Australian Outdoor Living

AOL has taken the plunge into Concrete Pools and we're proud to announce that so far, it's going swimmingly!

 

Enough of the puns, let's talk pools and more specifically, concrete pools. Have you ever wanted a pool in your backyard but the pre-made designs haven't struck gold with you? Is your house situated in a difficult area so it's hard to install a fibreglass shell? You're in luck!

 

 

We've collaborated with Marlin Pools to deliver you something with a little bit of WOW! The core difference between fibreglass pools and concrete pools is the fact that you can 100% personalise a concrete pool to suit a design you want - the only limit is your imagination. Help is on hand if you need some inspiration and ideas if your imagination fails you. Our experienced pool consultant, Hans, is happy to help with any questions you may have along the way. He has over 50 years' experience under his belt and he will keep you afloat with all the information you need.

 

Pools are a great addition to any home and they add value to your property. With the latest filtration technology, you can be rest assured that these pools are easy to maintain and remember that salt water can save you buckets in the long run as opposed to harsh chemicals. As well as adding value to your home, your lifestyle will improve with a Marlin Concrete Pool. Imagine the kids running a riot out the back but safe in the surrounds of your own backyard.

 

 

The possibilities really are endless with a Concrete Pool and you can now take advantage of this new product knowing that Australian Outdoor Living is behind the scenes ensuring your project is completed in a timely and professional manner.

 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our SA branch by clicking here.

 

 

 

Ever wondered what goes into making your fibreglass pool shell? You're about to find out...

 

 

Just off the Pacific Highway in Brisbane lies the manufacturing plant of our partner, Barrier Reef Pools (BRP). Perhaps you've driven past and seen the blue shells out in the open for the world to see and lust over! So what happens here?

 

 

» Pool Design & Development

» Constructing a Plug

» Manufacturing a Mould (from the plug)

» Mould preparation & Maintenance

» Manufacturing a Pool Shell

» Production Controls

» Quality Assurance

» Pool Shell Trimming, Final Inspection & Detailing

» Storage, Loading & Transport to Client

 

Pool Design & Development

The guys at BRP are very talented in their field right from the get go. During this stage, a technical drawing is sketched out in order to get the next phases underway. There's a lot of maths involved with angles/areas/volumes so it's lucky these guys are little Einsteins!

 

 

Constructing a Plug

By plug, we mean a similar sort of thing to a die used in injection moulding, not the thing in the middle of your sink! As you can see from the pictures below, this stage requires absolute precision otherwise you'll end up with a very oddly shaped pool! You'd be mistaken in thinking this is just a one-step process. A lot of reinforcement of the shell goes on during this phase with the gelcoat, vinyl ester, glass rovings and fibreglassing all happening one after the other.

 

 

Manufacturing a Mould (from the plug)

So the mould is sitting in the plug...now what? This is where the toys come out to play. Steel framework goes inside the shell to make sure it holds its shape and a large crane lifts the mould from the plug. It is then placed facedown on the ground ready for detailing.

 

 

Mould preparation & Maintenance

A nice polish makes the shell shiny but also makes way for a crucial inspection for flaws and imperfections. The mould hasn't been given the all clear until it has been washed, cleaned and inspected (again!) so BRP can guarantee that you have the perfect pool. Once the shell passes the test, it is sprayed with not just one coat of mould release but SEVEN! It's worth it though, check out how shiny it looks just before the gelcoat!

 

 

 

Manufacturing a Pool Shell

This is where the magic happens, folks! The gelcoat application makes your pool shell look how you know a pool shell to look. In a range of colours depending on your colour choice, the gelcoat adds even more strength thanks to a mix of glass fibres, resin and a catalyst to speed up the process.

 

The diagram below illustrates all the stages that go into making the final product but we want you to understand the whole process so below are the steps from manufacture to the client: you!

 

 

For an easy-to-read summary on how the pool is made, click here!

 

Production Controls & Quality Assurance

How does BRP ensure your pool is perfect? The answer lies right here with their QC procedure. As you can see, they are thorough and will not release a pool without it first passing a scrutinous test.

 

 

  

Pool Shell Trimming, Final Inspection & Detailing

The last hurdle for these pool shells and then their off to their forever home!

