Shade

[amanmca]

I'm looking for a Shade solution for my pool. The pool size is 9m x 4m .

What's the best solution out of the following?

1. Shade Sail
2. Retractable Sail
3. Permanent Outdoor Umbrella - liked a few umbrellas here - Cantilever and Sidepost Umbrellas | Perfect for Pools, Courtyards and Spas | Shade Australia
4. Custom Pool Shade Structures
5. or Separate patio shades

 

[Newdude]

Hey amanmca and Welcome !!!!

How 'bout some pics to get the creative juices flowing ? We gotta see what you're working with to have a chance of helping pick something you'd like.

 

[amanmca]

Hey amanmca and Welcome !!!!

How 'bout some pics to get the creative juices flowing ? We gotta see what you're working with to have a chance of helping pick something you'd like.

Sure, Will upload some tomorrow. Thanks for asking.

 

[jark87]

As we await pics, my experience with shade sails wasn’t very good. My pool has sun exposure all day long, even though it is surrounded by mature trees. My goal was to use shade to keep pool temp from rising in the 90s. I tested shade sails, using 2 large triangular sails that overlapped in the center. For testing, I just secured them to the trees, as I just wanted to see how much shade they would provide. I probably had them around 8-10’ above the water.

I was surprised to discover that due to the angle of the sun, they added very little shade to the pool, even when the sun was directly overhead. There was always a fairly large section of the pool in the sun. As a means to lower water temp, it was a failure. Of course, a professional installation would probably have been better, but I wasn’t willing to make that investment after the test. I’ll also add that my wife hated them. I ended up with a Glacier chiller which has worked wonderfully.

If you’re trying to provide shade on your decking/patio area, that’s an entirely different discussion and a situation where shade sails are probably better suited.

Good luck!

 

[Toxophilite]

I find that the large, moveable, umbrellas work best. The sun moves, and so does the shade. When my pool water reaches the 90-degree state, shade doesn't lower the water temp, but, it makes the ambient so much nicer that your swim feels much cooler. In the end, though, everything is more governed by your layout and the wind you have deal with. Umbrellas and wind can be a pain to deal with.

 

[Mdragger88]

I have an above ground pool with a deck so I am limited to umbrellas for shade but I was fearful of unsecured umbrellas ending up in my pool/damaging my liner etc. so my solution was to secure them to the deck rails. Their intention is not really to help keep the pool cool but to provide swimmers & loungers a respite from the sun which they seem to accomplish well. One of them also provides some shade for my equipment.
Since I installed this pool & it didn’t come with the house, I was able to strategically place my pool in the area I did for several reasons -
1: take advantage of the afternoon shade of my house so that the pool is completely in the shade by 4:00 give or take during swim season (this allows for afternoon/after school swims without sunscreen) I am very fair so I know If I go out at 2 or 2:30 I won’t get fried before the shade comes. If I go out sooner I spend the majority of my time under an umbrella.
2: take advantage of the unusable hill in my yard
3: allow for a good view of the entire pool from my kitchen, living room & patio.