Things You'll Need:
- Wooden or metal shed kit
- (Optional) Trellis or arch
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Step 1
Change the landscaping if you wish to hide the pump. If you wish to cover the pump with a shed, proceed to Step 2. For simply hiding your pump, bushes, shrubs or a vine-covered trellis will suffice. Plant dense bushes, such as red-tipped photinia, boxwood or hawthorn, that retain leaves year-round. Avoid flowering bushes (althea bushes, crepe myrtles and roses) because they can drop blooms in the pump mechanism. Note that bushes might make it difficult to reach the pump for repairs. An alternative is to place a trellis wall in front of the pump or use a short trellis arch over the pump. Then plant and train creeping vines (consider English Ivy) over the trellis.
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Step 2
Decide whether you want a wood or metal shed. A wooden shed is considered the more aesthetically pleasing choice, which could affect your home's value. Both metal and wood will weather. Metal can rust and wood can rot. Metal sheds trap more heat, but generally require less maintenance. Wood will require painting, and untreated wood can splinter.
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Step 3
Decide on your shed's size. Some are not much larger than a big dog house; others large enough to house a car. Consider a size that fits into and complements the existing landscaping. One advantage of a walk-in shed is easier access to the pump should it require repair. A larger shed also can store your pool supplies, but a smaller shed is less disruptive to the scenery.
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Step 4
Clear out any landscaping that will be in the way of your shed. Unless you have a shed with particularly attractive doors, orient the shed so the doors are not on the most visible side. But they should be easily accessible. If you opted for a metal shed, skip to the last step.
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Step 5
Paint the wooden shed. You could add a mural to the side of the shed, something that might conjure visions of a Grecian holiday, or perhaps a view of sweeping mountains. Or paint something modern and abstract to go with your patio furnishings. You might consider using vivid colors (say to match the roses) if your backyard is more of a garden with a predominant color scheme.
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Step 6
Add landscaping to make the area more attractive. Since your pump will be enclosed, you could use flowering plants such as rose bushes, hibiscus, azaleas or lantana to distract the eye. Also consider accentuating the shed with ornamental shrubs, which remain evergreen and can be trimmed into topiary shapes. Consider juniperus, tuja, eranthemum and aralia. You also can cover the side of your shed with a trellis and grow climbing vines such as morning glories, honeysuckle, starry wild jasmine, grape ivy, climbing hydrangea or trumpet vine.
