Manufacturer and Exporters Since 1958

San Juan Fiberglass Pools

Fiberglass Pools and Spas by San Juan are the best inground fiberglass pools in the world.

These high-quality factory direct fiberglass pools and spas are in a league of their own, providing the buying public with the greatest value, quality and a predictable fiberglass pool cost. We can custom build for you the largest fiberglass pool available or the custom shaped fiberglass spa of your dreams! See for yourself how much fiberglass pools cost. Call 800-535-7946 With locations in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and around the World

High-quality fiberglass pools and spas by San Juan Pools are in a league of their own when it comes to providing the buying public with value, quality and a predictable fiberglass pool cost. Sanjuanpools.com mypoolspace.net Check out this video of how we build the longest lasting fiberglass pools since 1958! Can I Build My Own Fiberglass Pool? by Frank Kearney I hear this question more as the summer gets closer and people want to get in their new fiberglass pool quickly. Although we do have people call on May 1, wanting to be in their pools by Memorial day, most people understand the time to get started is in January, and even better in November. But there is one way to get things done at your own pace, and that is to build your own fiberglass pool. I will caution you up front, this is not for someone without any construction experience, or without at least some knowledge of construction techniques, and mistakes can be expensive, but here are a few things that might help.

EXCAVATION - The excavation drawing is provided with the fiberglass pool shell, from San Juan Pools. This will give you a clear and precise outline of how deep your excavation needs to be at certain points, and will exactly match the profile of the swimming pool shell. We own an excavator for our work, and find it superior to a backhoe. Because an excavator can turn 360 degrees we can pile the excavated dirt behind us, whereas with a backhoe it must be piled to one side or another. In some circumstances that can be a problem.

POOL PLACEMENT - If you have a large excavator you can use it to unload the pool. Otherwise you should count on a boom truck, or if things are tight even a large crane. We like to use a construction forklift if we can because they are very maneuverable, and are excellent in tight situations. Be extra careful when lifting the shell off the transport. It is at this point you might cause stress cracking. Use long straps, 20' if you can, and otherwise use a spreader beam, which San Juan Pools will include with the pool for a fee.

LEVELLING - This is the most critical part of the entire process. The pool must be level within a 1/2" all around. You can be certain the water will be level when it is put in the pool, and if the shell is out of level the water will apply uneven pressures to the fiberglass. Fiberglass is a very tough material - very difficult to damage - but the gelcoat which covers the fiberglass can easily be stressed causing very fine "spider web" cracks. Although they are unsightly they are not structurally a problem unless the stress is bad enough to create cracks through the surface. Without going into all the details, just be aware you will need a precision level - a laser is the best - and be certain the pool is level. It is also vitally important to ensure the pool stays level as water is added. If you have not prepared the excavation properly, the weight of the water in the pool can cause things to shift, so constantly be monitoring as you add the water.

PLUMBING - This is the point where you connect the pool to the pump and filter. Once all the connections are made from the main drains (always use two and join with a "T" connection), the skimmer and the returns, you should pressurize the lines before they connect to the pump, to ensure there is no leaking. We usually will pressurize to 20 PSI and ensure it holds for 15 minutes. This is a critical part of your construction. If you have a leak after the pool is complete it is a big deal to find the leak and correct the problem.

BACKFILLING - As you add water to the pool, you must be certain there are no voids under the bottom of the pool. Get into the pool and walk around. The bottom of the pool will tend to rise until water is placed in the pool, but when you walk on the bottom of the pool, you should feel the bottom of the fiberglass firmly touch the bottom of the excavation. If it does not, even when you jump a little, then there is a void that must be filled, as the weight of the water will push the fiberglass down into a depression in your pool. As you continue to add water, you continue to backfill, carefully watching the sides of the pool for any bowing. Once the backfill is complete the water should be up to about the middle of the skimmer, and you can start your system running. We will not usually add salt to the water until the pool has been cleaned and the water balanced. You should add chlorine, however, and we will put a number of solid chlorine tablets in a floater and keep that in the pool to prevent algae growth. If you let the pool go green before it is complete you will add a substantial amount of work getting the pool water clear and usable.

