Keep Unsightly Pool Pumps Hidden With An Accessible Fence

Whether you already own a pool — or you're checking out amazing pool designs before having one installed — they all have one thing in common: unsightly pumps, filters, and pipework. Even when the equipment is some distance from the pool, it can still spoil the aesthetic of your home. Fortunately, it's not difficult to DIY a fence that conceals the pump while still keeping it accessible for pool cleaning and maintenance. And with a little ingenuity, the fence can be matched to other aspects of your yard decor.

A tutorial from YouTuber Vibrant Deals is a great introduction to this kind of project. It follows straightforward principles for building any wooden fence. Set 4x4s into concrete for the corner posts, and then add horizontal 2x4s near the bottom, top, and middle of the fence pickets to provide support. Metal hanger brackets can be used where the 2x4s meet the house wall. A space in the middle of the longest side is the perfect spot for a matching wooden gate, providing easy access to the pool pump when required. 

The whole thing is held together with wood screws, so all the materials, including the gate hardware, should be available from your local hardware or big box store. The only tools needed are a saw and a drill driver (or a hammer drill if the fence is attached to a masonry wall). The result looks good, hides the pool pump without restricting access, and, if simple wood fence maintenance tips are followed, should be very durable.

There are plenty of ways to customize this project. You can opt to leave the plain fence pickets if you want to match them to a nearby garden fence. Alternatively, you can spice things up by choosing to stain or paint the boards any color you like. If building this project seems too involved, a very simple alternative is to erect a single length of fence as a screen rather than enclosing the whole pool pump system. At the other end of the scale, and depending on where the pool pump is situated, it would be relatively easy to extend the idea into a full-on DIY storage shed. While that might sound like a much bigger project, pretty much the same tools and materials can be used throughout.

Of course, there are plenty of alternatives to picket fence boards. For instance, live edge planks could run horizontally. If you currently have a vinyl fence, additional panels can probably be modified to suit it. Consider nailing bamboo or willow to the 2x4 supports if that matches your yard style better. Both are available in easy-to-use screening or rolls of varying heights. You could also turn the fence into a living wall by choosing some attractive, easy-to-grow climbing plants that won't take over the place. The basic idea is an easy DIY, even for those with limited experience and a modest tool kit. Whether it's simply a discrete way to hide an unsightly pool pump or a new garden feature is up to you.