Creative shipping container pools have been around for a few years. You’ve seen those metal shipping containers piled at the docks, stacked on boats, hauled by trucks and sometimes in someone’s yard. A shipping container pool usually has a fitted interior fiberglass liner. Container exteriors are painted, sunk in the ground or covered with wood decking.
The size of container pools runs 9′ wide by 20′ long, or 9′ wide by 40′ if you combine two together. These make excellent lap pools. Perhaps there isn’t enough room in your backyard for a traditional pool. Installation is easy enough because the pool is brought in to the yard as one complete piece. No bulldozers, diggers or excavation is necessary so large equipment isn’t necessary.
Installing Shipping Container Pools
If the pool is outside, then it either needs to sit on an 8″ gravel bed or a cement foundation. Some people opt to sink the pool some ways into the ground. Your options are usually limited only by local laws. Generally the shipping container pool company will work directly with your contractor to set up the plumbing needed for draining and electrical for heating and lights (yes, they do come with both.)
The front end of the container usually houses the pool equipment, allowing easy access for your pool guys. The front section of the container is a deck. The pool equipment is essentially in a large box. In addition, stairs access that top deck for easy access to the pool itself. And if you’re in California, you know about pool fencing laws. The container walls start at 5’3″ high which is incredibly difficult for young children to climb over. A gate is easily attached to the bottom of the stairs.
These are some beautiful examples of highly creative ideas for basically disguising the ‘container’ aspect of the pool, indoors or outdoors.
Here, glass walls replace the steel walls. Especially effective if the pool sits above ground.
Here is a container pool outside a container ‘tiny guest house.’ The design aesthetic is modern, with the pool put underground and trimmed out in slate tiles.
There are several companies in the US specializing in shipping container pools. An Australian firm makes a DIY version of your pool and ships it to you to put together. All in all, you should expect to spend between $25,000 – $50,000. Not bad for a pool that installs in minutes once it arrives on the back of a semi.