POURING THE CONCRETE COPING AND THE DECKING - At this point you are almost complete, but your decking is a very important part of your construction. If you are going to use stone coping or pavers for your pool, that is another part of construction and we will address that in another post. To get the concrete cantilevered coping, you will need special forms. They are available from a company called "Stegmeier", and will require some skill to apply. We strongly encourage you to use cantilevered coping on your pool. We recommend at least four feet of concrete decking around your pool, and if you decide to build a patio that will connect to your pool decking, now is the time. This is a bare outline of what is involved in building your own fiberglass swimming pool. It is not a task for anyone without some knowledge of construction, and as in all things there are "tricks of the trade" we have learned while building hundreds of swimming pools. I have not addressed the problem of how to handle groundwater which can be a very large problem, and an area where we have expertise. If you find yourself in a difficult situation, or are unsure of how to handle something, we offer a consultation service where we will come to your jobsite and give direction, or where we will visit at pre-decided intervals to ensure everything is correct before you move on. Call if we can help - Frank What Is The Best Accessory for my Fiberglass Pool? When ABLE Pools and Spas begins a fiberglass pool project, everything you need to use your new pool, is included in the price. As we often caution new pool buyers, the most important question to ask is, "what's not included?" But there are so many other options you can add to your pool - some expensive and others less so. Which optional item will give the most value, or provide more use of your pool, or just make for more fun and play on those warm, and not so warm, summer days? Here, in no particular order, are a few things to discuss with your builder -

POOL HEATER - more than anything else, a pool heater will extend your pool season, keep the pool water at a temperature that everyone can enjoy, and ensure your pool is able to be used even on those cool cloudy days. When the April sun makes your pool look inviting, or when we have some of those spectacular weekends in the fall, adding a few degrees of temperature to your pool will make a huge difference. Many of our customers will use their heated pools well into the fall, and one customer keeps her pool heated until Halloween.

AUTOMATIC POOL COVER - These auto covers are by far the best thing you can do for your pool. The pool stays covered unless it is being used, it keeps the leaves and dust out of your pool, and if you have a heater, an auto cover will keep the heat in. As a safety feature I believe auto covers are better than fences. The downside to an auto cover, is they are expensive, and they will require dilligent maintenance to keep them working properly. If you are of the "leave it until it quits" type of maintenance person, you probably should not get an auto cover. If you learn how to maintain an auto cover, and keep it in working order, this is the single best thing you can put on your pool. We build a lot of these automatic covers and our customers love them.

AUTOMATIC POOL CLEANER - Let's be honest - we all might say we enjoy cleaning our pools - standing in the sun, listening to the birds as we slowly vacuum the dust and leaves from our pools, but when it comes time to clean the pool, it is certainly more relaxing to throw an auto cleaner n the pool and let it do its job. There is nothing more relaxing than watching someone else work, and a good automatic cleaner will keep your pool spotless, and entertain you while it scrubs your pool walls. They are the best.

WATERLINE TILE - The things that you want to keep out of your fiberglass pool, are the same things that like to float on the water surface - suntan oils, dust, hair, and these things always seem to end up stuck to the pool walls. Waterline tile, will add a beautiful border to your swimming pool, and hide that "oil line" until your auto cleaner, or your pool brush, and your pool chlorine can clean things off. Waterline tile is the "final touch" that seems to make a swimming pool look perfect, and the available choices are in the thousands. Most pool builders will keep a sample of the most recent and most popular choices, so take a moment to go into the showroom and see the selection. Also, on a fiberglass pool, waterline tile is one of the few things that can be applied after the pool is complete, so even if your pool is years old, if you want to add a nice touch to freshen up the look of your pool, ask your builder about waterline tile.

AUTOMATIC CHEMICAL CONTROLS - at ABLE Pools, we don't consider a Salt Water Chlorination system an accessory; it's a standard item on our pools. The one thing that will make your pool a problem is if you let the chemical balance get out of control. By having a Salt Water chlorination system on your pool, you will be able to keep the correct chlorine level in your pool just by turning a dial, or as in the systems we install, just leave it alone and let it do its work. Another excellent addition to water balance is a system that will monitor the water and add chemicals as they are needed. Hayward Pool Equipment has a product called "Sense and Dispense", that constantly monitors your pool chemical balance and adds chemicals as they are needed. We believe this is the kind of system that will forever change how pools are maintained, and you should discuss this option with your builder. The cost is not excessive, and the benefits far exceed the costs. Those are a few things that you might consider on your pool as you discuss the final configuration with your builder. Remember, above all a swimming pool is meant to be a place for relaxation, enjoyment and family fun. By adding some or all of these optional items, you leave more time for your enjoyment of your swimming pool, and that makes all the difference. Frank