Swimming Pool New Build

[AllanB]

Okay, I have read a ton of stuff on the subject and this is my design, with reasons why.

Preparation

Prepare dimensional drawing.

Sink borehole 1.8 metres, check water table.

Choose a spot and mark out 2 borders.

Dig hole using JCB, allowing 1 day.

Construction

The pool will be of concrete blocks 9m x 4m x 1.5deep (filled to 1.3m) 2/3rds in ground 1/3 out to prevent flood water vingress, maybe insects and other critters too.

12cm slab and filled cavity block walls, incorperating a full "basket" reinforced cage 9mm bar on 10cm matrix, should be strong enough to withsatnd 2psi water pressure.

Finished in flat pebbledash, I hate tiles, they are for toilets, they crack and fall off. This is fast and Thais are dam_n good at it, should flex with the pool too.

Single 40mm drain at one end of the pool, routed through slab and walls to avoid fracture should the pool move a millimetre, everything else at high level and sand burried.

No piles, plastic pools don't need them.

A 40mm vertical pipe in the centre of the slab running to a gravel sump, closed off with a simple tapered plug, my version of a hydrostatic valve when the pool is emptied, just take the plug out. If it has silted up, you will see and can give it a poke. Better still don't empty the pool.

Simple block built skimmer returning in 65mm pipe and t'd into common 65mm (maybe 80mm) return pipe. Should handle the 18m3/hr flow.

Pool backfilled with 20cm of gravel, containing 2 simple vent tubes, all to prevent pressure build up under the pool.

Pump, filtration and dosing

Pump and cartridge filter from Global all pre-mounted on a plith, 1.5hp Chinese pump delivering 300litres/min = total water movement in 3 hours. About right and a low cost set-up with 5 year warraty. No planroom needed, just a cover and easy access..

Supply pipe 40mm (maybe 65mm) on the borderline. Located at the other end, high level possibly out of the water, for good end to end water circulation, almost an "Endless Pool".

No automatic dosing system, everything done weekly, by hand. Automatic stuff means trouble and is expensive, training a guy to follow and fill in a checklist will take a day.

Electrical system

Waterproof enclosure mounted on the house wall containing:-

10amp trip switch isolator. aren't they cheap here?

24 hour timeswitch (Good quality Panasonic, with battery backup) who needs a plantroom?

Additional Equipmemt

Pool will be fitted with a sail type canopy, to keep water tempertures lower, reduce evaporation, keep the water slightly cleaner, reduce rain ingress and it means you can use the pool all day long.

Weekly Maintenance.

Clean the pool, filter and strainers, adjust water levels with a hosepipe, check and dose for chlorine and adjust ph levels. 100baht plus materials/other work.

Now I am sure there will be a lot of comments about this, I have cut it down to the bare bones, too much? KISS

Won't please the pool doctor.....

[WormFarmer]

Where are you? I would like to see it when you have finished it.

[AllanB]

Where are you? I would like to see it when you have finished it.

I am in Khonkaen and thanks for your interest, but I need some comments.

You know there is something about Thailand (probably other backward facing places too), everyone is scared of exchanging information, they think competition is bad. Don't they know competition is good, the better the product, the better the price, the more people will buy pools. In Australia and the US everyone has a pool. In Thailand no one has one, why becuase they are either crap, or overpriced, or both, so there is no manufacturing here.

We have a lovely climate here, I have a girlfriend with a body to die for and I can't go swimming with her. So I am getting unfit, fat and lazy like many Falngs here and I want to change things. So please let me have your comments, tell me I'm right, tell me I'm wrong, but why I am wrong too......

I don't believe this is difficult, I am sure there are a few out there who would like to make us think it is, in order to protect their buisness. But you don't protect your business by using scare tactics, you protect it by being good. The more pools there are, the more people will want one, so competition is good. It has happened with TV's, cars, computers, air tickets, burgers and Pepsi, it will happens with pools too. I have been in Engineering and marketing for 35 years.

There have been a lot of lookers and only one reply to this topic....add you two penneth.

Here is a question.

Why can't I use the blue water tubing sold here, is the chlorine problem or a pressure/vacuum prolem? I can't find any spec on it.

