12" water depth tanning ledge

[essnce629]

We just started our build last week (excavation) and our builder was still giving us trouble with the 12" water depth tanning ledge that I want. He was saying normal depth for a tanning ledge is 6" water depth (1st step) or 18" water depth (2nd step). 6" is way to shallow for me and 18" is too deep. I want the water waist high when sitting. He says the step down from the coping into a 12" water depth ledge is too much. I said I'm fine with adding a small step (I guess 6" high) into the ledge in both corners. I never considered it without the additional step in. He said the step will barely be covered with water which I'm fine with and doesn't seem like a problem. Also, this step will not be the same height as the other steps into the pool. Is that an issue?

Does anyone else have a 12" water depth tanning ledge and if so, do you have an additional step into it and how big is the step? Are you happy with the water depth on the ledge?

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[slpybeartx]

We have a 12" Water depth tanning ledge. We have no additional step into. We are VERY happy with the water depth on the ledge. The ledge is on the right side of the pool in the picture. Two bubblers, with an umbrella hole in middle.

We don't like 6" ledge water because it is dirty in the pools we have visited. We loved the 12" ledges in pools we visited, so that's what we went with.

Here is a picture right after filling while we were still in clean up phase...

 

[dlambe5]

If you are insisting on a 12" tanning ledge just put the steps in the corner like the builder suggested. I have a 9" tanning ledge with no steps and It is quite a step. Not bad for me but older people and young kids sometimes have a little trouble.

Also, I think it depends if it is your only entrance into the pool. Above they have a separate entrance. I enter our pool via the tanning ledge.

 

[gwegan]

You are going to want that additional step. A step six inches below water works out like this: Your coping or deck is two inches (maybe 3) (ok it could be less). Then three inches of tile to the water line. Then six inches of water to the step. That makes the first step 11 inches from the deck.

 

[Esloser]

Ours is also 12" and we didn't have a problem. I actually asked the builder to put a step in one of the corners and he either forgot or ignored me. However, we haven't had any issues with the 12" water depth. I'm trying to find a representative picture, but these are the best I have.

 

[gwegan]

The picture above in Esloser's post does a good job of illustrating the issue.

The pool entry steps on the left are set so that there is not a large step to the first step. His Tanning Ledge on the right has no step -- its a foot or more (looks like more to me). That may be fine for some folks but for older folks with bad backs or knees it could be problematic.

Its your pool you get to decide.

 

[ShantellyLace]

Our ledge is 10 inches of actual water then 3 inches of tile then a little more than 2 inches of coping so that makes it a little more than a 15" step. I tested it out and stepping up and down, it was just too much esp with my back. So we had a small step added and it is perfect. I didn't measure the step but it is about 4-6" tall.

 

[Killer95Stang]

You can see the stop in this picture.

 

[hotrodbones]

Mine is just under 12.5" at the water line and we love the depth. My 20month old loves to run round on the shelf and can still sit with her head above water. I love the depth to sit and lounge while leaning against the coping. When our Adirondack chairs are on the shelf we are sitting in about 2" of water. This depth also allows plenty of room for wall jets to help clear off the shelf.

 

[essnce629]

Re: 12" water depth tanning ledge

Thanks everyone! We'll definitely be keeping the water depth 12" on the shelf and will have steps in both corners.

And yes, it will be the only entrance into the pool.

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[Dori123]

Re: 12" water depth tanning ledge

Thanks everyone! We'll definitely be keeping the water depth 12" on the shelf and will have steps in both corners.

And yes, it will be the only entrance into the pool.

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Just wondering if you are happy with this decision or not. We are designing ours right now and are leaning toward 12" of water.

 

[JC707]

We are designing our pool now and our builder mentioned something about a 18" baja shelf. I didn't pay attention at the time, until reading more about it and am admittedly so confused. What we do know is we want baja shelf water height to be covering our legs when sitting down if that makes sense? Actually when our 3/6/7 year olds are sitting down to be comfortable with water waist high for them.

If I am thinking about this correctly...18" shelf means 3 inches of tile to the water line, then the first step then after that is the baja shelf? So 18"-3" equals 15" of water heighth if we are sitting down? I had my 3 year old sit down and I broke out the tape measure....and the water would be covering her just about completely. Is this the correct calculation? Heres a sample of what builder sent us. Thanks!

 

[Dori123]

Ours is going to be 18" of water, then 6" above that to the "ground" level (I think it's 3" of water line tile and 3" of coping, etc.). We live in the mountains and have a breezes every morning / evening. We anticipate wanting to sit in water up to our shoulders / necks to keep out of the breeze.

 

[chiefwej]

With a 8 inch step height, the second step would be 16” below the deck surface. Allowing 3” from top of deck to waterline, that leaves you with 13” of water over your tanning deck. Mine is a 9” step, so we have aprox 15-16”, and we are very happy with the depth. A standard pool lounger puts seat right at the water level.

 

[steve_NY]

we are under construction, and tanning ledge is 18.5 inches from top of pool.
Pool builder said water will be around 6 inches from top of pool, making tanning ledge around 12.5 inches of water.
(I just found this thread after measuring the steps and then checking here!)

I just posted pics in a different thread, which I will link here.

New Build in New York underway - Started in Dec 2020

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