![[Masterpiece Waterfalls]](image/ui/masterpiecewaterfalls-ui-logo-02a.png "Masterpiece Waterfalls logo"){kind=logo}
Pool Construction
Building a pool is no trivial task. There is a lot of planning and coordination that must happen to get a quality swimming pool. We've put together a brief overview of the various steps it takes to build on, start to finish.
Quick links
Design
It all starts with a design, we want to make sure that you are getting the pool that you want and that it looks like a work of art. See our design page for more information.
Engineering / permits
After we finalize the design with you, we'll take our plan to a structural engineer who will produce his own plan detailing the rebar and gunite specifications. This plan is used by the rebar installer and by the building department. We'll pull a permit from the regional building department, whether city or county.
Layout
Layout of your pool begins with reading the plan and verifying that the measurements correspond to the actual job site. We use various methods to mark the outline of your pool depending on it's shape and configuration.
Excavation
Once the shape of your pool is laid out, we start digging.
This is also the perfect time to excavate the main trench that all the pipe runs will go into. We normally get a 24" wide trench a couple feet deep. This allows us to set our pipes side-by-side on the trench's floor.
Underground
All underground work is done at this stage. On a typical pool, we'll run the gas line for the heater, electrical conduit for the equipment panel, conduit for any lighting, water main for the automatic fill unit, and re-route any drain pipes that were damaged during excavation.
Rough plumbing
All pipes that travel from the pool to the equipment area are installed during this phase. In addition, all plumbing fixtures that become part of the pool shell are installed at this point. These include skimmers, main drains, spa jet nozzles, etc. Skimmers are set to the correct elevation and plumbed into the rest of the system.
Rebar
We'll now tie all the rebar based on the structural engineer's drawings. The rebar is bent by hand to fit the shape of your pool, every project is custom fit. The rebar is then lifted off the ground and supported by dobies or chairs. This gives a 3" clearance between the rebar and the ground below it and allows the gunite to fully encase the rebar.
Gunite
Now it's time to make the actual pool shell, we do this with gunite. Gunite is a concrete-like material that is sprayed in layers to the desired thickness.
Just like concrete, gunite goes through a curing period in which it gains strength. During this time, and especially during the critical first 3 days, the gunite needs to be kept moist so that it will achieve it's fullest strength.
Tile
After the gunite has has sufficient time to cure, it's time to install the tile. Glazed ceramic tile provides a very hard and smooth surface that is easy to clean and has a very long lifespan. Easy cleaning is an important issue at the waterline where scum and scale can build up.
Decking
Most of the decking we install is decorative concrete. First, foam cantilever forms are attached to the tile. This allows the finished concrete decking to extend over the tile in your pool, protecting the tile, and giving a safe handhold around the perimeter of your pool.
Equipment area
The equipment area is where all your filtration and control devices are installed. The enclosure is the first thing we build. Concrete block is normally chosen because of it's durability, strength, and wide array of finishes that can be applied to it. After the walls are up, we pour the equipment area slab. All pipes that come through the slab are sleeved with larger pipe to avoid stress on the pipes. We give the concrete seven days to cure before doing anything else.
Next, we'll place all the pumps, filters, heaters, etc. as per our equipment plan. At this point we can determine if changes need to be made to the plan. The first thing we install is the main control panel, usually a Pentair IntelliTouch Load Center / Outdoor Control Panel. This gives us a convenient place to plug in our power tools while working in the equipment area.
Pool finish
The gunite shell is very strong, but not waterproof, and not very pretty either. A pool finish is applied at this point and gives us the smooth, waterproof surface we need for the inside of your pool. Plaster is the most common choice by far and offers a variety of colors. There are many grades of plaster, some with small pebbles (as in PebbleTec or GemStone) with varying degrees of durability.
Start-up
As soon as the plaster is done, it's time to start filling up your pool with water. This takes anywhere from 8-32 hours depending on how big your pool is, and how much water pressure you have. Rags are taped over the end of any hoses to diffuse the water and prevent washout of the fresh plaster. Once the water reaches the middle of the tile line, it's full.
Over the next few days, it's critical to sweep the plaster with a stainless steel brush. This removes any deposits that may form on the plaster's surface so they can be filtered out of the water. Water chemistry is critical at this point as well, the pH will rise considerably because of the alkalinity of the fresh plaster.
In-Floor nozzles
A week after filling the pool up, we'll come back to install all the in-floor cleaning nozzles. The reason we wait is so that any debris that is in the in-floor plumbing will have time to be flushed out. There are three nozzle sizes which are specified on the in-floor cleaning drawing. One at a time, we'll pop the nozzle into it's body and twist to lock it in using a special tool. We'll then run the cleaning system to make sure there are no loose nozzles.