[WormFarmer]

I am not an expert in pool design, which is why I got someone who was to build mine, which is a reinforced concrete in-ground pool with overflow. I am still learning how to look after it. Not being an expert I didn't want to launch into technical comment on your design concept, which will I am sure give you a pool way cheaper than mine, hence my interest to see the finished article. I hasten to add that part of the reason for mine being expensive was that I stipulated top quality tiles and equipment (not chinese) in the hope that they won't breakdown in a few months. I am in Roi Et by the way and you are welcome to see mine if you want.

[AllanB]

First of all I don't like overflow pools, they fill up with dirt during the rainy season and they are complicated. I don't think they work in Thailand unless you have an acre of paving around them. We have one here in our village, they have someone dedicated to lokking after it and it is always dirty at this time of the year.

I am a great believer in simplicity, expensive tiles aren't a problem, should look nice and add no compiication.

With regards to Chinese mechanicals, I don't think that is a major issue, based on my experience with their hydraulic componants, but I may be wrong. People used to slag of Japanese stuff, then Taiwanese bikes and look what happened there.

Thanks for your comments, hope I am not too blunt.

[Valentine]

Just a couple of comments. Pebbledash? Do you mean sandwash as in sai lang? If so I do not recommend it for pools unless you do not mind redoing every few years.

I would use 12mm 'D' bar for the floor slab.

The use of blocks for the walls, which should be 14cm, is OK as long as you have rebar going up through the blocks & along the horizontal joins. However it does not allow the use of waterstop unless you use the lay down flat variety which swells & forms a seal upon contact with the water out of the concrete.

Before applying any finish to the pool whether it be sandwash or tiles make sure you apply a waterproof membrane such as Sika Top Seal 107 or its equivalent.

It does not cost that much more to buy an Australian made pump rather than a Chinese one & you will not regret it.

Hope this is helpful for you.

BTW an overflow pool does not necessarily have to be all the way around, it can be on one side or the end dropping down into a drain which goes into an enclosed tank. This gives a nice effect

Edited October 16, 2010 by Valentine

[PoolDoctor]

Allan, I think part of the problem is your post seemed more like a demonstration of your "correctness" rather than a true request for assistance. Why reply to you when you would simply return a note back telling us why we were wrong? Your note was sufficiently detailed enough to demonstrate that you "thought" you had enough experience / knowledge to do the pool yourself. Great!

"Blue water tubing?" You mean PVC piping? It is used here in Thailand effectively, even for commercial pools. Its fast, cheap, and easy to work with. Two types, go with the higher quality version though. I agree with you, Chinese pumps have made great headway, and are very economical. I also agree with not using sand wash, unless you want to drain and re do the pool every year. Go with a pebble tech instead. We have had bad experience with Sika sealants, and with Lanko sealants. Our tiles always fall off, and their technical reps cannot explain why. As such, we don't seal pools anymore, we trust the structural poor more and leak test before finishing off. To rely on 2mm sealant layer is too risky for us.

[147SAG]

I am not an expert in pool design, which is why I got someone who was to build mine, which is a reinforced concrete in-ground pool with overflow. I am still learning how to look after it. Not being an expert I didn't want to launch into technical comment on your design concept, which will I am sure give you a pool way cheaper than mine, hence my interest to see the finished article. I hasten to add that part of the reason for mine being expensive was that I stipulated top quality tiles and equipment (not chinese) in the hope that they won't breakdown in a few months. I am in Roi Et by the way and you are welcome to see mine if you want.

Where did you get the water to fill the pool?Did you truck the water in,if so where did you find a truck to deliever the water?My pool is finished and waiting to be filled,we have found the water source, but can't seen get a truck to deliever it for us.We have been turned down by 3 people already.We are in Na Kae,Nakhon Phanom area,not Roi Et area.Thanks for any help.Using a bole hole would take along time and maybe use all the ground water in our area,not really sure what to do now.

[WormFarmer]

Where did you get the water to fill the pool?Did you truck the water in,if so where did you find a truck to deliever the water?My pool is finished and waiting to be filled,we have found the water source, but can't seen get a truck to deliever it for us.We have been turned down by 3 people already.We are in Na Kae,Nakhon Phanom area,not Roi Et area.Thanks for any help.Using a bole hole would take along time and maybe use all the ground water in our area,not really sure what to do now.

