New build starting soon. Its happening. Last minute option thoughts?

[yankees177]

Hi all. Got a little more money than I had planned and want to add a little something different to my pool. Also the construction is likely delayed 2-4 weeks due to the 18" of snow I am getting.

Little info.

Upstate NY
14x32 (smaller yard, best size)
Vinyl on steel
6" radius rectangle
4x8" vinyl stairs (offset to one side on the smaller width side)
7' deep end
7' deep length x 11' length rise x 14' shallow length
Sun full pool from 10am-7pm

Its your typical pool. Didnt want to break the bank but my family has had pools for forever.
I was thinking about maybe adding something small to make it more enjoyable. Was thinking some sort or sunledge or cuddle cove or something that I could add for more enjoyment, something different.
Id like to not take away from the current usable area of my pool to do so.
My kids are 3 and 5 but obviously thinking long term here.

My inital thought was a 4x8 hybrid cuddle code/sunledge on the outside of rectangle of the ledge, maybe a foot deep water depth. My thought was that it could serve as a play area now and a place for lounge chairs later. Anyone else do this.

Love to hear your thoughts on your experiences and if you like what you did!

Thanks!

 

[Patrick_B]

I like the cove idea. Dual purpose and long term good use of space. IMO anyway.

 

[kimkats]

I second the cove idea! Best of both worlds short and long term!

Kim

 

[Sunnymosmile]

I love the cove but we couldn't afford it so we didn't have it quoted. The gentleman that is in charge of installation told me he would have tried to sell us away from a cove. He said that they are hard to keep clean, they take up too much real estate, and makes the liner more expensive when you have to replace it. I did get the vinyl over steps. He didn't seem as concerned with those although I know I need to be diligent with their cleaning as well.


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[twinkiesmommy2009]

I have a shelf that we all love and my kids are 7 (twins). I definitely vote for the cove or a simpler shelf. Any pictures of the options?


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[yankees177]

I have a shelf that we all love and my kids are 7 (twins). I definitely vote for the cove or a simpler shelf. Any pictures of the options?

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Sorry for the delay. This was my thought and is my current layout. Still waiting for a quote back but might want to make this 5x8 so I can fit two lounge chairs in facing the water edge. This would be one single concrete reinforced step 17" deep which will hold about a foot or less of water. I would put it in my deep end as thats the only good place for it.

 

[SuzfromTexas]

I really like your idea for the 5x8' shelf to include chairs. I don't have little ones around anymore, but I love sitting on the shelf with just my feet in the water - on a plastic Adirondack chair. My shelf's water is 6" deep which works well for me. If I get home after a busy day, and really don't have time to do a swim, I can sit in the chair with my street clothes and not get wet. It gives me my pool fix - sort of. Better than not getting in at all. Also, when my granddog comes to visit, he likes to lie down on the shelf if we're not in the pool with him. The 6" is perfect for him, although a little deeper would work, also. The shelf just gives you one more option to enjoy your pool. I'm all about options!!!

Suz

 

[yankees177]

I really like your idea for the 5x8' shelf to include chairs. I don't have little ones around anymore, but I love sitting on the shelf with just my feet in the water - on a plastic Adirondack chair. My shelf's water is 6" deep which works well for me. If I get home after a busy day, and really don't have time to do a swim, I can sit in the chair with my street clothes and not get wet. It gives me my pool fix - sort of. Better than not getting in at all. Also, when my granddog comes to visit, he likes to lie down on the shelf if we're not in the pool with him. The 6" is perfect for him, although a little deeper would work, also. The shelf just gives you one more option to enjoy your pool. I'm all about options!!!

Suz

I agree. The 11" can be more or less to suit my needs (just as long as its not below the skimmer. Im opting for deeper so there is a little more than just getting those feet wet. Hopefully the little ones can have another splash area when they are young and we can have a sitting area in water for when they dont care about that anymore. I know that being in the deep end you want to say but arent you worried about the kids falling into the deep end? My thought would be if they dont know how to swim it doesnt matter which end they fall into, they must be watched at all times!

- - - Updated - - -

I really like your idea for the 5x8' shelf to include chairs. I don't have little ones around anymore, but I love sitting on the shelf with just my feet in the water - on a plastic Adirondack chair. My shelf's water is 6" deep which works well for me. If I get home after a busy day, and really don't have time to do a swim, I can sit in the chair with my street clothes and not get wet. It gives me my pool fix - sort of. Better than not getting in at all. Also, when my granddog comes to visit, he likes to lie down on the shelf if we're not in the pool with him. The 6" is perfect for him, although a little deeper would work, also. The shelf just gives you one more option to enjoy your pool. I'm all about options!!!

Suz

my wife really wants this for adirondack chairs as well, does the water make it into the seat at 6"? Also do you have vinyl or fibergass or concrete? Picking the chairs out for a vinyl lined pool is difficult, dont want to cut into the liner.

 

[twinkiesmommy2009]

My shelf depth is 9" and it's nice for us. A foot of water will be a really nice depth. We might have gone slightly deeper except that we have bubblers.

