The DIY Shipping Container Swimming Pool


Converting a Shipping Container into a swimming pool seems like a cheap way of keeping cool this summer, but how easy is it to do it yourself?

An Australian company ‘Shipping Container Pools’ based on the Sunshine Coast in sunny Queensland has been creating beautiful shipping container pools for the past four years. Recently we spoke to Nigel Butcher, the company Sales Manager to get some more information about their design and manufacturing process.

The container pools are sold in two sizes, 20FT and 40FT and by offering only one mould shape the company are able to keep manufacturing costs down. The width is the standard 8 feet, but you’ll notice that the height has been cut down from a standard container height of 8’6″. The reason the pools are designed this way is simply cost savings. The company are using brand new one trip containers and then cutting them in half to make two four feet deep pools from one single container.

As some of you might know the strength of an intermodal shipping container comes from the square tube frame structure, so you might be thinking: “does cutting that frame in half then filling it with 120,000 lbs of water present structural issues?” Well the short answer would be yes, but this particular design uses a free standing fiberglass mould that is placed inside the container. The free standing mould has the strength to hold the weight of the water, so it could be placed onto the ground and be filled with water without the support of the container to hold it in place. In this case the container just acts as a protective shell.

The fiberglass mould pool design was developed thirty years ago and has been used by the Australian company most commonly for in ground swimming pool applications. The addition of the shipping container exterior is not only aesthetically pleasing for above ground applications, it also offers the flexibility of having a transportable, fully enclosed unit which offers two distinct benefits over a traditional pool: a) The site preparation is minimal, so there’s no need to excavate the ground and pay someone to take away the dirt. b) The product is not a permanent fixture in a home, so it can be easily transported to a new property if needed, which is a feature that would be particularly appealing to renters.

The current pricing on the 20ft shipping container pool is around USD15,000 and USD23,000 for the 40ft, but those prices don’t include shipping. The cost of shipping a 20ft container from Australia to the United States is roughly $5k and around $8k for a 40ft. At those prices a DIY container pool looks much more appealing.

For most of us building a fiberglass swimming pool mould is beyond our skill level, so how about just buying a shipping container, cutting the roof off and filling it with water? Although containers are sold as ‘wind and water tight’ that actually refers to the condition of the exterior steel panels and rubber door seals. They’re designed to stop water getting into the container, not to hold a body of water inside them. Before filling your container with water you might need to consider strengthening the side walls to stop them from bulging.

So how do you go about making a watertight barrier to hold the body of water that will be your swimming pool? One idea would be to weld steel sheeting into the container. If you choose this option you’ll need to rust proof the panels and also be sure to use a certified welder, or at least someone with considerable experience because you need the welds to not only be strong, but also water tight. Another option would be to use concrete on the floor and walls. Steel rebar mesh can be attached to the walls and used together with timber formwork to hold the concrete in place, then tiles added later for a more decorate finish.

Whichever method you chose to build your container pool you need to give some thought to the plumbing aspects such as drainage, water circulation and filtration. Water filtration units vary in size and price. A smaller pump will need to run for a longer amount of time each day, consuming more energy, so choose a suitably sized unit. Solar powered pumps are a great way of keeping running costs to a minimum. The three water filtration choices currently available are traditional chlorine, salt water and the newer style is a mineral pool which uses a mix of Magnesium and Potassium Chloride.

If you have a limited budget you might consider buying a used wind and water tight grade shipping container, rather than a new one. A used container will still be structurally sound, but it’s going to have some dents and scratches, so you’re going to need to camouflage the exterior, or at the very least paint it.

For colder climates why not consider a shipping container to build a sauna, steam room, hot tub or jacuzzi? New and used intermodal shipping containers offer amazing value and versatility for a broad range or projects.

 

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18 Responses

  1. Craig Blake says:

    Dear Sir/Madam
    I love your site but is it possible that you could answer a question for me. Should I build a surrounding breeze block wall in preparation to lowering the container in?

    Thank your for your help
    Regards
    Craig

    • jfox says:

      Yes you can do that. With the use of a crane you can set the container pool wherever you like during the final placement. Thanks for your kind feedback on our site.

  2. tonymorison2@gmail.com says:

    how much does the whole procedure cost

    • Luke Ward says:

      A 20ft container is typically around $2,000 for used and $3,000 for new, plus delivery. If you were to DIY and buy a pump and filter I would think you could have a working pool for around $6,000 all in, but it would depend on the lining used. To buy a ready made shipping container pool you’re looking around $20,000 for a 20ft or $28,000 for a 40ft.

  3. Kenneth Olson says:

    Hi jfox,

    I am another enthusiastic fan, love this site. Would like a container cottage with a container pool. Wish ‘Shipping Container Pools’ in Queensland was closer to Nova Scotia. I would love to have a 40-45 foot pool for doing laps and keeping in shape and liked the idea of the fiberglass lining that was structurally sound on its own. Is there similar fiberglass inserts available in New England or Eastern Canada?

    • Luke Ward says:

      H Kenneth, I thought you’d be more interested in a hot tub jacuzzi up there in Nova Scotia, rather than a swimming pool? There’s a few companies manufacturing similar products using shipping containers now, but none that I know of in Canada.

  4. Diego Casanova says:

    Hi , i am interesting to build 2 pools of 12 m each one. It’s possible to contact with me?

  5. Andy Smith says:

    Hi , interested in building a pool , the chopping welding and reinforcing should not pose a problem as have fab skills ,does anybody do a flexible liner to fit or can you recommend a fiberglass lining product .
    Thanks Andy

  6. Soraya Damali says:

    Hi.
    I have my own 40ft shipping container.
    How much would it cost approximately if I provided you with the container in it’s entirety and you turned it into a pool for me?
    Thank you

  7. Miguel says:

    Container pool

  8. Renee says:

    Does anyone sell an inexpensive, small but deep steel plunge tank that can be set into a deck and used for treading water? I’m thinking 6’ deep and about 6’square?

  9. John White says:

    I love this, would it be possible to reforce the shipping container than just get it Rino lined? Thanks for your time and I put.

  10. Swimming Containers says:

    How much will it cost to accomplish the whole procedure, and also what kind of treatment to maintain the longevity of a container pool to prevent from corroding?

  11. Millie says:

    How much would it be to ship a 20 foot to st kitt West indies

  12. Rhonda Bradley says:

    I would like to get a,12×20

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