My builder originally tried to find a tanker to bring in water, but couldn't, so we just filled it from the local water main in the road over about four days.

[Thailaw]

I know nothing about building pools, which is why I had a professional pool company do it -- they do exist in Thailand and mine did a good job. My one regret is that the pool is not deep enough (I forgot to put that dimension in the contract). It is about 1.7 m deep (to my chest) and it should be over 2.0 m deep (over my head) at the deep end and 1.2 m deep (waist deep) at the shallow end (I assume your's will have graduated depth from end to end). The biggest problem I see with your design is the 2/3 below ground and 1/3 above ground -- way too much above ground. Three to 4 inches above ground, with the skirt rising from 2 inches above ground level at the edge away from the pool to 4 inches (i.e., at the pool level) around the pool, should handle excess rain water and insects and still be aesthetically pleasing. There should not, I think, be an abrupt rise in height at the pool's edge, and the skirt can accommodate a gradual increase in height from 2 inches to 3 or 4 inches. I had this problem with my fish pond (the fish were swimming in the back yard during the rainy season), and I had it built up 3 inches from ground leve (the elevation of the fish pond is abrupt, but at the exterior edge of the skirt)l, and there has never been a problem since. Bon chance,

[Naam]

"Comment as you see fit"

Allan B, you possess wealth of no idea about building pools

[CDNinKS]

"Comment as you see fit"

Allan B, you possess wealth of no idea about building pools

Although Naam's strong suit is NOT diplomacy, I have to agree with him on this point. I'm afraid you will end up with an albatross around your neck with some of your ideas. I built my own pool in Canada, however that was a steel walled vinyl liner style so it was actually more of a kit than a start from scratch pool. It was a TON of work and I swore I would never take on a job like that again.

One of the THE most critical parts of building a pool that no one has mentioned is level. It must be perfectly level as nothing shows out of level like a large expanse of water.

I would not do the pump next to the pool method as pumps are noisy.

Be careful about only one suction/drain point as this is a safety hazard. Pumps produce a lot of suction and people have been drowned in their pools when they have been stuck on a drain.

Pools are built with tiles for a reason, don't re-invent the wheel.

Go with a salt clorinator, pools are a lot of work, cleaning etc, so water chemistry needs to be as automatic as possible.

BTW, no size of lip around the pool will keep insects out.

Good luck....

[PoolPro]

AllanB,

If you're looking for a partner in your new pool business, then I could help you. I've been buidling pools in Sydney Australia for 17 years and would like to move my family to Thailand and build pools there. I know everything about concrete pool building there is to know.

Do ou think its a viable business there?

PoolPro

[chrgrims]

there are two kinds of thinking about pool building in thailand; 1. i am a carpenter and can build it myself. 2. i am not a carpenter and cant build it myself.

many have written as the 1, but rarely show pics of the result.

some, as myself, are no 2, and it seems to work better overall (although at a high cost sometimes).

check out my thread from my pool build project, thats how i tried to share info.

if you are really really good, maybe you can do it yourself. if you are normal, get someone else, its hard enough.

pm me if you want more info, good luck!

chr

[PoolPro]

Well after 17 years of owning a pool company, being a licence pool builder and 2000 completed pools later, I would consider mysef more than a carpenter (a carpenter is not qualified to build pools anyway)

So if anyone can do it, I think i probably can......haha

there are two kinds of thinking about pool building in thailand; 1. i am a carpenter and can build it myself. 2. i am not a carpenter and cant build it myself.

many have written as the 1, but rarely show pics of the result.

some, as myself, are no 2, and it seems to work better overall (although at a high cost sometimes).

check out my thread from my pool build project, thats how i tried to share info.

if you are really really good, maybe you can do it yourself. if you are normal, get someone else, its hard enough.

pm me if you want more info, good luck!

chr

[ChrislakBeeGreen]

Construction

The pool will be of concrete blocks 9m x 4m x 1.5deep (filled to 1.3m) 2/3rds in ground 1/3 out to prevent flood water vingress, maybe insects and other critters too.

