A swimming pool in a modern summer cottage is no longer a luxury. Such a design is quite affordable even for the average consumer, and even more so if you can build it yourself. However, this element of landscape design is important to design and build correctly, and proper care is also needed. Sooner or later, the owner of the site has the idea that it is necessary to build a canopy for the pool, which can be made of any material. One of the most popular is polycarbonate. The design will keep the water clean and transform the area.
The need to build a canopy
If you are still thinking about whether you need a canopy over the pool, then you need to consider the positive characteristics of this design, which are that the water does not become polluted so quickly, respectively, it will have to be cleaned much less often. Among other things, in this case it will be possible to use the pool even during rain or strong wind. And other adverse weather conditions will not be able to prevent you from enjoyingclean water.
The canopy will protect from the sun's rays, so you can swim even when the sun is very hot. The energy consumption for water heating will be reduced, and the water from the pool will not evaporate as quickly. In addition, during the autumn-winter period, the structure will not be affected by negative weather conditions.
Pool canopy can be made from different materials. But polycarbonate is a solution that is lightweight and durable, as well as the ability to transmit and diffuse ultraviolet. The material is weatherproof, fireproof and corrosion resistant.
You can buy it at an affordable price, it is quite easy to care for the surface, and it will last for more than one year.
Preparation of materials and tools
If you decide to build a canopy for the pool, then before starting work, you need to prepare certain tools and materials. Among them:
- polycarbonate;
- fasteners;
- self-tapping screws;
- bolts;
- welding machine;
- hacksaw;
- electric jigsaw;
- roulette;
- level;
- profile pipe of round or rectangular section;
- concrete mix;
- shovel;
- perforator;
- concrete mixer.
Building the foundation
The construction of the canopy will turn out to be quite light, but the volumetric cover still requires a foundation. The structure is installed onconcrete base, which deepens 50 cm into the soil. After the mortar mixture has dried, the surface of the foundation must be tiled, which will additionally protect the building from moisture.
Working on the frame
The pool cover will be based on a frame that can be made of metal or wood. It is best to resort to the first option, since water will constantly evaporate near the pool. Creating a frame involves bending the profile in such a way that an arched covering is obtained.
If you have the appropriate skills, you can try to make a supporting structure yourself. The profiles are thrown over the bowl and bolted to the foundation. Further, the arcs are stretched in increments of a meter from each other, and stiffeners are installed between them. Parts are bolted or welded. If a canopy for a polycarbonate pool will be made on the basis of a metal frame, then the latter must be treated with an anti-corrosion agent before assembly.
Sheathing
On the sheets of covering material, it will be necessary to mark the connection points with the frame. Next, holes are made for installing self-tapping screws. In order to avoid damage to the skin, the film should not be removed at this stage. Under the influence of heat, the material will expand, so the holes should have a slightly larger diameter compared to the size of the self-tapping screws. Polycarbonate must be fixed on the profileself-tapping screws, under the caps of which it is necessary to lay rubber washers. The resulting joints between the caps and polycarbonate are treated with sealant.
It is worth recognizing that the use of self-tapping screws is not the best solution for such work. But if you decide to prefer this particular technology, then it is best to purchase them with sealing washers, which are made of EPDM material. They will allow you to evenly distribute the load on the surface of the canvas at the point of fastening.
When choosing a self-tapping screw, you should prefer one whose diameter is equal to or greater than 6 mm. For proper installation, you will need a screwdriver, with which it will be possible to carry out the work in the shortest possible time. When canopies for polycarbonate pools are made, the photos of which you can see in the article, the screws should be perpendicular to the flat surface.
Do not use too much force to avoid damaging the surface of the panel and baffle. If the self-tapping screw turned out to be pinched, and the surface was deformed, then the fasteners must be slightly released. While retaining the original shape of the bulkheads, the surface should recover.
Retractable pool cover
Sliding pool awnings can be made of a profile and a special mechanism, the length of which must be selected while on the site. Once you have taken all the necessary measurements, you can go to the store where you can purchase polycarbonate and guides. According to the last willmove the upper part of the frame, which must be synchronized during installation.
Some home craftsmen try to make such a mechanism on their own, but experts advise abandoning this idea and purchasing a factory model, since in the first case the structure will move with great noise, and over time it may warp, and the movement will not be so easy as before. The pool under the canopy, which you will make sliding, can only be partially covered with polycarbonate.
If you want to leave the pool for the winter and make it heated, then the canopy can be made completely closed. In this case, swimming will be possible even in late autumn.
Using tie-down straps as fasteners
The canopy for the pool, the photo of which you can find in the article, can be made using tie-down bands that allow you to fix the polycarbonate. They are made of polyester or galvanized steel. This method cannot be called new, with its help you can press the panels as tightly as possible to the arched structure without damaging the canvas.
The tape is thrown over the structure and fixed on both sides with bolted locks. Among the main advantages of using this technology are short installation times, the possibility of opening the canopy, ease of dismantling, as well as tight overlapping of the material.
Using thermal washers to install polycarbonate
When the canopy is madefor a do-it-yourself pool, polycarbonate can be reinforced to the frame using thermal washers. This method is one of the most reliable and reliable. The plastic washer is made in the form of an umbrella, the leg of which is designed to use a 5 mm self-tapping screw. At the bottom of the hat there is a seat for the washer. In the upper part there is a hidden recess in which the head of the screw opens. At the same time fasteners are completely protected from corrosion. When installing polycarbonate on the rafters of the frame using thermal washers, it is necessary to make holes in the canvases, the diameter of which is 2 mm larger than the diameter of the legs. This eliminates the deformation of the web at the pinch points in the process of increasing or decreasing linear dimensions. It is necessary to leave a distance of 30 cm between the thermal washers.
