How deep should my pool be?

[mbolo]

slide is 20 ft long 6ft tall 8 ft wide

Pool is 41.5 long 18.7 wide

Beach entrée is 8ft long 6 ft wide

How deep should my pool be?

Thanks

 

[crabboy]

Umm.. 7

Did I win?

Explain to me how the slide is 8' wide?

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

You probably need some minimum depth for your slide, but other than that, the correct answer is "however deep you want it!"
Do you want a diving pool? do you want to play volleyball? Is it primarily for short children? Think about what your typical usage will be, and go from there.

 

[pooladdict]

I am not sure where to check, but I do know there is a government web page with listings of how deep it should be for slide/diving board, and the proper dimensions on the up slope from the diving board. I think one would be wise to follow these if putting one of these in for insurance reasons.

 

[mbolo]

Umm.. 7

Did I win?

Explain to me how the slide is 8' wide?

lol

It's 8 feet wide because it includes a waterfall

 

[mbolo]

You probably need some minimum depth for your slide, but other than that, the correct answer is "however deep you want it!"
Do you want a diving pool? do you want to play volleyball? Is it primarily for short children? Think about what your typical usage will be, and go from there.

Hi there.. I was told that the part where the slide is has to be at least 4.5 feet.

I don't want a diving pool. we want to be able to play volleyball, basketball and I have small children (plan on having more).

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

so maybe 3.5 - 4.5 - 4.0? Or 3.5 - 5 - 4? Either would give the smaller ones place to stand, get you to code with your slide, and allow the taller folks to actually be in water over their knees!!

 

[mbolo]

so maybe 3.5 - 4.5 - 4.0? Or 3.5 - 5 - 4? Either would give the smaller ones place to stand, get you to code with your slide, and allow the taller folks to actually be in water over their knees!!

I was just thinking of having that end be the deep end and going to 6-7 feet? that should be okay, right?

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

well, if playing volley- or b-ball is a main consideration, 6-7 is too deep for most people to stand in! That was why I suggested the 'sport type' dimensions.

6-7 feet would be good if you have underwater swimmers, or kids who like to fetch rings and stuff from the bottom.

Slide is on the end opposite the beach entry? you lose 8' for the entry, plus steps, so the pool area would be less than 30 feet. If you go to 7', that does not leave a lot of shallow area for playing games...

ETA I was also assuming your slide was on a side, not on the end.

 

[mbolo]

well, if playing volley- or b-ball is a main consideration, 6-7 is too deep for most people to stand in! That was why I suggested the 'sport type' dimensions.

6-7 feet would be good if you have underwater swimmers, or kids who like to fetch rings and stuff from the bottom.

Slide is on the end opposite the beach entry? you lose 8' for the entry, plus steps, so the pool area would be less than 30 feet. If you go to 7', that does not leave a lot of shallow area for playing games...

ETA I was also assuming your slide was on a side, not on the end.

That's what I told my husband too, but I'd really like the pool to be deeper than 4-5 feet. The slide is on the deep end of the pool; opposite the beach entry.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

Personally, I would prefer a pool with a smallish deeper (6-7') end as opposed to the playpool or sport pool dimensions (shallow but slightly deeper in the middle.)

But everyone is different, and each family will use the pool in a different way. I know we probably won't play volleyball, so we don't need a sport pool. I like to swim laps so it needs to be minimum ~32'. We probably want a slide for dd, so that will dictate some depth and horizontal dimension.

Is this your first pool? Do you KNOW you will play sports? I certainly don't want to convince you you need a certain depth pool when your family might want something different than mine. I am just trying to help you think things through! Call me devil's advocate!

 

[mbolo]

Personally, I would prefer a pool with a smallish deeper (6-7') end as opposed to the playpool or sport pool dimensions (shallow but slightly deeper in the middle.)

But everyone is different, and each family will use the pool in a different way. I know we probably won't play volleyball, so we don't need a sport pool. I like to swim laps so it needs to be minimum ~32'. We probably want a slide for dd, so that will dictate some depth and horizontal dimension.

Is this your first pool? Do you KNOW you will play sports? I certainly don't want to convince you you need a certain depth pool when your family might want something different than mine. I am just trying to help you think things through! Call me devil's advocate!

You are funny.lol. we are a family that is VERY into sports. My husband has played soccer, baseball, lacrosse (4 time All American), and football...but no laps for either of us.. not really our thing..

Yes, this is our first pool =o)

 

[crabboy]

I heard the requirements for slides are like 3 1/2 or 4'. I went with a deep pool <8' just so you can dive in and not hit the bottom. I was told anything over 8' and I've have to follow some slop guidelines for a diving board, and I don't have one. I think I'll get more use out of a deeper pool than a sports type pool, as a kid I recall being in the deep end a whole lot more.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

I heard the requirements for slides are like 3 1/2 or 4'.

I think that might vary according to location... I talked to 2 IG builders in SE Louisiana (back when we actually had money ) and the requirements for a 6' high slide were 5' of depth and 15' of horizontal distance

 

[gonefishin]

Hi mbolo,

welcome to the forum


I've seen some slides advertised that they only need 42" of water depth, but I wouldn't assume that all slides are the same. I would identify the manufacturer and either look on-line for their installation instruction or call/e-mail them directly.

let us know what you find out.

congrats on the new pool
dan

 

[crabboy]

Yes, it does vary by local codes and by manufacturer. I think it mostly depends on the slope of the slide and the angle at which the slider is dumped in the water. The manufacturers below have slides with a somewhat mild entry angle, even for the long slides, so they only require 3-4 feet.