DIY concrete swimming pool

[Hoho223]

Hey kids-

After a year of on and off planning and prep work, i broke ground on an 18x36 swimming pool. Wife wants a 9' deep end and a 4' shallow end with a tanning ledge or baja shelf next to the stairs at the shallow end. Plan is to use CMUs for the vertical surfaces and a slab at the bottom, all tied together with rebar.

For anyone who has similar experience, do I:

A) pour the footing for the CMU walls first with rebar extending into the slab, then pour the slab using the cured footing as a form or

B)form it all up and pour it at the same time, screeding and floating around the zillion pieces vertical rebar.

I have an electric mixer and ready mix trailers are 30 minutes from home. Concrete trucks are an option, but harder to conceal from the nosy neighbors.

I dont have a crew besides my wife and kids, and nobody likes dad after he tries to be the foreman on home projects. This will probably be my biggest and one of my last. I may get some quotes from the pros after the hole is dug, but my wife married a Feller, not a Rockefeller which is why I DIY most things.

We built a pool in El Paso when I was stationed there in ‘87. This is something that is best left to the pros. The access to the pool area in the backyard was along side the house. No room for a concrete truck. All wheelbarrowed in and shovel thrown. Also you can’t have an interface between the base and the walls…pretty sure. Don’t be cheap. Just be a feller with a small r.

 

[deerklr]

Hey kids-

After a year of on and off planning and prep work, i broke ground on an 18x36 swimming pool. Wife wants a 9' deep end and a 4' shallow end with a tanning ledge or baja shelf next to the stairs at the shallow end. Plan is to use CMUs for the vertical surfaces and a slab at the bottom, all tied together with rebar.

For anyone who has similar experience, do I:

A) pour the footing for the CMU walls first with rebar extending into the slab, then pour the slab using the cured footing as a form or

B)form it all up and pour it at the same time, screeding and floating around the zillion pieces vertical rebar.

I have an electric mixer and ready mix trailers are 30 minutes from home. Concrete trucks are an option, but harder to conceal from the nosy neighbors.

I dont have a crew besides my wife and kids, and nobody likes dad after he tries to be the foreman on home projects. This will probably be my biggest and one of my last. I may get some quotes from the pros after the hole is dug, but my wife married a Feller, not a Rockefeller which is why I DIY most things.

Strongly recommend that you look up "Insulated Concrete Form" (ICF) Pools. Your experience will be a much better one with the family helping, and your frustration level will be kept lower. They make liners for these kinds of pools as well. There are several companies out there that will help you design your pool, and provide a complete material list. Good luck and hope it turns out well for you.

 

[rider89]

Ive only seen shot concrete swimming pools…mayby called shotcrete??, but they shoot the walls and floor in a single pour.

My subdivision has that type of pool, from around 1991. We just painted it the other day, still solid, no cracks, patches, or repairs. I can't imagine dealing with joints of any kind in deep water.

 

[rider89]

Hey kids-

After a year of on and off planning and prep work, i broke ground on an 18x36 swimming pool. Wife wants a 9' deep end and a 4' shallow end with a tanning ledge or baja shelf next to the stairs at the shallow end. Plan is to use CMUs for the vertical surfaces and a slab at the bottom, all tied together with rebar.

For anyone who has similar experience, do I:

A) pour the footing for the CMU walls first with rebar extending into the slab, then pour the slab using the cured footing as a form or

B)form it all up and pour it at the same time, screeding and floating around the zillion pieces vertical rebar.

I have an electric mixer and ready mix trailers are 30 minutes from home. Concrete trucks are an option, but harder to conceal from the nosy neighbors.

I dont have a crew besides my wife and kids, and nobody likes dad after he tries to be the foreman on home projects. This will probably be my biggest and one of my last. I may get some quotes from the pros after the hole is dug, but my wife married a Feller, not a Rockefeller which is why I DIY most things.

Best of luck, but I think that soon after (or before) completion, this will fall into the category "What was I thinking??".

 

[ning]

Personally I think you're absolutely nuts for considering doing this project. It's a serious pro job to do and then I'd still expect to only be reasonably satisfied; DIY and there's going to be disaster.

re covering with a closed shelter - you need massive amounts of ventillation or it's going to be raining in there.

Please, please, hire this out.

 

[moparrob]

Where we are in Idaho, its very arid. We plan to have multiple exhaust fans as well as large doors to make use of the typical windy conditions. In the winter, the humid air will hold more heat and keep the tropical plants happy.

 

[eco88]

I mixed 140 (30kg/ 66lbs)bags the other weekend by myself using the electric mixer. Poured few small slabs and couple of steps.
I haven't been able to put on my shoes since - my back is wrecked.

I'm with the others, sounds like you might be in over your head. I do the same all the time.
I'd look into the fiberglass shell like others mentioned. Save your body and marriage.

 

[4570Man]

One thing to keep in mind is the surrounding water table, and whether you will ever drain the pool for extended periods. Hydrostatic relief valve will help with uplift/cracking of bottom when the water table push exceeds the weight of water in the pool.

If you use a winter cover, it will fill and push out the pool water, so when you open it in spring, the pool could be only 1/2 full while spring thaw raises your surrounding water table, leading to bottom cracks. My dad had those issues in Ohio on a pool built in 1958. Got better after I installed a valve, but there were definitely times that the valve opened as evidenced by the new sand/mud, even when the pool was full.

You’re supposed to install a tube that’s lower than the bottom of the pool and put in a sump pump a few days prior and for the duration of the repair if the water ever has to be lowered for repairs. You shouldn’t ever lower the water without doing that. And a fiberglass pool will require that in addition to bracing the inside.

 

[snowman4evr]

Thats inspiring. If it could be done in the 50's, Im sure more modern concrete products (sealers, coatings etc) can make it easier for me.

Wolfsschlucht II, around Margival in northern France built in 1942.

 

[EddieWalker]

Where we are in Idaho, its very arid. We plan to have multiple exhaust fans as well as large doors to make use of the typical windy conditions. In the winter, the humid air will hold more heat and keep the tropical plants happy.

It's not rocket science. It's just a lot of work and money to do it yourself. There are a ton of videos on YouTube of people that ignored everyone who said it was too hard and just got it done. Just don't be as slow as I am, but if you are, you can still enjoy the pool while working on it.

I love my DIY Pool. I can't wait to finish it. I'm just glad I didn't listen to anybody that told me it was too hard to do by myself.

 

[careyo63]

Where the mad mothers come into mind! Like fixing the old cars that also seem to pile up. Building a pool is Time Money and Labor! Which you would be surprised how many has the common sense problem also. #1 rule of thumb wait until they get out the door!! And find out the owner is worse than your comments.

 

[aircommuter]

One thing about the compound curves in a pool is it allows a pool sweep to function.
As for electrical you may search and read about electric shock paralysis. Maybe you know but just in case.

 

[Mackman141]

Ain't nothing to it, but to do it!!

 

[ljjhouser]

Over the years I have come to believe a number one rule when working with any concrete material - Plan, (as you have done), get plenty of help and gator aid on site.

 

[careyo63]

Over the years I have come to believe a number one rule when working with any concrete material - Plan, (as you have done), get plenty of help and gator aid on site.

I still have a few hundred yards of driveway still in crush and run. I'll eventually have to move the Rd. and been like that for a few decades! Plus I watched the neighbor pour one about the same distance. Weekends by a Trk. and a few to! A lot more than Gatorade! Quite a few more .