Resourceful DIYer Uses Wood Pallets For An Alternative To An In-Ground Swimming Pool

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If you've ever daydreamed about relaxing in your own backyard oasis next to a trickling, crystal-clear in-ground pool, you're not alone. While the feature sounds pretty appealing, it's also widely considered a luxury, and installation and pool maintenance can be pricey, ranging from $44,500 to nearly $88,000 on average. If a permanent swimming pool is beyond your budget, a smaller DIY above-ground setup could give you somewhere to cool off without such a major commitment. And with a little creativity and unused pallets, it doesn't have to look like a temporary, bright blue eyesore floating in the middle of the lawn.

Among the exciting wood pallet projects you can DIY at home, this one gives a basic pool a backyard makeover. One DIYer, Doctor D.S., demonstrates that idea by arranging wooden pallets upright to surround a prefabricated pool, covering the exterior with bamboo screening. The pallets create the outer enclosure, while the self-assembled above-ground pool inside provides the water-holding structure.

If you want to try building this for yourself, you'll need multiple wooden pallets in good condition, wood planks, brackets, screws, styrofoam, a compatible adhesive, and bamboo screening or another exterior covering (optional for decorative purposes). You'll also need an appropriately sized above-ground pool with filtration equipment, measuring tools, a drill, and a saw. To keep material costs down, you can find free pallets for DIY projects at places like hardware stores or garden centers. Choose the self-assembled pool you want first so you can plan the surround around its dimensions and leave access to hoses and maintenance points in your pallet cover.

Start with a self-assembled pool that includes its own frame, liner, and filter pump. Walmart lists some mesh pool sets for under $200, although smaller models can cost less. Buying a complete kit gives you a structure designed to hold the water without having to create your own free-standing pool structure. 

Prepare a firm and level site and arrange pallets upright around the pool's footprint, leaving the required clearance for the frame. Join the pallets to each other with sturdy brackets and screws, and make sure you don't have any screws or rough wood pointing inward to prevent a potential puncture. If you're following Doctor D.S.'s tutorial, you'll also line the pallet structure and foundation with custom-cut foam boards, adhering them to the wood pallets with an expandable polyurethane foam. Using the same foam, fill in the gaps between the foundation boards and then saw off the excess once hardened. Next, insert the pool inside your pallet frame and assemble per the instructions. Cut away any wood pieces to fit pumps or hoses through, fill the pool with water, and you're ready to relax and sip cocktails in your new pool.

To truly turn your backyard pool into a paradise, add bamboo screening or something similar to the outside, or keep it as is for a rustic vibe. Use extra pallet pieces to create a set of stairs, and you've got yourself an easy way to access your new pool.