Canopy/Gazebo (also Known As a EZ-UP) Float for the Pool or Lake for Cheap

Here's how to make floats so that you can use your E-Z Up to keep you cool in the pool (or lake)

We live in Arizona and we love to get in the pool to cool off. However, when it’s 110 outside sitting in the pool with the sun beating down on you is now always the paradise we’d hoped it be. My wife asked for an offset umbrella to get some shade but at $300+ I figured I could solve the shade problem for a lot less.

So I thought what about using our shade canopy in the pool but since the bottom has a weird slant I couldn’t just set the legs on the floor of the pool.

I had seen these floats Water Shade Canopy Float Kit that looked pretty cool but still over $100.

So I came up with this:

• 6 ft of 1" PVC Schedule 80 pipe.
• 4 -1" Tees
• 4 - 1" 90 degree elbows
• 1 - 1" Cross
• 4 - 3" drain cap
• 1 - PVC Pipe Cutter (optional) You will need to make many cuts on the PVC pipe so using a
  

  HDX Ratcheting PVC Cutter makes the job a lot easier. Or you can use a hacksaw.

• 1 - Ice cold beverage (optional)

You can get most of these parts at your local hardware store but if you would like to get fancy you can order Furniture Grade PVC in different colors like red, yellow, purple, clear, etc. on Amazon as shown in the images.

• Now you want to cut your PVC pipe in 6" pieces.
• You will need 12 - 6" pieces for each float.
• Like I said before the ratcheting cutter will make this job a lot easier.

• Next cut your pool noodles in to 6" pieces.
• I used one of our good kitchen knives much to my wife's dismay.
• It will cut pretty easy

• Now you can assemble the pieces as shown in the pictures.
• I choose not to use glue and just pressed the pieces together. This is because I figure the noodles will probably start to disintegrate due to the chlorine and sun. So without gluing I can take the floats apart to replace them.
• I had little pieces of noodle left over so I put them in the center sections although you don't really need them.

• So I needed a place to set the feet of the shade in so I came up with using 3" drain caps.
• I zip tied them to the frame of the floats.
• Although this works OK I'm looking to come up with a better way to hold the floats to the shade.
• Also, it would be easier to put the shade on the float if there was some way to lock the feet in.
• If I come up with a batter design I'll post it in the comments.

• Here is the finished product at work.
• I use a Quik Shade Expedition EX100 10 x 10 Straight Leg Instant Canopy but you can use any high quality canopy.
• I don't know how a slant leg canopy would work so if you try one let me know.
• Also, the cool thing about the canopy I use is that we bought a Cabin Tent kit (see last picture) and use it for camping as well.