I personally don't care for the shelf on the opposite side of the pool or in the deep end. I like it to be really close to the entrance because you'll use it to wade out more than you think you would if it's on the house side, or like Suz said, when you don't have time for a full swim.


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[SuzfromTexas]

I agree. The 11" can be more or less to suit my needs (just as long as its not below the skimmer. Im opting for deeper so there is a little more than just getting those feet wet. Hopefully the little ones can have another splash area when they are young and we can have a sitting area in water for when they dont care about that anymore. I know that being in the deep end you want to say but arent you worried about the kids falling into the deep end? My thought would be if they dont know how to swim it doesnt matter which end they fall into, they must be watched at all times!

- - - Updated - - -

my wife really wants this for adirondack chairs as well, does the water make it into the seat at 6"? Also do you have vinyl or fibergass or concrete? Picking the chairs out for a vinyl lined pool is difficult, dont want to cut into the liner.

I'm pretty sure if I were much younger, I would have liked the 11-13" water depth for the shelf. Ahhhhhh, just go sleep with that water lapping up on me on a comfy lounger. But now, the 6" works for this old lady and her arthritic joints.

Funny, I almost said something about the sun shelf being in the deep end, but not what you guessed. I feel the same as you. A friend came over and said how dangerous our shelf was for babies and toddlers who can't swim (my shelf falls off into the shallow end - 4' depth). I'm usually not so frank, but I explained that no child (or person shorter than the shallow end) should EVER be near any water without an adult swimmer. (45 yrs ago, I was a lifeguard in the summers when not teaching). To me, it doesn't matter if the adjacent water to the shelf is 6" or 6'. Granted, if a baby fell in, i'd be more comfortable, now, grabbing a child out of 4' water, but even at my age, I could rescue in 7 ft. (I'm actually better swimming, and quicker and more spry than when on dry land! hehe) Our shelf is closer to the back door which I do find convenient. But if putting it in the back at the deep end had been my only option, I would have done it. Our pool isn't so big that it's much more of a walk to the back, and I've never had problems to find work-arounds to keep my beverages handy!!!!

I have the plaster (PebbleTec) pool finish. I bought our plastic Adirondack chairs the summer of 2015 from Lowe's and Target for $18-20. The 6" water level does not make it to the seat. I just went out and measured - the lowest part of my chairs where the first open slat is is 11". With a little movement of water that would probably get my street clothes a little wet. Measure the chairs your wife is looking for to make sure you get what you would enjoy most - barely wet, medium wet, or good'n wet. My plastic chairs work fine on the pebble finish and especially good since I have a salt system. I've never been in a vinyl pool, so I can't say how durable the liner is. I'd probably figure out some sort of small sled-type thing for the chair's feet to give added protection. Walkers (which I'm too familiar with) have those short plastic sled-things to go on the bottom of the walker to make scooting around easier. That might work. The clever people on TFP will have more ideas. And..... the vinyl pool owners can tell you what they have used for chairs on a sun shelf.

Suz

 

[twinkiesmommy2009]

I agree with Suz and you Yankee on the deep end as far as a drowning concern. The entire pool, shelf included is a drowning hazard so that wouldn't impact my decision. The distance to the house and ease and convenience to access would though. Also, I'm OCD so I like our depths in order. Ha! Our deep end (5' lol) is still close and on the side of the house but our shelf gets used even more and we'll wade in it even in cooler weather just because it's right off of our porch.

We also have the plastic adirondack chairs but we have a plaster pool. Hopefully someone can answer you on vinyl.

Suz! I was looking for you but hadn't PM'd yet. I need landscaping and flower advice! I have a thread going. Please come find me! [emoji173]


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[SuzfromTexas]

Suz! I was looking for you but hadn't PM'd yet. I need landscaping and flower advice! I have a thread going. Please come find me! [emoji173]
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I will!!!! It may be tomorrow before I get back. I'm on my way out now to add some chlorine and CYA. I haven't turned the swg back on yet. Disclaimer..... if you saw my yard now, you wouldn't be asking me for any advice!!! Those 2 nights of below freezing temps we had (actually, that was about it for our winter, right?) did a number on many of my plants. With our recent mild winters, I haven't been careful planting winter hardy plants. It really took me by surprise! The fire ants aren't helping either.

Suz

 

[yankees177]

BTW I am super jealous you folks are using your pool right now. I am still not quite done with the snow up here

 

[Helen203]

Don't do it!! Just kidding, and too late. Enjoy the new pool!

 

[Veccster]

We considered the shelf but settled on bench seats instead. Was too worried about legs of chairs digging in. And thought the shallow flat area would fade really quickly - we have a deeper blue liner.
So we extended our corner steps to have 9' bench seats extending from the 3rd step.
We also added a bench seat in the deep end - will help with kids climbing out of the pool.

For fun 'extras', we opted for deck jets and possibly a waterfall box. I think the kids will love playing in the deck jets.

 

[yankees177]

Pool dig has started. Ended up going with a 5x8 sunledge 17" deep so 12"+/- of water in it.

Some pictures of day 1 and 2.

 

[yankees177]

Apparently I have reached my quota so day 2 doesnt have any good pics up yet. Ill throw them in an imgur link.

 

[kimkats]

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Kin