Building our Pool

Our summer heat and humidity, is only just bearable. We did a toss up between building a small cottage for family guests or building a pool.  After wading our way through another stifling hot sticky February - the pool Won - guests lost!  "Ag shame" you might say in true South African-ism... but we have a guest house on the farm we holiday let out anyhow... they can stay there in all its luxury! - see Chumbi Bush House.

Finished Pool - at sunset

Here are some pics from start to finish.  I got a lot of inspiration from my fav inspiring spot: Pinterest.  Check out my Pinterest board:  Gorgeous Gardens and Pools for some awesome ideas.

A "before" the pool shot

As all things should start with some sort of plan... here is our very rough sketch.  Which of course got changed a gazillion times during the actual building process - but still... it was a plan.

The original plan

 Then came a basic layout so we would know how much turf to dig up.  We used a garden hose pipe

Layout of the pool

We started the big dig,  getting in a TLB machine to all that intensive labour.  Of course all the animals had to see if they approved of what was happening to "their" garden.

Horses approving the pool dig

The base of the pool got compacted, and then a cement base was laid.

Base of pool 

Next came the walls,  Note the bitumen waterproofing around the area that will be under the ground.  The far side is where ther will be one large step / kiddies pool area.  The jets for piping can be seeing coming through the walls which will eventually go around the pool to the pump.  

Testing out sun-downers at the pool to be

Then came the fiber glassing.  We decided to fiberglass rather than marbelite, as there is less chance of cracking in our sandy soils.  The colour we chose is quite unusual, but we wanted it to fit in with the natural soil colours, giving the impression of a natural pool.   The structure at the back is a waterfall - the sound of tinkling water on a hot day is so cooling.  Note the"martini seat"  on the far edge to sit chest high in water and take in the beautiful bush views.  

And the finished pool, with the waterfall, and decking around the one edge,  the rest we left grass.  The perfect place to relax after a long hot day.  

Finished Pool - at sunset

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