What Are Moveable Floor Swimming Pool Covers

While a pool affords ample time for relaxation, it does take up space and require maintenance. But did you know that there is state-of-the-art technology that negates these issues?

 

 

Moveable Floor Pool Floor Illsutration

A movable floor or disappearing pool as it’s sometimes referred to, lets you cover your pool with usable, weight-bearing space.

Better yet, this is only one of the many functional, beautiful, and innovative types of load-bearing pool covers you have to choose from.

In this article we take deep-dive into this luxury pool cover of the ultra-rich.

So, What Exactly is a Moveable Floor Swimming Pool?

A movable floor is no different to the floor around the pool, except that when needed, it can submerge into the water and serve as the pool floor when needed. Cool Right?

This high-tech pool add-on is built using stainless steel (most commonly 3161aisi or 316L).

Construction for a moveable floor for pools starts with stainless steel beams. They match the size and depth of the pool, with a calculated weight capacity. The live load of a moveable floor is usually the same as that of a residential home.

How Do Movable Floor Swimming Pools Work? 

Moveable Floors can be created in two ways, but with one key similarity, the use of a stainless steel structure or tubular frame. A water-based engine then powers the movement of the floor up and down.

The premium version of moveable floors employs underwater lifts and a hydraulic engine to propel the floor up and down.

The more affordable option uses a submersible IP68 electric motor as supposed to hydraulics.

  

Illustration of Moveable Floor w/ Varying Depth

In either option, the swimming pool floor surface has thick steel plates that can be tiled or finished as the customer sees fit with a variety of pool cover flooring and claddings.

S-Line+: Hydraulic Moveable Floors

When the time comes to r3tract your automatic pool covers, a water-based hydraulic cylinder system under the water level will use a lifting system to bring the system back to the desired depth.

Hydraulic S-Line+ Specs

• Structure: Stainless steel 316aisi

• Power: Hydraulic lifts

• Torque: 350nm

• Closing speed: 1.6 feet/minute

• Precise Depth Control: Yes

• Max depth: 15 feet

• Vertical space required: 12 inches

• Closing speed: 1.6 feet/minute

• Standard capacity: 31 lbm/psf

• Min. lead time: 5 months

• Installation time: 7 days

• App-controlled: Yes

• Cladding: 24 Options

• Energy usage savings: 90%

• Water compatibility: Chlorine, bromine, salt

• New builds only: No

• Cloud-Based Monitoring: Add-on

• Pool shape limitations: Very few

• Manufactured in: Portugal

• Standard Warranty: 1 year

Note: All of these devices are checked for safety compliance and fitted according to the size and requirements of the pool.

Optional add-ons

• Cloud-based remote monitoring

• Lighting

• Key & lock box

• Moveable massage bench

• Additional hydraulic lifts

• Can increase live load to 50 lbm/psf

• Smart-home integration

• Exclusive flooring

• Honeycomb marble

• Basketball court

• Transparent flooring

S-Line: Electric Moveable Floors

These Moveable Floors use a water-based electric motors (commonly the IP68) to stimulate the pool covers movement.

Under its stainless steel structure sit buoyancy packs. This allows the pool floor to sit in the highest position possible when the pool is not in use, and at the click of a button (or a click on your mobile app) can be lowered to a depth of your choosing.

These Sinking Decks are simply cheaper because of the underlying technology, but they really aren't that different in quality and design.

Due to new developments in buoyancy technology, the amount of material and technicality is greatly reduced, which has created a cheaper alternative to the hydraulic Movable Floor.

Electric S-Line Specs:

• Structure: Stainless steel 316L

• Power: Electric IP68 Motor

• Torque: 170nm

• Closing speed: 7 feet/minute

• Precise depth control: Yes

• Max depth: 16 feet

• Vertical space required: 10 inches

• Standard capacity: 7 lbm/psf

 

 

3D Render of Electric Moveable Floor Pool Structure

• Min. lead time: 2 months

• Installation time: 3 days

• App-controlled: Yes

• Cladding: 21 Options

• Energy usage savings: 90%

• Water compatibility: Chlorine, bromine, salt (<4g/L)

• New builds only: Ideally

• Pool shape limitations: Yes

• Manufactured in: France

• Standard Warranty: 3 years

If too many users stand on the pool cover, it may start to lower after a given weight is exceeded. Users must step off in order for the pool cover to slowly return to its previous level. The S-Line system cannot break or flip over, even if the tension in one strap reaches zero and the movable floor starts to slowly lower, the other straps assure that the rest of the movable floor stays on the surface.

Optional add-ons

• Lighting

• RDG Laser LED Light

• Stainless Steel Recessed LED Spotlight

• Lithium-ion battery

• Self-sustaining energy supply

• Key & Lock Box

• Additional Engines

• Increases load-bearing capacity

How Much is a Movable Floor Swimming Pool?

So you think this might be the solution for you, but how much do movable pool floors cost?

Many times the cost of this pool cover solution will exceed the cost of the actual pool. The price varies from $150/psf - $1000/psf.

Prices can start at $75,000 on the low end and north of $1,000,000 with all the bells and whistles.

There are a number of factors that will determine how much your swimming pool cover costs. This includes:

• Size of the pool

• shape of the pool

• desired load-bearing capacity

• Underlying technology

• Size and number of pool steps

• The difference in depth

• New build or existing pool

Moveable Floor Installation Process

Moveable Floor swimming pools can be created from scratch or existing ones can be retrofitted by with the help of your pool contractor.

New pools make the process a lot easier for pool deck suppliers to manufacture and install.

This process often requires a fair amount of modification and is slightly harder to achieve than when dealing with a new pool.

Furthermore, The structure needs to be deeper than the depth to accommodate floatation tanks and the mechanism needed to lift the floor.

 

Advantages of Movable Floors

All the different types of sliding pool decks have unique benefits like preventing heat loss and having peace of mind, but the S-Line model of pool covers has a number of unique advantages. Some can be found in other pool covers, though none afford the space and luxury of a swimming pool with a sinking floor:

• Adds Value to Your Home

Your pools square footage is not considered in the calculation of your livable space. However with a moveable floor, this space is now live-able when not in use.

Furthermore, luxury and high-tech renovations and installations tend to have a positive effect on the value of homes.

• Eco-Friendly and Energy Saving

The average residential pool in the USA is unused over 95% of the time. Without an insulating pool cover, this leads to an extreme amount of energy, chemicals, and time to be taken up to care for the pool and its sanitation.

When you install a cover the pool is protected from dirt and debris when unused, and thanks to the insulating panels heat can be preserved for weeks.

• Increased Pool Safety

Pools are one of the most dangerous home features for kids, even more so for those under the age of 5. With a moveable floor pool cover you'll have peace of mind knowing that your pool is closed (and even locked if needed) when you're away or its unsupervised.

Furthermore it avoids the need for a pool fence. However we never suggest not having one, as the more barriers of defense against drowning, the better.

In summary, a movable floor pool cover offers you all the benefits of a standard pool. However, it also adds extra space and the ability to choose the depth. You also gain an innovative, functional and state-of-the-art addition to your home.

Which Moveable Floor is right for me?

The question of which type of moveable floor option to choose comes up a lot with our clients, and we often reply with another question: "When you buy a car do you get the fully loaded version or not"? Quite obviously is the answer to the above is yes, we recommend they go for the slightly more premium hydraulic Movable Floor.

If you're interested in a Moveable Floor from R3TRACT, we suggest you fill out this form so a local sales team member can provide accurate pricing for you.