There are three main types of above ground swimming pool.

 Wooden above ground swimming pools

At the top of the range is the wooden above ground pool. Made from pre-treated high quality timber most of them have a 10 year guarantee. The wooden frame holds up a vinyl liner and the kit will include a circulation pump and a sand filter. The pipework is the same as an inground pool and can easily be altered. You can part bury a wooden pool and build decking up to it making it an attractive and eye catching  feature in your garden.


 Metal framed above ground swimming pools

The most popular type of above ground pool is the metal framed version. The base frame is assembled and then a thin metal wall slots in to it. The top frame is assembled including  the coping rail. This metal frame holds the vinyl liner in place. As with the wooden swimming pool the kit will include a circulation pump and a sand filter. The pipework on metal sided pools is the same as an inground pool and can easily be altered. They can be part buried and will be left up in the winter.

 Soft sided splasher pools

Soft sided splasher pools are usually made by toy companies and are inexpensive entry level above ground pools. The vinyl liner is reinforced and designed to be either self supporting or held by an easily assembled, slot together, metal frame like on the Intex Ultra Frame Pool. Splasher pools come with a combined pump and filter, the filter being a paper cartridge. The pipes on splasher pools are flexible and unique to the pool and is not so easy to change. Splasher pools should be taken down in winter.