Making Rocks Work
The marriage between rockwork and architecture can be a contentious one, especially when the visual relationship isn’t thought out ahead of time. Making rocks work in built spaces requires strategic thinking, says Terence Thornton and Kevin Kraft, with an eye toward the way nature does things. ...
Perfecting Substrates (the importance of bonding agents)
Concrete bonding agents play a crucial role in ensuring a strong and durable bond between shotcrete and plaster in swimming pools. They offer a host of advantages that can work to improve durability of a cementitious finish, while evening out its appearance, explains Jon Temple, who urges builders and plasters to think twice before skipping the bonding agent. ...
Real Advantages of Artificial Turf
Artificial turf has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years, and especially so in its use beside swimming pools and other bodies of water, says turf specialist Nick Ogilvie. Water conservation, radically reduced maintenance and great appearance are all reasons for the movement toward grass that never grows and never dies.  ...
Classic Liner Design from Poolside by CGT
Poolside by CGT now offers a new vinyl pool liner design that combines a stylish tile border with a complementary wall and floor pattern. New ‘Water Street’ provides a modern twist on a classic design, using rich, vibrant blue hues, this pool liner pattern is printed on a medium blue base film with a complementary floor pattern that makes pool water sparkle. Available in both 20 & 28 mil thickness. ...
Low-Profile Pool Enclosures
Pool & Spa Enclosure offers the Corona pool enclosure, the company’s least expensive model, designed as the ideal solution for customers who want to protect their views yet it is still high enough to swim under the cover. Just like any of the low height models, you can easily enter the enclosure simply by sliding a door – no need for your customers to bend down to enter their enclosure. Low pool enclosures enable pool users to swim freely in an enclosed swimming pool environment. ...
AquaStar Introduces New Line of Valves & Actuators
AquaStar Pool Products, Inc., is pleased to announce the launch of a new product category with the introduction of FlowStar valves and actuators. The line includes two- and three-way valves, a check valve, and a valve actuator designed to meet the diverse needs of the pool industry. FlowStar series products are made in the USA using raw materials sourced within the country.  The valves and actuators feature a lifetime warranty. ...
Roman Aqueducts: Masterworks of Classic Engineering
The aqueducts it built stand as enduring symbols of the ingenuity and engineering prowess of the Roman Empire. They are among the world’s most historically significant and celebrated man-made hydraulic structures, as they continue to inspire architects and engineers to this day. ...
Cold-Weather Tile Installation
When you consider the long-term environmental exposure every pool tile installation endures, Amy Denny explains that it merits elevating installation methods, setting materials, and the installation environment. A deliberate and planned strategy is paramount, especially when working in cold temperatures. ...
Riding the Tides (25 years of WaterShapes)
Since its debut in February 1999 as an innovative print magazine, WaterShapes has spent the past 25 years exploring the art and science of water – and the oceans of possibilities waiting to be discovered along the way. As Eric Herman shares in this special retrospective, the long journey through the world of water has been its own unique reward.   ...
Mythic Beauty
Her name is Kópakonan, but she is also known as “The Seal Wife,” a mythical figure known as a “selkie.” Immortalized in Nordic legend, a stunning bronze stature celebrates the rich oceanic folklore of remote Faroe Islands, and the power of art in a dramatic aquatic setting. ...