Ordini's Pools & Spas - Choosing an Above Ground Pool

Above-ground pools offer a great value in family entertainment. For less than the cost a two week vacation, a back yard pool can provide years and years of fun and togetherness. And today’s pools are better than ever: new materials and manufacturing techniques create a pool that can last until your children are grown and your grandchildren are swimming.

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MATERIALS

Above-ground pools are constructed in three basic materials; steel, aluminum or resin (plastic).

STEEL

The advantages of steel are price and weight. Steel is the heaviest of the three materials, and a steel pool is very solid. While steel will eventually rust, modern-day manufacturing methods create steel pools with 20+ year life spans.

ALUMINUM

Aluminum pools have become popular over the last 10 or 15 years. Their main advantage is resistance to rust, although aluminum does oxidize and weaken over time. As it oxidizes, it tends to pit and the surface becomes rough and may cause pinholes in the liner. Aluminum pools are easier to disassemble and move, but at almost half the weight of steel they tend to flex more, giving them a “flimsy” feel. They are also more expensive than their steel counterparts.

RESIN

Resin (plastic) is the newest material being used in above-ground pools. While there are a few all-resin pools available, most are of a hybrid design with some or all of the structural components, like caps, uprights and or top rails, fabricated from resin and matched to a steel or aluminum wall. Resin does not rust or oxidize, and is therefore an excellent material for pool construction. While 100% resin pools are generally much more expensive than aluminum or steel, the hybrid designs offer many of the advantages of resin at a small increase in price.

OPINION: Ordini’s handles all three types of above-ground pools. However, we feel the best overall value is a steel or steel-resin hybrid. The walls of modern steel pools are hot-dipped galvanized, rust proofed, vinyl coated (double coated in better pools), and finished with a protective clear coat. A high-quality steel pool will last just as long as an aluminum or resin pool, at a lower price.

DESIGN

There are three basic design types of above-ground pools: round, oval and "on-ground".

ROUND vs. OVAL POOLS

Round and oval pools are manufactured with 48” or 52” wall heights, with round pools available in sizes from 12’ to 30’, in 3 foot increments. Ovals are available from 8’ x 12’ to 18’ x 39’.

Round pools are self-supporting with no external bracing needed. Oval pools require angled braces along the long sides, with steel straps running under the pool connecting the braces on opposite sides. These braces add an additional five to six feet to the total width of the pool, and must be taken into consideration to determine what size pool your yard can accommodate. In many cases an oval pool will take up almost as much space as a round pool, with substantially less swimming area. For example, a 12’x18’ oval pool requires a 17’x18’ installation space, and holds 6190 gallons of water. An 18’ round pool, using approximately the same space, holds 7296 gallons. There are a few specialty pools that use a single pole on each side of the pool, connected by a strap running under the pool and a steel cable across the top of the pole, eliminating the need for external bracing. These pools are ideal for those with severe space limitations.

RECOMMENDATION: If your yard space allows, a round pool will generally offer more swimming area than a comparable oval, at a lower cost.

ON-GROUND POOLS

The on-ground pool uses a totally different design concept than above-ground pools. Instead of a continuous wall, on-grounds use thick 4 inch wide aluminum panels that interlock to form the walls. The strength of this design allows the pool to be built in round, oval or rectangular shapes, and can be installed partially or completely in ground. These pools always include fencing and decking, and many can be installed with a six foot deep end. Although substantially more expensive than above-ground pools, on-grounds are a good alternative for people who want the size and quality of an in-ground, but for one reason or another cannot accommodate the digging required to install it.