How many of us can deny that we love a calm sunbath near a pool without having to worry about a child or pet running into water unattended? With summer not long away it is important to gear up for swimming days without grave consequences. While professional pool fencing seems expensive for some of us, there are things we can do ourselves which will be cheaper as well as reliable. Good pool fencing prevents young children from accessing the pool unattended and must adhere to certain safety standards, a pool fencing can save your child’s life.
For DIY pool fencing, you will need several things. Having decided with what you want to pull the fence, get the appropriate material. This is usually mesh or aluminium. You will also need a hammer drill, drill bits, a drill aligning tool if possible, hammer, extension cords, and knife to cut the mesh, pliers, hammer and tools for self-locking locks.
Things to remember when installing the Pool Fencing:
While the process is easy, certain tips will help you in deciding the proper materials and techniques that need to be adapted when opting for DIY pool fencing:
- Height – Know why you are building the fence for. Pool fencing can be tricky. If you are fencing to protect a child it should be at least 5ft. high so that he or she cannot pull themselves over it. The CPSE recommends 4ft. or higher. If you are fencing to protect a pet, it should be built accordingly with proper materials. If safety is your primary concern a pool fence combined with adult supervision will make your pool the safest.
- Type – Once you decide to do pool fencing all by yourself, you must also decide what type of fencing you want- a temporary one or a permanent one? For that, you should think about the tasks you do near your pool. Does your child know how to swim? Do you enjoy a pool party now and then with friends? Would it be okay to keep the fence while having a pool party? After you have an answer, you know what pool fencing you need. While temporary pool fencing is easier to do all by yourself, a permanent fence is more endurable. The fencing that matches the design and theme of your home is ideal. Fencing is made of different materials like aluminium, vinyl, wrought iron, wood and so on. They are almost five to six feet high.
- Gate and Lock – Temporary or permanent, if safety is in question, one must opt for a self-closing gate, and an automatic lock, that is, the gate closes on itself without any external manual force and locks automatically. This type of gate and lock only opens if unlocked and opened manually. Manual gates and locks are also available for choice.
- Material – The material should be durable and strong so much that it cannot be broken or forced open by a child. Mesh is the most common material used for temporary pool fencing. Some people choose wood for permanent fencing. But mesh at times provides better structure and strength to the fence than wood. Aluminum and vinyl are also commonly used materials for pool fencing.
- Structure – The structure will be such that a child will find it impossible to climb. The mesh should be densely knit and the wood should be polished enough not to provide a grip.
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