With the weather already starting to heat up this year, chances are you’ll be looking for a way to cool off as the days go on. As a kid, we were all jealous of those that had swimming pools in their backyards – with constant and immediate access to their own private oasis whenever they pleased. Whether you’re doing it for yourself or doing the work for some one else, there are a number of things you should consider and prepare for when constructing a shipping container pool.
In this article we’ll walk through what you need to know, how to get started, where to purchase your containers, and more!
Before even starting this project, there are a number of items that you’ll want to check off before purchasing anything or digging up the ground for your sea can swimming pool.
Arguably the most important point in this entire article is around securing the proper permits for this project. Your local municipality may have different rules in place when it comes to modifying your property, digging up the ground, constructing a pool, etc. Do not do anything without first consulting your local municipality / the proper authorities first.
When applying for your building permit, you likely would have already needed to create the plan for the sea can pool. In this you would want to outline the size, weight, materials needed, etc. We highly recommend consulting with an engineer in order to assess both the location and to create the plans for your pool – after all, shipping containers or sea cans are not meant to hold tons of water and will need to be modified heavily in order to create a safe and stable pool.
There’s a good chance if you’re even reading this that you’re already very skilled and knowledgeable in construction projects – so you may be well equipped for this job. However, if you’re unsure – we do recommend looking into hiring a company that specializes in shipping container pools / sea can swimming pools in Canada. This way you can rest assured that your project will be completed properly and with a reputable and licensed business.
If you plan on taking on this project yourself, and not going with a shipping container pool company, you’re in luck! At Coast Containers, we sell both new and used shipping containers / sea cans across Canada. With a ton of different shapes and sizes in our inventory – we can help with any DIY project!
Depending on the size of the sea can pool you’re looking to build, our 10 foot, 20 foot, or 40 foot new shipping containers are perfect for the job! We also carry ‘specialty’ or uncommon sizes such as 16 foot, 24 foot, and 30 foot standard and high cube containers (for that extra depth).
Click here to view our new shipping containers or contact us to learn more!
Now that our planning is done and we’ve purchased our containers, we’re ready to start building! While the amount of work required may take some time to complete and can be a bit daunting – this is where you get to bring your vision to life and personalize your shipping container pool to your style.
As with any project, you need to start at the foundation. As mentioned above, once filled with water, your container will become extremely heavy. You will need to add a foundation to ensure that it can safely support the weight and so that it doesn’t warp.
Much like building a house, you will want to dig out the ground and lay a concrete slab where the container will go. The thicker you lay the concrete, the better, but we recommend that it be at least 4 inches thick to ensure that it can support the weight of the sea can pool properly. This would have already been settled in your initial plan – but if for whatever reason it wasn’t, we recommend consulting with an engineer or builder.
This is the part where your vision comes to life! From this point on you’ll be designing your ideal set up and outfitting / modifying the container to convert it into a proper swimming pool. Starting with the structure of the container, you’ll want to add some support to the walls so that they can handle the added pressure that will come when filled with water. Since they are rectangular in shape – sea cans carry most of their load weight on the corners – this why it’s of the utmost important to reinforce the perimeter walls.
Before we look at waterproofing, you’ll want to consider where you’ll add in the plumbing for the pumps, heaters, and pool filters. Once you have that mapped out, we can start with the waterproofing process.
Depending on your preference, there are a number of options when it comes to waterproofing your shipping container pool. Each has a different cost associated with it so it may be worthwhile to explore all your options. Here are some examples:
Now that your container has been successfully modified, waterproofed, and has its foundation in place – this is where you’ll be able to add the most of your own personal style / customization. Before it’s filled with water, and depending on the waterproofing method you chose you can opt to paint your container and the inside with whatever colour you want.
Depending on how you’ve constructed it, you may also be able to add a deck around the pool along with fencing, LED lights, pool covers, landscaping, furniture, etc. We also highly recommend that you consider some additional safety options, such as:
Now that we’ve walked through everything, you’ll need to know about building your own shipping container pool, you should have a good idea of the work that’s required. As mentioned above, if you’re unsure as to whether you can safely complete the work – consider looking shopping around for a company that specializes in shipping container pools in your area.
If you’re planning to continue the project on your own – check out our stock of New Shipping Containers at Coast Containers. We sell both new and used shipping containers / sea cans across Canada. With a ton of different shapes and sizes in our inventory – we can help with any DIY project! Give us a call or check out our website for a free quote!
