Latest NewsRenovation Tip: Dip in a Toe or Just Take the PlungeFriday, 23 December 2016

A facelift can turn a tired pool into a haven.....

It makes perfect sense that back gardens are transformed for stay-at-home holidays. For those lucky enough to have an old pool, there are ways to make it look new again.

As long as you have a concrete pool, there are several options for renovating the interior, depending on budget and look.

The ultimate is to fully tile the pool. To do this, you will need to redo the pool coping as the new tiles will need to be set at a new height to configure with the cuts required.

Pools can also be re-coated using finishes including quartz, small pebble and fine tumbled glass particles. If you have water-line tiles, these can be modified or you may choose to retain the pool interior and only upgrade the pool coping.

Updating the coping and paving can make a big impact to an old pool. Consider interior colour finishes and choose pavers that will complement the pool.

Blue and green tiles look great with bluestone and earth-coloured paving. Green tiles also look good with natural stone colours. Black pool interiors can look modern and will match a variety of paving colours and styles.

Softer colours reflect the heat and darker colours absorb heat. Black pavers can be dangerous on toddlers' feet on very hot days.

There are various options for pool fences and frameless glass is certainly the most popular for modern pools. Also available is semi-frameless glass, which comes with visible posts.

Semi-frameless is cheaper than frameless glass and with children, it can be a good thing to delineate a glass fence. The most cost-effective pool fence is aluminium with various styles and colour options available.

Deciduous trees can make a lot of mess when they drop their leaves but there is nothing wrong with using some feature deciduous trees near a pool for an autumn effect. Evergreens are easier for pool maintenance but pruning is a factor if you are looking at hedging trees for privacy.

For garden beds, select evergreen shrubs, which are durable and have some summer flower colour for when you use the pool the most.

For a privacy screen, an evergreen hedge of Waterhousea floribunda is great for planting around the perimeter to create a green wall. Clip to a height of at least three metres.

A pool area needs to be functional so consider some good outdoor lounges. Pots will also soften the look of paved areas.

A swimming pool works well as a water feature at night so it is smart to use surrounding space for entertainment.

Try to keep views open from the house so you can see the pool as a feature. Some well-positioned lights in the garden will complement the pool lights and turn your back garden into a little holiday haven.


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