PVC pipe strength

[Fritz]

guess I'm back to treated wood again, or a pool cover.

[pdq]

I like your original idea of PVC. I’d use 1” (or less) and put some tees in the middle of the long sides, with one crossmember.

Lighter than treated wood, and unless you’re stepping on it, I wouldn’t expect cold brittleness to be a problem. If you want to be able to take it apart, you can still glue one leg at each corner for ease of assembly/disassembly.

[Fritz]

@pdq - pretty much what I was thinking, though I don't think I'd use less than 1". I'll have to do some more research on PVC cold stability.

[neophyte]

Do pool covers let sunlight through? Do Koi eat plants?

[Fritz]

The koi haven't eaten the water lettuce .... I don't think. Though the stuff propagates like mad, so who knows.

[Mike Johnson]

Oh, Sch40 PVC is fine. It'll last 5 or 10 years. A pvc pipe cutter is handy but not necessary -- if you use a hack saw just put a little more work into deburring the cut ends so they slide into the fittings. Just use a box knife to trim off the goobers.

No need for screws, the fittings will be a nice tight friction fit. Use PVC snap clamps to hold the screen to the frame. The whole thing will be quick to build, then disassembly/reassembly will just take a couple minutes.

[Speedy]

Thinwall conduit would work but more spendy.

[Fritz]

5 years good. 10 years I'll be retired on Tralfamadore.
So then 1.5 " should be fine.
Hope I can find snap clamps at Lowes.