A growing number of pool builders are turning to Insulted Concrete Forms (ICF) with a reinforced PVC membrane to create a concrete pool wall structure with a durable and attractive waterproofing solution that is custom installed onsite.
These construction materials are stocked and readily available — both the foam forms for the structure as well as the reinforced PVC membrane materials — allowing pool professionals to construct pools quickly and easily for any size yard with resort-style features that are in high demand.
What has really helped boost the success of the system is the availability of new durable, attractive and readily available reinforced PVC waterproofing membrane that has been a standard in Europe for decades. The result is that pool builders are now combining ICF pool construction with reinforced PVC membranes to create beautiful custom pools while also enjoying the added benefit of having more control over their building schedule.
ICF and PVC: The Ideal Combination
The strength of an ICF structure combined with today’s designer-reinforced PVC membrane waterproofing system is quickly becoming a mainstream pool building solution. For over a decade, All3Pools of Missouri has become a leader in the construction of Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) pools, and more recently, the company partnered with RENOLIT to build their pools using RENOLIT’s reinforced PVC membrane.
“We've partnered with RENOLIT to provide a commercial reinforced PVC membrane finish on our pools,” explains Patrick Quigley, CFO and co-founder of All3Pools. “The RENOLIT material is designed to provide a smooth, seamless surface that is resistant to chemicals, UV light and wear, making it ideal for both residential and commercial pools.”
Quigley points out that the perfect synergy is achieved when combining All3Pools ICF with RENOLIT reinforced PVC membrane, saying: “Our combination simplifies the pool-building process by ensuring 100% watertightness. This significantly reduces build time, labor and material costs, enabling builders to price competitively and win more bids against traditional gunite or fiberglass pools.”
ICF construction has a long and proven history in residential construction, particularly in home foundations. This building technique relies on interlocking expanded polystyrene foam blocks to establish a framework for reinforced concrete walls.
“Over the next few years, consumers are likely going to stay in their homes and add a pool to their backyard, rather than move to a new home with a pool to improve their long-term equity and avoid a higher mortgage interest rate,” explains Aaron King, CEO and co-founder of All3Pools. “An ICF pool can be easily configured to any size or shape and all the materials are readily available so builders don’t have to wait on a kit or a custom-fabricated pool liner. This ICF with a reinforced PVC membrane combination gives pool builders a greater ability to control their schedule and their costs.”
The market continues to evolve with homes that have smaller backyards that need smaller pools. These smaller backyards make bringing in cement mixers or gunite trucks near impossible, making ICF pools an ideal solution.
“It’s one of the most cost-effective options available, and with a RENOLIT reinforced PVC membrane, it has an appealing look, is quick and straightforward to install, and comes with a 10-year water-tightness guarantee,” explains Quigley.
Renovations, Too!
All3Pools not only builds ICF pools and finishes them with the RENOLIT reinforced membrane, but they also have discovered the benefits of the reinforced PVC membrane for renovating pools — which has huge market potential, especially over the next few years.
“The RENOLIT product has very low barriers to entry, and it has already helped so many pool professionals who are renovating gunite, plaster and tile pools that would otherwise be very costly to repair but can be renovated with a reinforced PVC membrane quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively,” explains King. “We believe in this product so much so that we are hosting a training at our facility in early April to give our fellow pool professionals the ability to add this system to their toolbox for renovating pools over virtually any surface material to waterproof and beautify the pool.”
The availability of durable, attractive and readily available reinforced PVC interior waterproofing membrane has helped boost exponential growth of this product success.
“There is a learning curve, like anything else,” King explains. “However, pool professionals need to understand it is not that difficult, and there is no need for expensive equipment.”
This construction also provides a cost-effective labor solution, as builders avoid having to subcontract plastering and tiling work. Instead, builders’ in-house employees can become certified RENOLIT installers, cutting costs and streamlining the construction process. Consumers also benefit by having a reinforced PVC membrane that will last far beyond the eight to 10 years, or the typical time period when replastering becomes required.
More and more pool professionals are turning to insulated concrete forms with a reinforced PVC membrane because the construction materials are stocked and readily available. Whether builders want another option to install smaller pools, offer pools at a different price point, or just want to have more control of their building schedule, these ICF pools with PVC membrane offer rapid construction, upscale features, longevity and low maintenance. Learning to install reinforced PVC membrane also gives pool builders another renovation tool to meet the growing pool renovation demand.
RENOLIT’s reinforced PVC membrane is durable, readily available and comes in beautiful colors and textures that give pools a high-end finish. Reinforced PVC membranes for pools are cost-effective, efficient, beautiful and the perfect way for pool pros to remain busy.
About the author: Tony Jordan has more than 35 years of experience in the manufacturing, sales, and application of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) reinforced pool membranes for commercial and residential use. He is the business development manager at RENOLIT and can be reached at [email protected]. For more information, visit renolit-alkorplan.com.