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How to Choose the Best Above Ground Pool for Your Backyard: A Beginner’s Guide

By: Author Jeff Campbell

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Having an above-ground pool is not a luxury anymore. Nowadays, it’s an essential thing to enjoy lovely relaxing summer days, backyard parties, and to collect memories. Buying a perfect above-ground pool can be a little overwhelming as you have to consider few factors, even on a deeper level.

Before buying your desired pool, you must consider what kind of property you have, what size of pool you are looking for, and determine your budget. There are so many swimming pool stores online where you can find your worthy purchase.

Here’s the complete beginner’s guide to picking the best above-ground pool for your backyard.

How to choose the best above ground pool for your backyard

Think about the pool wall

Walls are the most crucial component of a pool and the most important thing to consider before choosing an above-ground pool. The wall is the thing that supports the water weight and serves as a defense against accidental drowning.

The material of the wall will decide what kind of above-ground pool you want to install. The pool walls are usually made of galvanized steel or aluminum. Both elements provide durable strength, but aluminum offers a lifetime rust-proof protection.

Think about what you will use it for

Thinking about the function of the above-ground pool in your yard will help you to take the right buying decision. Are you an entertainer or chill-on-your-own kind of person? Who will be using the pool mostly—kids or adults? What programs usually you host during summer?

Some want a simple setup for just family use, while some want to install a big deck with a pool to host summer pool parties. It’s wise to think about these points before installing your preferred above-ground pool.

Think mathematically about your space

Take a critical look at your backyard and think about the space an above-ground pool will take before installing one. It’s not a wise idea to install the biggest one even if you have enough room in your yard. Consider how much free space you want after installing the pool? And what you prefer most—more yards or more pool?

Criteria to consider before installing an above ground pool

Size

The size of your yard will determine the size of your pool. You must also remember each province or city has its own backyard pool regulations to lower the occurrences of accidents. Learn the regulations thoroughly before you make a buying decision.

Shape

Above ground pools typically come in two shapes—round and oval. The shape of your pool depends on the size of your yard and local ordinances. Don’t make a fool of yourself by the shape of the pools. You might think an oval-shaped pool will hold much water, but it’s not the case. A regular 24-inch round pool holds more water than a 15*30 oval pool.

Besides, oval pools are more expensive and need more parts than round ones. The only advantage is it looks like an in-ground pool if you build a raised deck around it.

Depth

Usually, the pool walls are 48, 52, or 54 inches high. Previously, when the above-ground pools were first manufactured, they were only 48 inches tall. As you have to fill 4-inch from the bottom with sand, the pools can hold 3-feet and 6-inch water. Now, the popular pools are mostly 54-inch tall with the capacity to hold 4-feet of water. So, the higher the wall, the more water it will hold.

Other important things to consider

Choosing a liner

A liner helps to protect the bottom and walls of the pool for a long-lasting service. Liner also makes an above-ground pool look better and helps hold the water still. Choose the best pool liner that fit your needs and budget. There are 4 types of liner:

  1. Overlap: This type of liner overlaps the pool’s top edge and is attached to coping strips.
  2. Beaded: This type of liner has thick vinyl beads that snap into a track along the pool’s top rails.
  3. J-hook/Unibead: This liner has a thick U-shaped piece of vinyl at the top that hooks into the top of the wall.
  4. Expandable: This type of liner can stretch to fit the needs of your pool.

Pump and filter system

A pump and filter system is crucial to keep your pool clean and free of algae, debris, and other harmful substances. The pump keeps the water circulating and the filter pans off the debris. There are 3 types of pump and filter system to choose from:

  1. Sand filter: This traditional filtering method uses sand in the pump to push the water through the filter and eventually to the bottom of the tank.
  2. Cartridge filter: This type of filter has a cartridge inside the filter. It captures the debris comparatively in a lower pressure than sand
  3. E (Diatomaceous Earth) filter: D.E filter uses fossilized exoskeletons of diatoms to catch debris and even the smallest particles that sand might miss.
Jeff Campbell
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