Steel panels: the frame of a prefab pool

What the panels do and what the liner does

In a prefab pool, the walls are not built on site. They are formed from ready-made galvanized steel panels, which arrive on site piece by piece and are joined into one continuous wall. The PVC liner then lines the inside. The roles are clearly split: the panels give shape and strength, the liner makes it watertight.

The panels are 1.10 m or 1.50 m high, and this sets the depth of the pool. Which height suits which use is explained in the article on pool depth.

How they are fixed: anchors, bolts, buttresses

The buttress adjuster matters more than it seems. A panel that leans even slightly inwards or outwards shows later in the waterline and in how the liner sits. With the adjuster, the walls are levelled one by one while everything is still accessible.

The assembly sequence

1. A level base is prepared to the dimensions of the pool.
2. The panels are set up in sequence and bolted together.
3. They are anchored to the base, the buttresses go in and the walls are checked for plumb.
4. The skimmer or channel, return inlets, lighting and pipework are fitted.
5. The liner goes in, the pool is filled and the area around it is finished.

The full process, from the site survey to filling, is described in building a prefab pool step by step.

Protection from corrosion

The steel is protected by galvanizing, a layer of zinc that takes the brunt of the moisture first. On the buttresses the galvanizing is hot-dip: the finished part is dipped in molten zinc, so the edges and holes are covered too. The bolts are galvanized as well, so there is no weak point at the joints.

The panels sit behind the liner, so they do not come into contact with the chlorinated water. What must be avoided is rainwater collecting around the walls. That is why the falls in the paving around the pool and the drainage of the garden matter.

Do not drill or cut the panels to fix something on afterwards, such as a light or a railing. Any such change should first be discussed with the builder.

What to ask for in writing

The frame cannot be seen after construction, so it is worth knowing in advance exactly what will go in. Ask for these to be stated:

• the material and thickness of the panels,
• how the buttresses are galvanized,
• the number and type of anchors,
• the type of bolts at the joints.

More questions for comparing builders are in how to choose a pool builder.

Steel or polyester

As well as steel panels, there are also polyester panels. When each one is considered is covered in polyester pool panels. With either frame, the pool can have a skimmer or an overflow channel.

Questions

See also