With summer just around the corner, you’ve probably started to dream about the parties you plan to host at your home. But before you schedule barbecues with your family and friends, it’s important to think about whether or not your property is ready.
It’s no secret that pool-side soirées are a quintessential Australian past-time, but to host such an event safely you need to make sure your pool barrier meets your local council’s pool fencing regulations. Thankfully, this is a relatively easy task when you work with DIY fence extensions.
Why might I need DIY fence extensions for my pool area?
According to Shine Lawyers, pool safety laws in Australia differ from state to state, but are often imposed for the same commonsensical reasons. As a guide, according to the City of Adelaide, swimming or spa pools must have a continuous fencing barrier maintained by the pool owner that restricts access by young children to the pool.
In an article on maintenance and safety tips for home swimming pools and spas, the City of Adelaide states that fencing must be constructed in such a way to make sure that:
- the fence is an effective barrier to young children
- it is permanent
- young children can’t crawl under or climb over it by using foot and hand holds
- it is at least 1.8 metres high
- any boundary fences used as part of the child-safety barrier are at least 1.8 metres high on the side that faces the pool, with a 900 millimetres non-climbable zone at the top inside of the fence, a boundary barrier may be climbable on the neighbour’s side.
How can I make sure my pool fence is a safe and effective barrier?
According to swimming pool fencing and safety regulations outlined by Brisbane City Council, maintaining pool fences and safety barriers is essential to reduce the number of young children drowning and serious immersion injuries in pools.
We know it’s a lot to consider, but if your pool doesn’t meet your local council regulations, there’s no need to build a whole new fence. Many homeowners use DIY fence extensions to meet pool safety regulation standards, in style.
What’s the easiest way to install pool fence extensions?
Sure, pool owners must meet all pool fencing regulations at all times, but it need not be tricky. Once you’ve familiarised yourself with your local council regulations, DIY fence extensions can help you to increase the height of your pool barrier yourself in a cost-effective manner, meaning less time outsourcing work and more time whiling away the hours by your safely-enclosed swimming pool with loved ones.
How do I choose the most suitable pool fence extension kit?
If you’ve looked into extending the height of your pool fence in the past, it’s likely you’ve had to wade through an array of industry terminology. Given all the jargon out there, it’s easy to become confused and for questions to arise. Queries we frequently receive from customers include: are COLORBOND® fence toppers the same as COLORBOND® extensions? What kind of metal fence extensions do I need? And, are COLORBOND® fence height extensions the right thing to use for COLORBOND® steel boundaries? It’s enough to make even our heads spin, and we’re in the industry. So, let us help you break it down.
The most important thing to know about choosing your pool fence extension kit
Simply put, there are two main kinds of DIY kits. There’s your traditional standard fence extension kit, and what is called a universal fence extension kit. The former option allows you to enhance the privacy of your outdoor space, which is great. But if you’re intention is to meet pool regulation standards, we recommend opting for the standard kit style and selecting ‘privacy or polkadot’ as your panel type.
So, what is a standard fence extension kit?
A standard fence extension kit is a great DIY, cost-effective solution that will help you to meet your local council pool fencing regulations by extending existing fences made from the ever-popular (and always reliable) COLORBOND® steel.
Whether you need metal fence extensions to increase the height of your pool boundary or are looking for other designs, such as lattice fence extensions, a standard fence extension kit could be the perfect solution.
With this kind of kit, you can easily transform your Stratco Good Neighbour Fencing—the good old-fashioned COLORBOND® fences featured in so many Australian homes—into a boundary that meets your local council pool fence
We know what you’re thinking—COLORBOND® steel fencing comes in a big range of different designs. To which we say: don’t worry, the standard fence extension kit will still have you covered (and extended). This is because all types of COLORBOND® steel fence sheeting, including lattice look and slat designs, can be heightened with the components included in a kit of this kind.
It’s no secret that pool fencing made from COLORBOND® steel is durable, good looking and easy to maintain. And with a standard fence extension kit, your COLORBOND® steel fencing is also easy to extend—no matter its colour—DIY style.
Can I also install fence extensions for privacy reasons?
Absolutely, fence extensions can be installed for all kinds of different reasons, not just to help you meet pool fencing safety regulations. Many homeowners choose to install fence extensions purely for privacy reasons, either around the boundaries of their pools or around the perimeters of their entire properties.
What’s included in a fence extension kit?
If you purchase your kit from Screenline, your fence extension kit will include:
- Durable steel panels in your panel type* of choice
- Top rails and side posts
- All required fittings
- Extension pieces
- Tek screws with colour matched heads.
*Available panel types are lattice, privacy, or slat. For pool fence extensions, we recommend using privacy panels.
What if I need extra components for my pool fence extension project?
If you find yourself in need of extra components for your fence extension project, you can order additional brackets and fittings, infill panels, posts, and rails via our fence extension components product page.
I’m ready to extend my pool fence, where do I start?
We distribute our fence extension kits nationwide. Simply browse our range of fence extension kits and place your order online. Still not sure what you need? That’s what we’re here for. We’ve been answering questions on all things fencing for decades, and no question (or project) is too big or small. Simply get in touch and we’ll help you make the most suitable choice for your pool fence, so that you can swim in safety all summer long.
