Swimming in Stainless
TWO ADVANTAGES of stainless steel pools: dramatically shorter assembly times and reduced maintenance over the life of the pool
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Italian-produced stainless swimming pools becoming popular in North
America
Nickel magazine, Jun. 00 -- For many years now, European manufacturers have been using
stainless steel panels to construct the walls of swimming pools. Now, this relatively simple construction
technique is catching on in North America. More stainless steel pools are on order in the southeastern United
States than ever before, according to Keith Richardson, a distributor of pools manufactured in Italy by
Myrtha Pools.
Stainless steel construction offers many advantages for installation and maintenance. The time required to install an average-sized pool is just nine days, compared with 10 to 12 weeks using concrete and tile construction, says pool specialist Larry Stone. Stone's company, Bird Construction, recently assembled a 15-by-25-metre stainless steel pool in Cold Lake, Alberta. It was the first such unit known to be built in Canada.
Stainless pools are also attractive, adds Richardson, and they are priced competitively with concrete and ceramic-tile pool.
The panels in pools manufactured by Myrtha typically consist of S30400 or S31600 stainless. Although they come in various sizes, the panels average 90 centimetres wide and 3 metres high. They are bolted together to form the pool walls, which, in turn, are bolted to a base frame assembly for support.
The panels are laminated on the water side with a 1.5-millimetre-thick thermo-resistant layer of polyvinyl chloride. This PVC layer makes it possible to seal the panels together and also gives a pleasing look and feel to the pool.
The oldest known stainless steel pool is a 35-year-old unit in Munich, Germany. Reportedly, there has been no need to replace the panels during that time.
Photo: MYRTHA POOLS
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Keith Richardson |