 

 

Storage, Loading & Transport to Client

And this, dear pool enthusiasts, is how we get the pool from Brisbane to wherever you live in Australia. Watch out for the BRP trucks along the Australian roads...give them a toot and a wave!

 

 

So when you're ready to buy a fibreglass pool, make sure you stop at nothing to get the best quality from the No 1 choice of fibreglass swimming pools manufacturer in Australia.

Don’t getegg on your face this Easter - we’ve come up with some great ideas for your backyard egg hunt!

 

For many kids, your garden is a wonderland of fun and it can only get bigger and better with Easter on our doorstep. To start with, the Easter bunny has to arrive so you need to leave evidence! Put a couple of carrot chunks near the door for the kids to see when they set about their adventure. This will create excitement that the Easter Bunny really has left them treats!

 

Another good one is to leave cotton wool in obvious places, to top it off, you can say, “Look the Easter Bunny has left his fur everywhere, just like Kitty!” It all adds to the illusion!

 

What had me stumped when I was younger, was the EB’s tracks! They were there, so he MUST have been and MUST exist! My parents, really were tricksters and had all bases covered by leaving foot prints in talcum powder/flour across the kitchen floor, away from the carrot’s I’d left and out the back door.  (carpet freshener is perfect to use on the carpet – and kills two birds with one stone!)

 

Heck if you’re kiddies are young enough, you can even get away with footprints made out of paper or cardboard!

 

 

If you have more than one child, you’ll know better than anyone else that the hunt can quickly escalate to World War 3 when the one sibling has more than the other. To solve this problem, colour code their eggs! Use the coloured foil to make it clear which colour each child has to collect – too easy and conveniently, there will be the same amount of each colour thanks to some clued up parents.

 

For older kids, you could use riddles to help them find where the eggs are – get their brains ticking before they dive into a mountain of chocolate for the entire weekend!

 

“Perhaps near the blue lagoon

Is where the treasure lies,

Use your intelligence and your eyes

To find your hollow moon”

Answer: Silver wrapped egg hidden near the pool!

 

One for the adults: how about using hollow plastic eggs and filling them with vouchers/coupons for local restaurants and shops? You can watch your waistline and your back pocket all at the same time. Nominate a prize egg that contains a $50 gift voucher for the hunter that finds it. Of course, to be fair, you’ll have to nominate one person to hide the eggs. Keep them happy by laying out a spread of hot cross buns, mini Easter eggs and a nice cool drink and let the celebrations unwrap.

 

Easter is such an exciting time for the young ones and young ones at heart! Have fun and get creative because unfortunately soon enough they’ll become teenagers, catch on, and most probably sleep through Easter, rather than waking you up at 5AM!

 

Have an eggcellent Easter everyone! This is the one time of year you can feel good about having the most chocolate in the household – make the most of it!

You can increase the value of real estate by making cost effective improvements...

 

 

Throughout the last few weeks we’ve been discussing pool safety as it has affected communities everywhere due to recent avoidable tragedies. So just what should a pool owner do?

 

Australian Outdoor Living’s family leisure pools have a 100mm safety ledge to give your little whipper snappers somewhere they can reach for safety when the going gets tough in the pool. In addition that this, all our pools have a non-slip finish preventing those little heads from being banged and even keeps the adults in line!

 

 

Here’s a snapshot of all the safety regulations:

 

» All swimming pools must have a continuous safety barrier maintained by the pool owner that restricts access by young children to the pool;

 

» If you are a property owner and are selling a property with a pool built before July 1993, you must make sure that the safety barrier meets today's standard for new pools;

» Fencing must be constructed so that the outside fence is an effective barrier to children, it is permanent, young children can't crawl under or climb over using props, it is at least 1.2 metres high and;

» Any boundary fences used as part of the child-safety barrier are at least 1.8 metres high on either side with a 900mm non-climbable zone, which may be located at the top inside of the boundary fence if it is t least 1.8 metres high on the inside;

» Gates must swing outward from the pool area, be self-closing from any position and fitted with a latching device out of reach of small children at least 1.5 metres above ground level.

 

 

It’s important to note these safety features and while having a pool is fun, the warmer weather is still hanging around and it’s easy to get distracted and leave the kids with their mates (they get embarrassed so easily these days!).

 

For more information on how to keep the pool a safe place, visit kidsafe.com.au