Building your own swimming pool can be a very rewarding experience, but it is fraught with problems for the DIY builder.

Normal building methods can not be applied to building a swimming pool. For example, if you are building an extension to your house, it would be acceptable to make a concrete base, mixed on site using a cement mixer. After this, you build the walls up with concrete blocks, then render it. Great! However apply this method of building to a swimming pool and you will end up with something that leaks, will crack and be a disaster.

Normally swimming pools are built using 20cm reinforced concrete, or sprayed gunite concrete to around 20cm. Both of these methods are reinforced with steel bars at 200mm intervals. This is not overkill, it is necessary because of the immense forces applied to the structure because of the weight of the water. In the example of the extension to the house above, these forces do not apply, as the building is only filled with air and if the structure suffers a few hairline cracks as it settles, it won’t cause a problem. If your pool structure cracks, it will leak. Waterproof renders can be applied before the pool is tiled, but these renders can only tolerate a very small amount of movement before they fail. The tiles and grout are only the cosmetic finishing, they serve no waterproofing purpose.

So how can you build your own DIY swimming pool at home in Spain, with professional looks and guaranteed water proofing?

Well, the most cost effective way is to build a concrete slab with block walls (now you are thinking, you just said that building like that doesn’t work??).

It does, and is very successful when combined it with one of our Renolit AlkorPlan reinforced liners, guaranteeing the structure to be waterproof. If you are thinking of building a pool in this way, we are happy to discuss and advise on how things should be done in order to get the best results. The concrete base and block walls can be quickly put up by any local builder and left ready for us to do the cosmetic finishing and waterproofing.

A pool constructed in this way is normally around 40% less than a traditional concrete build pool, but with the added advantage of a waterproof guarantee from a multinational company.

If you are thinking of building your own swimming pool, contact us so we can outline the process of a DIY home build pool, so that you can make an informed decision of the costs involved.

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