Rigid-wall pool
Also called: steel-wall pool, resin-wall pool, permanent above-ground pool.
A rigid-wall pool is a permanent above-ground pool with a steel or resin wall, and it is a real installation: base, wall, coving and liner. Rounds run 12 to 33 feet in 3-foot increments, and most are now offered with 52- or 54-inch walls.
Why it matters
You are sold the wall and you swim in the water, and the industry does not agree on the gap, so ask the seller for the water depth at the skimmer midpoint for the specific model. Manufacturers generally work to level within about an inch across the full diameter, so ground prep dominates the install. Resin is rust-proof and suits saltwater; steel is the stronger choice for a buried install, though that is contested. In freeze country the wall stays up and is winterised under a scrim cover on a cable and winch. Build any deck freestanding: Wilbar's warranty forbids attaching decking to the pool.
In numbers
What a 52-inch wall actually holds: Royal Swimming Pools says about 44 in., The Pool Factory a normal 44–47 in., CND Installers 46–48 in., and Pool Warehouse puts the waterline 4–6 in. below the top of the panel.