In many cases, cover installers are called in too late to accommodate special requests such as this and, as a result, pool design and cover modifications need to be made after the fact.
For those unfamiliar with automatic covers, they are typically installed in a recessed concrete or pre-fabricated housing, which can be accessed from the deck via a lid made of aluminum or concrete. However, to accommodate this client’s request to install the cover and all of its components out of sight, the deck was suspended over a small bunker that was attached to the pump room, and hidden under the deck at the deep end of the pool. (Interestingly, the pool was originally designed to be 30.5-m (100-ft) long, but to accommodate the equipment room and cover bunker, it had to be shortened to prevent it from encroaching on the property line).
In addition to its 1.8-m (6-ft) height, the automatic cover bunker is 0.9-m (3-ft) wide and is attached to the pump room via a 1.5-m2 (16-sf) hatch, which provides technicians an access point to the bunker. A concrete wall was built between the equipment room and the pool cover bunker to provide additional support and to reduce the amount of water that can enter the bunker when the cover is retracted. By designing these two rooms in this fashion, water is allowed to collect and drain inside the bunker without exposing the equipment. To install the drive system and roll-up tube into the cover bunker, a grate was added to the outside of the bunker, which, when removed, allowed the tube to be slid into the small opening.
Cover colour
For most automatic pool cover installations, homeowners are happy to choose from an array of standard colours that are available to match current outdoor décor trends. However, for this project, selecting the appropriate fabric colour was even more crucial, simply because a large amount of it would be visible. Further, the cover had to complement the colour of the concrete deck and accessories, while at the same time not be overpowering when it was closed.
That said, none of the standard samples met the homeowner’s vision for the pool area and, as a result, additional colours had to be sourced from a vinyl manufacturer in Europe. Despite receiving material samples to show the client, the homeowner felt a small swatch of fabric would not help them determine which colour would co-ordinate best with their backyard—especially considering the cover would encompass more than 141 m2 (1520 sf).
“The homeowner had paint created to match the fabric swatch they were considering and then painted a 2.4-m (8-ft) piece of plywood and laid it out on the deck to help them visualize if the colour would work,” said Horwood. “Once the homeowner was comfortable with the colour, the material was ordered.
“I was concerned about the availability of this fabric colour for when the cover needs to be replaced, as every cover needs to be exchanged at some point. When this time comes, it could definitely present challenges.”
That said, the homeowners were so pleased with their colour selection they ordered additional material, as well as enough to wrap their spa cover to co-ordinate it with the pool.
