11 tips for building a pool of concrete and decorating the walls of the pool in the country

Lovers of water procedures sooner or later come to the idea of ​​​​building their own swimming pool on a summer cottage or a suburban area. There are a lot of options for its arrangement, and there are inflatable and frame pools on sale, which are inexpensive and very quickly mounted. If the main requirement for the pool is durability, strength and ability to withstand frost, temperature changes and mechanical damage, it is better to opt for concrete bowl. You won’t be able to buy a ready-made one, so you have to get confused and fill in a pool of a certain shape. This can be done by resorting to the services of specialists, or you can do it on your own - although the process is laborious, it is quite feasible with some skills, and the savings are significant. So, what steps does the construction of a concrete pool consist of and what materials can be used to finish the walls and bottom of the pool? We study the intricacies of the process and evaluate our own strengths to decide whether it will be possible to do all the work with your own hands, or whether you will need at least partial help from professionals.

Before proceeding with the arrangement of a stationary concrete pool, once again make sure that this is the best option, and that it fully meets the requirements of the family and the frequency of rest near the water:

No. 1. Advantages and disadvantages of a concrete pool

Owners of cottages and suburban areas opt for concrete pools due to their numerous benefits:

• durability. The design will last at least 25 years, and during this time about a dozen inflatable pools and 3-4 frame pools will become unusable. The benefit is there;
• aesthetics. To finish the walls and bottom, you can choose a material of any color, and tiles or mosaics will last a long time;
• Possibility to build a swimming pool any size and shape;
• comfort.

The main disadvantages are the cost of arrangement and the complexity of the process. In addition, the functionality and durability of the pool will largely depend on a properly drawn up project, the choice of finishing materials and the quality of all technological processes.

No. 2. Do I need a permit to build a concrete pool?

In most cases, you can do without agreement with public services, but if the construction of a large-scale structure is planned, it is better to formalize it accordingly in the BTI, otherwise the pool will not be in the certificate of ownership. In the future, an already constructed facility may be legalized, but it is easier and cheaper to coordinate everything in advance.

If a pool with a depth of more than 2.2 m, a length of more than 4 m and a width of more than 2.2 m is being constructed, which will be equipped with a starting bollard or will be used for diving from the side, then permission of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and consumer supervision. In cases where the pool has a decent depth and is equipped diving tower, it will be necessary to approve the project in sports authorities, and entrust the construction to specialists, but it is understandable - it is impossible to build such a structure on your own. It is not difficult to build a small pool for family use on your own, and you do not need to draw up any documents.

No. 3. Preparatory work and design

The first stage on the way to the construction of a concrete pool is the creation of a project and thinking through all the technical details of the future facility. It is important to immediately determine the size and shape of the structure: these parameters directly depend on what place is allocated for the construction, and how many people will swim in the pool. For a comfortable stay, a pool 1.5 m deep and 5.5 m long is quite suitable, but in the case of arranging a jumping tower, the depth of the bowl should be at least 2.5 m. Do not forget to consider that there should be room around the pool for normal access to him or for arrangement. In addition, it is necessary to provide a place for installing all the necessary equipment.

It is not recommended to place the pool too close to the pool so that the shade does not interfere with the natural heating of the water. Under the crowns of trees, the structure should also not be erected in order to facilitate future maintenance of the pool.

To create the correct pool project it is necessary to know the features of soils, the level of groundwater, and also take into account the load on the walls and bottom of the pool, which determines their thickness. It is worth taking into account the proximity of finding neighboring ones, as well as the depth of underground utilities, the distance to the points of supply and discharge of water, and many other points. If you plan to build a more or less large pool, it is better to consult with specialists or even order the design of the future pool from them.

At the preparatory stage it is advisable to decide on the budget, choose the facing material for the walls, and also think about purchasing a filtration system, an electric heater, a chlorine generator, arranging stairs, a canopy and lighting. Also at this stage, consider water exchange system, which can be:

No. 5. Arrangement of a sand cushion and waterproofing

The gravel-sand cushion provides uniform load distribution and high-quality concrete pouring. To create a reliable foundation under the concrete bowl of the pool, first pour layer of sand 20-25 cm thick, and preferably all 30 cm, and carefully compact it. Then they pour rubble layer with a thickness of 10-20 cm and a fraction size of 20 * 40 mm, it is also carefully rammed. Important when backfilling and tamping do not break the bottom angle. If desired, between a layer of sand and can be used, which will serve to further strengthen the structure.

