How to hide the pool equipment.

[motleynm]

Due to a communication breakdown, our pool equipment is not where we originally indicated. It is instead in the middle of my yard seen from every window of my home. It is an eyesore but too late to move.

Please share with me your equipment camouflaging techniques. Barriers, plants, sheds, whatever you've got let me see it so I can brainstorm.

 

[blazin]

Ouch!! I'm planning to build/purchase a lean to type shed with plantings around it. It will be visible for sure, but it won't be piping and equipment tossed all over the place. My PB wanted to try and place the equipment in the middle of my yard, I told them no, so I was fortunate.

 

[Rossterman]

Not sure of what it looks like but if they placed it in the wrong location and it screws up your landscape plan, make them move it. You paid for it to be placed correctly and they took the easy out. My plumbing guy (owner/builder) tried to pull the same stuff. I made him move it to where it was supposed to be. If concrete isn’t in, it’s really not much work. Some trenching and pvc pipe/fittings. No reason to have to live with someone’s shortcuts when you paid for it to be done right....

 

[shingles]

Not sure how much space you have but we built a pool shed.

 

[Texas Splash]

The sheds are really nice for those who can do them. I like them. Solves many problems all at once. But if money is tight or you need another idea, you could go with a softer look with lattice and shrubs/vines, etc. As an example, you can see below I used lattice on the backside of my shed to protect the equipment from the TX sun, but you could easily frame some lattice around an area to conceal the equipment and provide protection from the sun's UV. So you have lots of choices.

 

[blakeusa]

If they have not backfilled they can move the lines.

Shed ideas.

1. Wooden structure
2. Trellis with plants/ vines
3. Box fence

 

[brunnesa]

I put my filter, pump, stenner pump and cleaning robot all inside one of these. Love it because of the way it opens up so everything is easy to access.

Lifetime Products

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I built a semi-shed. I set four posts and built a frame with pressure treated lumber. I used cedar fence pickets to sheath it and built a lift-able split roof structure out of roofing plywood and metal roofing material. I covered the ground inside the structure with pea gravel. Not really a shed, but still provides total protection to the equipment. Total cost was somewhere around $600-$800.

 

[oolie]

How worried should we be about airflow in a shed? Heater is def a concern, but even pumps need airflow to cool, don't they?

 

[blazin]

I built a semi-shed. I set four posts and built a frame with pressure treated lumber. I used cedar fence pickets to sheath it and built a lift-able split roof structure out of roofing plywood and metal roofing material. I covered the ground inside the structure with pea gravel. Not really a shed, but still provides total protection to the equipment. Total cost was somewhere around $600-$800.

This is what I'm planning to do, or at least similar to.

 

[shingles]

How worried should we be about airflow in a shed? Heater is def a concern, but even pumps need airflow to cool, don't they?

Our shed has four lower vents, a ridge vent, and two windows. I keep the windows open normally in the summer time (first summer with pool). I closed them during the cold months earlier in the year. I close the windows when it’s going to rain. So far so good with no issues. I figure it’s gotta be better than baking in the Texas sun. The shed temp is the same as the air temp outside.

 

[motleynm]

Oh, concrete is in, the pool is filled. It is not moving.

 

[zea3]

Oh, concrete is in, the pool is filled. It is not moving.

Please post a photo of the current arrangment.

 

[brunnesa]

Here is a picture of what I described earlier. I still need to do some landscaping, but just got the pool finished.

 

[motleynm]

This looks really great! I am thinking cedar plank panels will work and then I can landscape around it.

I built a semi-shed. I set four posts and built a frame with pressure treated lumber. I used cedar fence pickets to sheath it and built a lift-able split roof structure out of roofing plywood and metal roofing material. I covered the ground inside the structure with pea gravel. Not really a shed, but still provides total protection to the equipment. Total cost was somewhere around $600-$800.

View attachment 82447
View attachment 82448

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So, since mine is floating in the middle of my yard and is not against an exterior house wall, do you all suggest having it fully enclosed or partially?

 

[motleynm]

As you can see we are still well into the construction process. There is hardly a light at the end of the tunnel. The hardscape crew is here today. There will be flagstones as decking up to the coping. (SP?) The area in front of the equipment will be a retaining wall and then a flagstone patio. This patio will then step up onto the area behind the hot tub with a small boulder retaining wall. This will be very small, only 4 feet deep. That house w the blue shutters is our neighbors, ours is a very contemporary mid-century mod home, people call it the Brady Bunch home lol. You can see one back wall, the brown wall.

 

[zea3]

Is the retaining wall going to be tall enough to hide the equipment? If not I think I would build a horizontal slat structure on top of the wall and paint/stain it to match the house. It could also give a little bit of privacy from the neighbors.

 

[SpringPool]

Depending on the height of the retaining wall a simple fence may work too.

 

[motleynm]

This is very nice!

Depending on the height of the retaining wall a simple fence may work too.

View attachment 82525

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Looks very nice!

Take lots of pics from varying angles and include a tape measure or yard stick to locate your pipes. If you decide to build or dig around the pad, you will want to be certain you don't do any damage.

I chose the cedar fencing because my pad was built on sloped and uneven ground. Using perpendicular planks allows you to follow the slope of the ground. All the siding was screwed so it can be removed for servicing equipment and replaced if it rots. The pressure treated framing should last for many years. Use only hardware compatible with pressure treated wood.

I had some height limitations on my structure (an apple tree) so it only sits about 6" above the top of the filter. I made the portion of the roof above the filter lift-able so I could remove the filter cover for cleaning. A couple of wood supports rotate up to keep the roof elevated during servicing. I vented the heater out the back of the structure.

Someone questioned airflow within the enclosure. My only concern is when I run the heater, which is pretty rare. The siding allows airflow between the planks and there is some space between the ground on the bottom edge of the planks. I usually leave a door open while heating or I can raise the roof if really needed. I've run the heater with the doors fully closed and have experienced no fault codes.

I have some above average DIY skills so I just took it one step at a time. I added some shelving in a dead area of the enclosure for floats, hoses, toys, and supplies. At the risk of my work being critically assessed, I'll attach some additional pics for reference.