The pool being 10-15 cm above ground level would stop bugs and run of water getting in to the pool

12cm slab and filled cavity block walls, incorperating a full "basket" reinforced cage 9mm bar on 10cm matrix, should be strong enough to withsatnd 2psi water pressure.

9mm steel the pool could break its back i have seen it a number of times in thailand, use 12mm full 8.8kg it should be round not oval. 12cm slab is too small, we do min 20cm

Finished in flat pebbledash, I hate tiles, they are for toilets, they crack and fall off. This is fast and Thais are dam_n good at it, should flex with the pool too.

tiles dont fall off if installed correctly we have tiled over 800 pool and never had a problem.

Single 40mm drain at one end of the pool, routed through slab and walls to avoid fracture should the pool move a millimetre, everything else at high level and sand burried.

No piles, plastic pools don't need them.

piling will not be need if you are on original ground, if the land is raised then put piling in, plastic pools are not concrete pools.

A 40mm vertical pipe in the centre of the slab running to a gravel sump, closed off with a simple tapered plug, my version of a hydrostatic valve when the pool is emptied, just take the plug out. If it has silted up, you will see and can give it a poke. Better still don't empty the pool.

Simple block built skimmer returning in 65mm pipe and t'd into common 65mm (maybe 80mm) return pipe. Should handle the 18m3/hr flow.

Pool backfilled with 20cm of gravel, containing 2 simple vent tubes, all to prevent pressure build up under the pool.

Pump, filtration and dosing

Pump and cartridge filter from Global all pre-mounted on a plith, 1.5hp Chinese pump delivering 300litres/min = total water movement in 3 hours. About right and a low cost set-up with 5 year warraty. No planroom needed, just a cover and easy access..

a pump will only deliver 300 lpm if the hydruclics are designed correctly, you need to understand what differnt pressure effect a pump to work out what pump you need for your pool, when designing a pool bigger is not better

Supply pipe 40mm (maybe 65mm) on the borderline. Located at the other end, high level possibly out of the water, for good end to end water circulation, almost an "Endless Pool".

never ever use 40mm pipe for suction or return on a pool. return jets should be 10-15 cm under water facing down at 45 degrees, jets should be set at differnt points in the pool to provide effective water flow. the pool needs to be designed with the hydrulics in mind

No automatic dosing system, everything done weekly, by hand. Automatic stuff means trouble and is expensive, training a guy to follow and fill in a checklist will take a day.

if you are running a chlorine pool and dosing yourself then buy chlorine tablets drop them in your skimmer they are much more effective then adding powder unless you dose powder every day. it will take a day to train someone to fill a form in and he will fill it in the same everyday with out ever checking the water.

Electrical system

Waterproof enclosure mounted on the house wall containing:-

10amp trip switch isolator. aren't they cheap here?

24 hour timeswitch (Good quality Panasonic, with battery backup) who needs a plantroom?

Additional Equipmemt

Pool will be fitted with a sail type canopy, to keep water tempertures lower, reduce evaporation, keep the water slightly cleaner, reduce rain ingress and it means you can use the pool all day long.

Weekly Maintenance.

Clean the pool, filter and strainers, adjust water levels with a hosepipe, check and dose for chlorine and adjust ph levels. 100baht plus materials/other work.

you will need to check more then just ph and chlorine, you should also check the alkalinity and water hardness, if you can keep these in control the pool will be much more easy to control, tiles fall of pools because people think you only need to check the ph and chlorine,

[chrgrims]

i was referring to allan, not you.

the reference to the carpenter:

i was trying to give a caricature-ish example of the person that thinks he can build a pool, but cant.

have a nice weekend by the pool, all!

Well after 17 years of owning a pool company, being a licence pool builder and 2000 completed pools later, I would consider mysef more than a carpenter (a carpenter is not qualified to build pools anyway)

So if anyone can do it, I think i probably can......haha

there are two kinds of thinking about pool building in thailand; 1. i am a carpenter and can build it myself. 2. i am not a carpenter and cant build it myself.

many have written as the 1, but rarely show pics of the result.

some, as myself, are no 2, and it seems to work better overall (although at a high cost sometimes).

check out my thread from my pool build project, thats how i tried to share info.

if you are really really good, maybe you can do it yourself. if you are normal, get someone else, its hard enough.

pm me if you want more info, good luck!

chr