Next stage - creating a concrete base. To do this, use ready-made concrete, which is delivered to the site by a special mixer, or home-made. Since it will take a lot, it is better to use. For footing, you can use. You can independently prepare a suitable concrete composition at the rate of 325 kg, 625 kg of sand, 1250 kg of crushed stone and 170 liters of water per 1 m 3. Thickness - 10-15 cm, and the concrete base should be 2-5 cm larger from each edge of the future concrete bowl. If the level of the concrete base is below the groundwater level, then you will have to additionally equip drainage, for which a trench 25-50 cm wide is dug around the perimeter and covered with coarse gravel.

On top of the concrete arrange a layer waterproofing, for which it is suitable (lay with an overlap of 15-20 cm), bitumen, or PVC membrane. should go 25-30 cm onto the walls. A cement-sand screed is laid on top of the waterproofing.

No. 6. Reinforcement and arrangement of formwork

In fact, the construction of a concrete pool basin is the creation of a typical reinforced concrete structure, consisting of reinforcing metal and concrete. For reinforcement choose ribbed steel bar with a section of 8-14 mm, to form an oval bowl, you can use a rod with a diameter of 10 mm, which is sold in coils and has no length limit. A mesh of reinforcement is equipped with cells of 20 * 20 cm. Reinforcement is carried out in two tiers, it is desirable to place fragments under the bars of the bottom of the bowl so that when pouring concrete they remain in the thickness of the solution. Do not forget to make rebar releases for attaching the wall frame.

Reinforcing frame of walls constructed in exactly the same way as the bottom. When assembling the frame, it is important not to forget to leave windows for placing embedded parts of pool equipment. To fill the walls you need formwork, defining the shape of the bowl. It is most convenient to make moisture resistant or laminated plywood- the material bends well and will allow you to create any shape of the pool. An alternative is a unified metal formwork. Between themselves, the individual elements of the formwork are connected with screws, metal corners or. The internal struts and external supports are fastened carefully, since the weight of the concrete is significant, the distance between them is about 50 cm. The filling is carried out in 50-60 cm belts with mandatory vibration compaction and deaeration.

No. 7. Features of pouring concrete

Since water will constantly affect the bowl of a concrete pool, the choice of concrete is especially carefully approached. He must withstand exposure to water, be frost-resistant and very durable. Suitable concrete grade B25 and higher in strength, W6 and higher in water resistance and F100-150 in frost resistance.

Concreting of the pool bowl is carried out in one of the following ways:

• continuous pouring;
• casting in two stages.

Continuous Fill allows you to get a monolithic bowl - this is a big plus. But to implement the idea, you will need the coordinated work of several pieces of equipment, including a concrete mixer truck and a concrete pump truck.

Most commonly used pouring concrete in two stages: first make the bottom, then the walls of the bowl. The most dangerous place in this case is the junction, through which water can flow. To avoid such consequences, a self-expanding cord with a cross section of 2.5-3.5 cm is used. When immersed in water, such a cord increases significantly in volume and closes all the cracks. During the hardening of concrete, it is better to periodically moisten it with water.

Do not forget that for embedded elements it is necessary to equip windows and make formwork. The entrance and other elements are attached to the frame with wires, otherwise they can be shifted when pouring concrete. If the project involves the arrangement of a smooth entry into the water in the form steps, then they proceed to their arrangement after the concrete thicket is ready. The principle is the same: installation of plywood formwork and.

No. 8. Leveling and waterproofing

After the concrete has hardened, it is possible to remove the formwork and carry out ironing with cement milk, for which 3-4 handfuls of cement are dissolved in a bucket of water. The solution is constantly shaken and applied to the surface with a plaster brush. Irregularities must be leveled using, which is carried out in one of the following ways:

• grid plaster. In this case, it uses a conventional sand-cement, which, in order to provide better adhesion and strength to a pre-attached steel plaster mesh;
• applying plaster to glue. The method involves the treatment of the concrete surface with special impregnations with deep penetration. Due to the components that are part of their composition, adhesion to the applied layer of plaster, which includes an adhesive polymer, increases.

