What do you get when you cross an above ground pool with an in ground pool?  An inexpensive, attractive, and super fun way to spend the summer months (and beyond). I just learned how much it costs to have an in ground pool installed in the back yard. Yikes! I don’t know about you, but I don’t have tens of thousands of dollars to spare on a luxury item like a backyard in ground swimming pool. But I do think I could swing the cost of an above ground pool, which is a fraction of the cost.

Traditionally not the most attractive piece of backyard decor, the above ground swimming pool has come a long way in terms of looks. For example, oval shaped above ground pools can now be installed without the use of buttresses, which are unattractive and take up a good deal of yard space. Additionally, the walls of above ground pools are specially coated — not only to resist corrosion, scratching, and UV rays — but to offer the consumer a variety of attractive colors and designs. When you add features like pool decks and creative landscaping, today’s backyard above ground pool feels like a luxury get away.

So, where does the underground element come into play when we talk about above ground pools? If decorative walls, pool decks, and beautiful landscaping still don’t make the addition of an above ground pool in your backyard an attractive option, then why not install the above ground pool into the ground like you would an in ground pool? Impossible? No. The superior construction and corrosion resistance of some above ground pools allow them to be installed as semi-in ground and even mostly in ground pools. By installing an above ground pool underground, so to speak, you can have the look of an in ground pool without the cost of an in ground pool. Beauty and affordability together!