures, built by erecting timber formwork to cast the concrete; once the concrete has been cast, the formwork is removed. This takes quite a long time to build. Today, technology has been developed in the form of smart precast walls (iPanel), made from polypropylene, which replace timber formwork and can be assembled into the pool structure according to the plan, inside the poured concrete. These walls stay in place with the pool and do not need to be removed, which adds strength and flexibility to the structure, ends cracking problems and also shortens pool construction time.

Pools of this type are generally finished with tiles, but after a period of use, problems arise such as grout coming loose and tiles loosening and peeling, which can be dangerous to pool users. So pool-surface liners were invented to replace tiles, lasting much longer and 100% leak-proof, soft to the touch and non-slip, safe from the problem of cracked, loose or peeling tiles, easy to clean, and with a choice of colours and surface finishes to match your own style.

Prefabricated swimming pools

Prefabricated swimming pools Fiberglass pool structure. This type of pool is moulded at the factory, is strong and durable, quick to install and easy to maintain, but is limited in size and shape. There may be many brands on the market, but you should consider the materials used, the production technology and whether the factory meets standards, so you get a pool that is strong, durable, with an excellent structure and a smooth, attractive surface.

5. Pool shape and size

Pool shapes fall into two main types: geometric and freeform, depending on personal taste, the designer's concept and the size of the space. Generally, the shapes are divided into two kinds:

Geometric swimming pool such as squares, hexagons or circles. A standard swimming pool is usually a rectangle of 4 x 8 metres or 5 x 10 metres with a depth of about 1.20 metres. This suits ordinary homes with limited space, or anyone who wants a swimming length suitable for exercise. Since most houses are rectangular, a geometric shape tends to sit better with the building layout.

Freeform swimming pools suit homes with plenty of space. The pool can be designed to follow the style of the home and its garden. However, one thing to watch for with a freeform design is building a pool with too many nooks and corners, as it may end up impractical to use and harder to keep clean.

Pool size guide: width x length (metres) and depth (metres)

• For children: 3 x 5 metres (depth 0.60-0.90 metres)

• For adults: 4 x 8, 5 x 10, 6 x 12 and 7 x 14 metres (depth 1.20-1.50 metres)

• For exercise: at least 3 x 10 metres (depth 1.20-1.50 metres)

TIPS:

• If you want to exercise but have limited space for a pool, you can install a counter-current swim machine for swimming on the spot or walking against the current.
• If you want a pool that both children and adults can share, you can build one continuous pool, but separate the deep and shallow ends, or pour a sloping floor for safety.

6. Choose the filtration and disinfection system

Pool filtration systems

There are two main types of pool system: the skimmer system and the overflow system.

Overflow system treats the water by letting it spill over into a gutter beside the pool. The overflow water is held in a surge tank, then pumped through the filters in the plant room. The water surface sits level with the pool surround, though the overflow gutter, which looks much like a drain around the pool, will be visible.

Skimmer system draws water in for treatment through openings in the side wall of the pool, so the water surface sits about 4-10 centimetres below the surround. This system needs no surge tank, which saves space, water and construction cost. Today there are ready-made filtration units that are easy to install, save space and cut down on complicated pipework. They filter down to 5 microns and, importantly, are easy to maintain, so you can clean them yourself.

Pool disinfection systems

Chlorine system is a very popular disinfection method because it is fairly inexpensive and comes as a liquid, tablets or powder. However, chlorine can irritate the skin, so follow the standards and usage instructions, and if you are unsure, consult a company with expertise in pool systems.

Saltwater system disinfects with salt and is not harmful to health. The chlorine it produces has no pungent smell, does not sting the eyes, does not damage hair or irritate the skin, and does not darken the skin after long swims.

Ozone system treats and disinfects the pool water by producing ozone gas with an air compressor and feeding it directly into the pool. It is a highly effective system because it leaves no residue in the water and disinfects faster than other methods.

Mineral ozone system treats and disinfects the water by combining 100% pure minerals from the Dead Sea with natural ozone, giving you more than cleanliness. It keeps the pure minerals in the water, supporting wellness care that nourishes and restores the skin, keeping it youthful, clear and radiant.

If you want to build a swimming pool, J.D.Pools offers free design consultation at no charge. We provide a full service from design and installation to water treatment and after-sales care, with 22 branches covering the whole country. Contact us on 095-902-6555.