BUYING GUIDE
SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BUY?
In-ground vinyl Traditional in-ground pools usually have reinforced walls with vinyl liners and these type of pools are the most common type of professionally installed pools in the UK.
Rectangular pools are the norm, but a variety of L-shaped, free form and other shapes are also available. Once the hole has been dug, support walls are typically made from aluminum, steel, fibreglass or pressure treated wood. Most vinyl pool liners are either .20" or .30" gauge (5.0mm and 7.5mm) and although tough, don’t expect them to last a lifetime as they are prone to tears and rips. You might get seven to 10 years of use before a replacement liner is needed.
Replacement liners can be installed in one or two days and providing the basic pool shell has been constructed well, a pool may have several new liners over its expected life, which could be as much as 50 years in the case of a concrete construction. There are plenty of choices when it comes to patterns, colours and tilebands, which allows owners to add a personal and sometimes bespoke touch to these pools. Most liners are treated to prevent algae growth and some have UV protection – both prolong life and appearance.
Excavation is necessary before
installation, so these pools fall into a higher price range than above-ground pools.
In-ground gunite or concrete pool Your own design and installed to your every whim represents the top of the range. A concrete pool (whether poured, gunite or shotcrete) will become a permanent fixture and will take several weeks or longer to complete and represents a serious investment so a professional contractor, budgets and designs are all necessary. These are reinforced pools with
concrete and plaster instead of liners. There are various ways to construct this type of pool but normally a layer of concrete (gunite or shotcrete) is sprayed into a reinforced framework of steel or single concrete block or twin block construction. Concrete pools are the most elaborate of the pool categories and allow for design to be of a free-form nature – so the shapes and possibilities are limitless and the results are normally spectacular. Excavation is necessary, and a variety of
creative options are available to complement these top-end pools, including waterfalls, custom steps and beach entries.
The high quality of these pools usually puts them in the highest price range.
Take a look at: n The What Pool & Hot Tub website where more information is available
www.whatpoolandhottubmag.co.uk
n SPATA
www.spata.co.uk
Natural pools
A natural swimming pool or natural swimming pond (the two terms mean the same) is designed so you can swim in clear water with no chemicals. Its design can range from formal to
entirely natural, and it is all at once a practical swimming facility, a landscape feature, and a wildlife sanctuary. So it’s safer than conventional chemical pools, natural pools have passed the most stringent tests in terms of water quality. They are based on the ecosystem of interaction of water, sunlight, gases, minerals, plants and creatures to ensure the water stays healthy and are usually divided into two areas – the swimming zone and the regeneration zone. The larger the pond the more likely it will be a better balanced eco system.
Take a look at: n gartenArt
www.gartenart.co.uk
n Woodhouse Natural Pools
www.naturalswimmingpools.com
n The British Association for Natural Swimming Pools (BANSP)
www.bansp.org
a Coast Spas Tahiti Deluxe hot tub worth £5,995!
SEE PAGE 2 FOR MORE DETAILS
WWW.WHATPOOLANDHOTTUBMAG.CO.UK WHAT POOL & HOT TUB 23
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