Installation challenges
Pools can present a special challenge for ceiling installation or renovation. Over the pool deck, ceilings can be installed using ladders or lifts. Ceilings directly over the pool, however, can be difficult to get to, especially if the pool is full. Even if the pool is empty, a sloping bottom can interfere with ladder stability, and taller ladders are needed to reach the height of the ceiling from the depth of the pool. For relatively narrow pools, a platform or a scaffold spanning its width can be engineered.
The new owner of the Highlander Hotel in Iowa City, Iowa, found another solution for installing new ceiling panels over its indoor pool. The pool renovation plan included removing the windows along one side of the natatorium and replacing them with garage-style glazed doors that would allow indoor-outdoor activities. During construction, while the wall was opened, they brought a bucket lift truck alongside the building. It extended the bucket through the garage door openings and over the pool so the installer could easily pop the lightweight thermoformed panels into the grid. Check with the ceiling manufacturer, however, to make sure they will warrant panels that are installed before the building is completely enclosed and ambient conditions stabilized.
The renovated pool has become the hotel’s biggest attraction. With its decorative thermoformed ceiling and a two-storey tall psychedelic-style mural by a local artist, the pool area has become an attractive venue to relax and recreate. The hotel has been successfully selling day-passes to local families—use of the pool and a room to change in—for birthday parties and celebrations, and just plain getaway days. As a result, the hotel has become a resort destination for locals. With travel business so brutally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the extra revenue stream became a welcome supplement to the hotel’s bottom line.
Business considerations
On many projects, pool and spa firms can add to their revenue stream by contracting to provide ceiling finishes. It may be prudent to subcontract the installation of the suspension grid, at least until some experience is gained. But installing thermoformed ceiling panels can be so simple it is often done by do-it-yourself (DIY) home and business owners.
But why stop with the pool? The characteristics that make a ceiling suitable for use over a pool or hot tub/spa are also important for adjacent areas such as locker rooms, gyms, showers, and snack bars. This is especially useful during winter months as it enables crews to stay busy with interior jobs.
David Condello is an experienced commercial ceiling estimator and is now the commercial accounts manager at Ceilume, a manufacturer of thermoformed ceilings. He can be reached via email at pro@ceilume.com.
