Building a block pool in unincorporated PBC (Acreage FL)

viktorwills

Gold Supporter
Nov 28, 2023
5
West Palm Beach
Hello everyone,
I am Vik and new here. Has been lurking for some time and finally writing my first post.
I've been planning to construct a pool in Unincorporated West Palm for some time and looking through DIY options one being a fg pool, but it seems the shells that are available won't suit me. I want a sports pool that is 6' deep at the center and 4" on sides.

I've made some sketches for what I want and wonder what you experienced guys think of it. The block walls would be made out of 12" w x 8" h x 16" L dry stack core blocks, I calculated needing around 650 of them.

I am thinking of doing a stepped footing foundation 20" wide and around 20 deep with top #5 x 2 parallel rebar and bottom #5 x 2 parallel rebar, that is stepped exactly to accept the certain quantity of block per step;
  • then tying vertical #4 rebar (1 cell per block) with horizontal slab #3 rebar running at 12" squares oc;
  • then finishing the dry stack with horizontal #rebar each other block;
  • then pouring slab and grouting block core in the same day so that walls and slab are tied;
  • then apply some Surface Bonding cement on the outside walls and backfill with fine road base;
  • then tiling the entire pool with large format porcelain tile using epoxy thinnest and title grout;
  • then build the concrete deck.
  • * Doing plumbing before slab grout and pour.
Here are the sketches with comments.

1702706582595.png
The tiny blue V line is the slab grade
1702707593713.png
Reinforcement

1702707025265.png
Top and side view (green skimmers), (blue return lines), (round blue - main drains).
 
Last edited:
Also consider prevailing winds for position of the skimmers. Winds should push debris towards the skimmers. Winds have more of an effect on the direction of surface debris then return flow.
 
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Also consider prevailing winds for position of the skimmers. Winds should push debris towards the skimmers. Winds have more of an effect on the direction of surface debris then return flow.
So for this size pool two skimmers would be sufficient on the west side (we have eastern winds mostly in SoFla)? Should I put skimmers as close as possible to the bottom on the opposite East side?
 
Better to put returns where you can reach them if you reach into the pool from the deck.
 
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No real design help but a similar build.

 
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No real design help but a similar build.

I've seen all of the block designs here, in fact it's how I found the forum.

and I've seen quite a few on YT where they use interlocking blocks which are not offered in US The blocks used here are guaranteeing no shifts of any kind once poured solid
 
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