Above-Ground Swimming Pool With Decorative Wall Panels

Abstract

An above-ground swimming pool including structural paneling defining a pool perimeter, a plurality of structural vertical posts regularly spaced apart along the pool perimeter and retaining the structural paneling, a structural ledge supported by the structural vertical posts and retaining the structural paneling at a top end thereof along the pool perimeter, and a plurality of decorative panels installed so as to substantially hide the structural paneling from view is addressed.

1 . An above-ground swimming pool comprising: 
 structural paneling defining a pool perimeter;    a plurality of structural vertical posts regularly spaced apart along the pool perimeter and retaining the structural paneling;    a structural ledge supported by the structural vertical posts and retaining the structural paneling at a top end thereof along the pool perimeter; and    a plurality of decorative panels installed so as to substantially hide the structural paneling from view.    
   
   
       2 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , further comprising a base member retaining the structural paneling at a bottom end thereof along the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       3 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 2 , wherein the base member also retains the decorative panels at a bottom end thereof along the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       4 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein the structural ledge retains the decorative panels at a top end thereof along the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       5 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein a single decorative panel extends between and is retained by adjacent structural vertical posts.  
   
   
       6 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of decorative panels connected to one another extend between and are retained by adjacent structural vertical posts.  
   
   
       7 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of decorative panels are connected to one another side by side.  
   
   
       8 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of decorative panels are connected to one another one on top of the other.  
   
   
       9 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein each structural vertical post is hidden from view by a decorative vertical post.  
   
   
       10 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 9 , wherein a single decorative panel extends between and is retained by adjacent decorative vertical posts.  
   
   
       11 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of decorative panels connected to one another extend between and are retained by adjacent decorative vertical posts.  
   
   
       12 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein the structural ledge is hidden from view by a decorative ledge.  
   
   
       13 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 12 , wherein the decorative ledge retains the decorative panels at a top end thereof along the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       14 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the decorative panels is shaped so as to mimic a series of horizontal wood boards.  
   
   
       15 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the decorative panels is shaped so as to mimic a series of vertical wood boards.  
   
   
       16 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the decorative panels is shaped so as to mimic a single wood board.  
   
   
       17 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein the pool perimeter is round, and the decorative panels are at least in partial contact with the structural paneling so as define a second round perimeter in close relationship with the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       18 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein the pool perimeter is polygonal, and the decorative panels are at least in partial contact with the structural paneling so as to define a second polygonal pool perimeter in close relationship with the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       19 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein the decorative panels are installed so as to obtain a second perimeter having a different shape than the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       20 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein the decorative panels are made from extruded plastic.  
   
   
       21 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 1 , wherein the decorative panels are made from thermoformed plastic.  
   
   
       22 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 9 , wherein each decorative vertical post is shaped so as to mimic at least one wood board.  
   
   
       23 . The above-ground swimming pool according to  claim 12 , wherein the decorative ledge is shaped so as to mimic a plurality of wood boards.  
   
   
       24 . A decorating kit for an existing above-ground swimming pool, the swimming pool including structural paneling, a plurality of structural vertical posts and a top structural ledge, the kit comprising: 
 a plurality of decorative vertical posts designed to be attached over the structural vertical posts so as to substantially hide the structural vertical posts from view;    a plurality of decorative panels designed to be retained by adjacent decorative vertical posts so as to substantially hide the structural paneling from view; and    a decorative ledge designed to be attached to the decorative vertical posts so as to substantially hide the top structural ledge from view.    
   
   
       25 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein the decorative ledge retains the decorative panels at a top end thereof.  
   
   
       26 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein each decorative panel is composed of a plurality of smaller panels connected to one another.  
   
   
       27 . The kit according to  claim 26 , wherein each of the smaller panels is shaped so as to mimic a single wood board.  
   
   
       28 . The kit according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of smaller panels are connected to one another side by side.  
   
   
       29 . The kit according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of smaller panels are connected to one another one on top of the other.  
   
   
       30 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein each of the decorative panels is shaped so as to mimic a series of horizontal wood boards.  
   
   
       31 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein each of the decorative panels is shaped so as to mimic a series of vertical wood boards.  
   
   
       32 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein the structural paneling defines a pool perimeter, and the decorative panels are at least in partial contact with the structural paneling so as to define a second pool perimeter in close relationship to the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       33 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein the structural paneling defines a pool perimeter, and the decorative panels are installed so as to obtain a second perimeter having a different shape than the pool perimeter.  
   
   
       34 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein the decorative panels are made from extruded plastic.  
   
   
       35 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein the decorative panels are made from thermoformed plastic.  
   
   
       36 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein each decorative vertical post is shaped so as to mimic at least one wood board.  
   
   
       37 . The kit according to  claim 24 , wherein the decorative ledge is shaped so as to mimic a plurality of wood boards.  
   
   
       38 . A method for assembling an above-ground swimming pool comprising the steps of: 
 installing a plurality of structural vertical posts in a regularly spaced-apart manner along a desired pool perimeter;    installing structural paneling along the desired pool perimeter so that the structural paneling is retained by the vertical posts;    installing a structural ledge defining the desired pool perimeter on top of the vertical posts, the structural ledge retaining the structural paneling along a top end thereof; and    installing a plurality of decorative panels over the structural paneling so that the structural paneling is substantially hidden from view.    
   
   
       39 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of decorative panels are installed so as to be retained by the structural vertical posts.  
   
   
       40 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein the installation of the decorative panels includes for at least one of the plurality of decorative panels a step of installing a first decorative vertical post over a first of the plurality of structural vertical posts, connecting an edge of the decorative panel to the first decorative vertical post, connecting an opposed edge of the decorative panel to a second decorative vertical post, and installing the second decorative vertical post over a second of the plurality of structural vertical post.  
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 38 , further comprising a step of installing a decorative ledge over the structural ledge so as to hide the structural ledge from view.  
   
   
       42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the decorative ledge is installed so as to retain the decorative panels along a top end thereof.  
   
   
       43 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein a step of installing a base member along the pool perimeter is performed, and the structural paneling is installed so as to be retained also by the base member.  
   
   
       44 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the decorative panels are installed so as to be retained by the base member.  
   
   
       45 . An above-ground swimming pool comprising a skeleton structure adapted to hold a body of water, and a decorative panel assembly applied to the pool outwardly of the skeleton structure.