Vermiculite is the preferred base for vinyl liner swimming pool bottoms as they require a smooth, level, & nonabrasive base.  Strong is the leader in vermiculite (pool krete) for the swimming pool market.  Strong premix pool krete is easily applied and gives a perfectly formed bottom so the liner will not slip or wrinkle.  All of the pools that Penguin Pools builds in the Milwaukee, WI  and Minneapolis, MN area, have vermiculite bottoms.

Along with just doing vermiculite bottoms on all of our inground vinyl liner pools in WI, MN, & IL, we also apply it with a special mixer and pump from Strong Manufacturing.  The mixer and pump give us a perfect consistency throughout the entire pool so we don’t have to worry about some areas being too dry or wet.  The time that it takes » Continue reading “Strong Pool Krete Mixer & Pump – Vermiculite Mixer for Pool Bottoms”

When it comes to inground pools, nothing changes the look from ordinary to exceptional like a good set of steps.  While most vinyl liner swimming pools come standard with fiberglass walk-in steps, they very common.  They don’t look bad and are extremely durable, but they have become common place over the years.  Also, walk-in steps aren’t idea for undertrack auto covers as they need to be perfectly square.

This step is perfectly functional and will last for 30+ years, however it doesn’t jump out and say “look at me”.  While white walk-in steps are common, you can dress them up by » Continue reading “Custom Steel Inground Swimming Pool Steps”

Everyone wants an inground swimming pool build to go smoothly, but things always come up when you least expect it . . . usually when you start digging.  The biggest variable is usually what you are going to find once you start digging over 3′ in the ground. 

Penguin Pools often comes across rock or bad fill in many newer subdivisions.  Builders take fill from one site and put it on another site until they don’t have any more sites to hid the fill.  Rock and buried construction trash makes building an inground pool very challenging.  When building a vinyl liner pool, the walls have to sit on virgin ground so there is no worry about settling.  When you hit soil or earth that doesn’t hold its form / collapses, you need to find away to create virgin soil.  » Continue reading “Building an Vinyl Liner Inground Swimming Pool on Rock”