Gardening Tips

Step-By-Step Instructions for Building a Natural Organic Swimming Pool

Back when I was a kid, I think the words we used to describe a “natural swimming pool” were ponds and lakes. When I was growing up, not everyone had a swimming pool at home, but there was no shortage of natural swimming pools if you were willing to venture out into the country. However, there’s a new and growing trend that people who are interested in sustainability are embracing: natural swimming pools, also called organic swimming pools. In short, there are basically manageable ponds that you’re creating in your backyard, but with a few careful steps, you can keep them clean enough to swim in.

The great thing about a natural swimming pool is that it becomes a part of your landscaping in a way that a “concrete pond” (in-ground swimming pool) never can. It’s also a lot easier on the eyes, in most cases. Need more incentive? It’s usually a lot cheaper and you won’t need all of the chemicals that are used to keep traditional concrete pools, and even above-ground pools, running smoothly. With a natural pool, you’ve got a great place to entertain guests in an organic and relaxing environment. It’s like swimming in a clean lake, without chlorine burning your eyes and changing the color of your hair.

Follow the steps below to build your own natural pool.

1. Make a Plan

Before you start digging, you’ll need to spend some time on the planning phase. First, consider where you’ll be setting your filtration system up, and that will determine exactly how much space you need for the correct piping and equipment. You’ll also want to decide how deep you want your pool to be, and also how wide.

2. Identify Your Location

Before you do anything else, you’ll need to know exactly where you want your natural swimming pool to be. Keep in mind what types of plants you’ll want to grow, proximity to your living space, etc…A shallow pool is much easier to take care of. However, if you go with a deeper pool, you’ll struggle less with algae.

3. Get Ready to Excavate

Once you’ve created your plan, you’ll begin excavating the area where you’re installing your pool. Before you ever stick a shovel into the ground, be sure you know the location of sewer, water, and gas lines. Also, any other underground cables. Mother Earth News suggests aiming for a one-foot vertical drop every three horizontal feet.

4. Prepare the Bottom and Slope the Pool

If you’re going to have children in your pool, you want to slope it like a beach so that it’s easier to enter the pool. It will also help prevent falls in older individuals.

5. Set up Your Filtration System

Because your natural pool won’t have chemicals keeping it clean, you’ll want to be sure that the water never becomes stagnant, so you’ll need to filter it and aerate it frequently. With stagnant water, you run the risk of having mosquitos and bacterial growth.

6. Waterproofing

To waterproof your pool, you have numerous options, including clay or synthetic liners. Speak with a specialist or do some solid research to decide what you want to do.

7. The Pool Body

What type of material do you want for your pool’s main body? Maybe you’re looking for something like concrete, or you can go with RAstra block for a very natural look.

8. Add Your Finishing Touches

Now is the time to get creative with some trees, flowers, and plants to make your pool look beautiful and authentic.

Watch the videos below for more tips and detailed instructions.

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