30-minute kiddie pool from scrap pvc and a tarp

After another week of 100 degree weather, I wanted to make a kiddie pool for my son to splash in. A friend suggested using scrap pvc and a tarp left over from a burning man project. This is a fun and easy project that should take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Once you have the pool, it is easy to take apart and store when you are done.

Parts list:
At least 30 feet of pvc, 1/2" or thicker
About (10) 1/2" T-Connectors
One 8'x10' tarp or larger
PVC cutter or a hacksaw or sawsall for cutting pvc. Note, a pvc cutter is cheap an will make everything go much faster, plus they are a cool tool to own.
Clamps of bungies to secure tarp to frame (duct tape would also probably work, or just having a very big tarp)

Final pool size is ~ 4x6 feet

If you have an old queen sized inflatable mattress that doesn't hold air very well, you could probably cut that open and use that instead of the tarp

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WARNING: NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED IN THE POOL! A CHILD CAN DROWN IN LESS THAN AN INCH OF WATER.

WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING YOU DO.

BE SAFE!

Step 1: Collect your stuff, line up the PVC

I used FOUR 10-foot pieces of 1/2" pvc I had lying around. You could do it with 3 pieces if you were more organized with the cuts. I ended up with 4 extra 3.5' PVC sections.
You will also need a bunch of t-connectors. You can buy packs of 10 t-connectors from Home Depot or a similar store for a few bucks.

I used 16'x10' foot tarp folded in half the long way (so it was 8x10). You want a relatively new tarp so there aren't any leaks in it. The tarp will still let seep water through but it seems to hold it well enough to play in for a few hours.

Sizing:
Plan to make your pool about 2-3 feet smaller than the width/height of your tarp, this gives you an extra foot of tarp on each side for attaching the tarp to the frame.
Example: For and 8x10 foot tarp, make a 6x8' frame (actually you might want to go about a foot small than this -- I did a 4x6 frame and that worked pretty well
For this project I'll assume you are making a 4x6' frame

Note that the sizing here is approximate. Your goal is to have the long sides have a split in the middle for a supporting leg, and the short sides to have a long section and then a short section connecting the side leg to the corner (see later steps to clarify this)

All of this is approximate, with some extra connectors and a pvc cutter, you can just shorten things or lengthen them by connecting two pieces as needed.

[NOTE, PVC is a terrible building product for the environment, so this is a better project for using up unused scrap pvc rather than buying it new...]
Green Building council report on PVC:
Article - http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/03/26/pvc-no-good/
Report (PDF) - https://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2379
PVC pipe summary is on page 9 of the pdf; General summary of impacts is on page 11]

Comments

[Valster]

You can glue the connectors together for each side. Use a sharpie to code the corners (A to A, B to B, etc.). Next year you can pop the corners together and insert the legs.
If seepage is a big problem, put an old blanket on the deck. Set the pool frame on the blanket. Use a cheap plastic drop cloth over the frame followed by the tarp. The blanket and tarp will protect the plastic from most punctures.
If you leave enough drop cloth hanging below the tarp, you can make it look even MORE Ghetto Fab!
Seriously, nice ible. Thanks for sharing.

[cpotoso]

If you have the materials already this is a very nice pool for cheap. It is also nice for the pure "hack" factor. However, an equivalent bought-in-store pool costs very little ($10 or thereabouts). But if you already have the material...

[Myself]

If you already have 30 feet of PVC pipe sitting around, there's something weird going on! Seriously, what's wrong with plain old lumber? PVC doesn't grow on trees! The stuff is an environmental nightmare, and it drives me nuts to see so many instructables, ostensibly written by people who shun the establishment, embracing such a material.

[junits15]

the reason you see so much of it is baceuse 7ft of PVC is like $3-$4 and almost every hardware store has it.

[Intersection]

Seriously, I have a garage full of PVC -- We made 10' high eyeball out of pvc for Burning Man in 2005 so I have a lot of the stuff lying around... :)

[Tvman]

cute baby man! is that a live wire hes playin with?

[Intersection]

Haha, no it is a bungee. But he does have does have a serious love for chewing on wires, which we try to discourage, especially in the pool!

[!Andrew_Modder!]

WOW! Thats like the most ghetto thing iv ever seen!!!! Well i guess it works quite nicely tho! :-)

[Intersection]

We like to call it Ghetto Fabulous