Harvestore Silo Swimming Pool

Harvestore silo swimming pool AG WORLD Ag World 15-4-17 "Nearly everyone who sees it says they'd like to build one just like it," says John Beck, Iron Ridge, Wis., who built a 4-ft. deep, 24-ft. dia. swimming pool from used Harvestore steel silo panels. Beck bought the glass-lined panels from a neighbor who had shortened his silo by 20 ft. The "silo" pool is built from a set of 4 I/ 2-ft. high panels bolted on top of a set of 2 ft. 3 in. half-size panels which are set in a concrete floor 18 in. below ground. The floor slopes 6 in. toward a center drain where the pool is 4 1/2 ft. deep. A stiffener ring made from 1/4-in. angle iron runs around the rim of the pool. A 20 by 12-ft. deck made from treated lumber attaches to one side of the pool. "Our farm is up on a hill where we get a lot of wind from every direction. We were worried that a conventional above-ground pool would buckle under the wind when the water was drained out," says Beck, who built his "silo" swimming pool six years ago. "Our pool cost about the same as a comparable size conventional pool but is built much stronger. We did the work our-selves except for leveling off the concrete floor. We didn't have to use a liner on the pool because we sealed the bolt holes and because we poured concrete over the seam between the top and bottom panels. We used the same sealer Harvestore uses to keep silos airtight." Beck bolted the panels together first, then dug the foundation out by hand and partially filled it with sand. He put wire reinforcing mesh in the concrete to keep it from cracking. He cut a hole in one of the glass-lined silo panels to mount a skimmer basket and filter. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Beck, N 5677 Hwy. 67, Iron Ridge, Wis. 53035 (ph 414 625-3354).

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