After plastering is carried out grinding and cleaning. Then it executes waterproofing what can be used for:

• acrylic and epoxy resins, which after application during solidification form a continuous polymer film;
• penetrating waterproofing. Such products are distinguished by the presence in the composition of active chemical components that penetrate into the mass of concrete, react with calcium hydroxide, forming insoluble compounds based on it. They fill capillaries and all microcracks up to 0.4 mm in size;
• two-component cement-polymer compositions used for waterproofing large pools. They include cement and elasticizers, so even cracks up to 1 mm can be isolated with their help;
• sealing tapes can be used to seal the joints of walls and bottom.

When performing waterproofing, special attention is paid to the junction of the walls and the bottom, the seams that appeared during the pouring of concrete, recesses, cracks and places where communications enter. The choice of waterproofing method largely depends on the final finishing material: it must be ideal for tiles and mosaics, and when using PVC film, all waterproofing work is reduced to a minimum.

No. 9. Pool of concrete rings and blocks

To simplify their lives, many summer residents go to tricks. Not wanting to deal with formwork and concrete mortar, some use precast concrete blocks. In this case, the installation process is reduced to pouring a flat base and mounting the walls of the blocks. They are fastened with mortar, and every third row is reinforced with a mesh. After all this, it remains to carry out waterproofing and finishing.

Another option is to use ready-made, designed for arranging wells or sewers. It is mounted on a layer of cement mortar, then, as usual: waterproofing and finishing.

No. 10. Pool wall decoration

Tiles are laid for special adhesives. If the bottom and walls are decorated with the same tiles, then you can start finishing from the bottom. When the drain is on one side, the tiles can be laid in rows, taking into account the angle of inclination. If the drain is located in the center of the bowl, then the installation is carried out at the corners of the triangle. To do this, first determine the lines leading from the corners of the pool to the opposite corners of the drain hole. The bottom will turn out to be divided into four conditional triangles, along which the tiles are installed in order to better take into account the slope. Tiles begin to be laid from the wall row, then the beacon row is laid perpendicular to it, and then they proceed to the installation of horizontal rows.

On the pool walls tiles, checking the level and making the same seams. Tiles are laid in horizontal rows, and if symmetry is especially important, then they start from the middle of the row. The only difference is that the seams must be made thicker so that the water pressure does not cause cracks on the tile. The seams are treated with frost-resistant and moisture-resistant.

Mosaic finish

Installing a mosaic is a lot like installing tiles. It is a wear-resistant durable material with a beautiful appearance. The best choice - glass mosaic, which absolutely does not absorb moisture and is distinguished by record durability, however, such material is not cheap. A more affordable solution is ceramic mosaic. With the help of mosaics, you can create interesting ornaments, lay out panels, and some combine tiles with mosaics to reduce the cost.

The thickness of the film, as a rule, reaches 1-1.5 mm, it consists of 4 layers, one of which must be a durable synthetic material, such as polyester or Kevlar. At the moment, for the arrangement of pools, the following types of films are used:

It is important to use under the film. The material itself is mounted with an overlap, fixed by hot welding, the seams are sealed with hot PVC. This is followed by stretching the coating along the walls of the bowl and welding it to a pre-mounted mounting strip. The final stage is the welding of the film in the inner corners of the pool. Everything is clearly described in sight.

No. 11. What else to consider?

Consider the need canopy: it will not only protect the pool from some pollution, but also allow you to keep the warmth of the water. You can choose a ready-made folding canopy - these are not very expensive designs that are difficult to create on your own. An alternative is the construction of a metal frame and installation, in the end you get something like.

After the erection of the concrete bowl and its lining, all the necessary equipment for filtering and heating water is installed. The hydraulic arrangement of the pool is similar to, but the drain is somewhat different. It is equipped with a damper and a multi-turn shut-off valve: when water is released, it will first be necessary to move the damper, and then open the valve, the siphon on the drain is not equipped, the outlet pipe must be at least 60 mm in diameter. As for water heating, they usually use a boiler, sometimes to save money - special for swimming pools. Also think about the pool.