Accessories and must-haves?

[LisaNY]

Hi! First time pool owner here.
We used our pool for the first time today and as we did I started thinking about accessories, etc...that would be nice to have.
What is a must? What is unnecessary?
Share your set ups!
Any input would be appreciated
We have a deck up at the house that leads to pool patio. The deck has a patio table/ chairs and offset umbrella.
The pool deck has a smaller patio set.
We already have a deck box for pool toys etc.
Also, a pool house with electrical/ storage.
Lounge chairs? How many?
Towel rack type thing? It just use the fence?
End tables?
Some sort of storage cabinet for sunscreen, cups, etc.
Outdoor garbage?
Fridge?
I just ordered waterproof speakers.

 

[ajw22]

You are in NY. The more you get around the pool the more you will have to store over the winter. Those who can have 12 month pools can setup full time outdoor living. Consider where everything will go when the snow starts falling. Sometimes less is more.

 

[LisaNY]

You are in NY. The more you get around the pool the more you will have to store over the winter. Those who can have 12 month pools can setup full time outdoor living. Consider where everything will go when the snow starts falling. Sometimes less is more.

Thanks! I just want to make sure we have what we need while we are enjoying the pool.
We have a lot of room for storage.

But I don’t want anything unnecessary...

 

[Newdude]

I appreciate your inquiry but it’s really all subjective. Some people want gas fire pits next to their pools, Other people prefer to be in their pool and to heck with anything else.

I actually built an easy peasy clothesline for the towels. One short and one long 4x4 notched to make Ts and 4 clothesline ropes through the holes I drilled in the top T part. I stained them dark walnut and for a clothesline it looks pretty nice, but when the towels are on it, it looks like I did laundry. If I throw all the towels on the fence like you said, it looks like we had a great day at the pool. So I still use the fence 9/10 times.

 

[LisaNY]

I appreciate your inquiry but it’s really all subjective. Some people want gas fire pits next to their pools, Other people prefer to be in their pool and to heck with anything else.

I actually built an easy peasy clothesline for the towels. One short and one long 4x4 notched to make Ts and 4 clothesline ropes through the holes I drilled in the top T part. I stained them dark walnut and for a clothesline it looks pretty nice, but when the towels are on it, it looks like I did laundry. If I throw all the towels on the fence like you said, it looks like we had a great day at the pool. So I still use the fence 9/10 times.

Ha! I was just looking at towel holders on Amazon.

 

[lazygirl1978]

I have also been selective in our accessories choices. I still haven't bought new patio furniture, and it's been well over a year! (We had stuff that works fine, but I'd like some chaise loungers....just can't figure out how many.) I think a place to sit and relax is nice (we have an outdoor sectional sofa), and a place to eat (we have a small round table and four chairs; I'd like something bigger; sounds like you're set?).

Most important is SHADE. Do you have good shade---do you have enough umbrellas? I also appreciate all the hooks we have around, too --- a dozen in the changing area by the outdoor shower, and then a few more here and there (especially by the house door).

I really want an outdoor trashcan, I've decided, but need to find one.

I keep our stash of sunscreen/bugspray in a small plastic container in a covered area. It just sits on a little table between two chairs.

We hang up towels on the hooks, mostly, but I haven't found a solution for where to keep the clean towels. I'd consider some sort of towel tree if you don't have wall space for hooks.

 

[bmoreswim]

We hang our towels the fence by the pool or railing on the house deck if wet. Dry towels and tons of other stuff goes in a shed by the pool. I built a lean-to on the side of the shed for a mini-fridge. Works great even on 100 degree days. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MVVI1Q6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 Great for the price. Stored inside for the winter.

And yes, the winter storage of stuff needs to be considered. Our furniture used to go in our lawn shed but it's just too much work. So I take the tile table top sections out and leave the rest in place. The chaise lounges with sling material are on their last season. They get full sun all summer and this is year 8. They were not made with Sunbrella fabric, so I'm pleased with that lifespan. We have 6 lounge chairs and 6 regular chairs. 4 sit by the table and two sit with ottomans. Then supplement with green stackable chairs for parties. Rarely do 6 lounges get used but our deck design sort of requires them or it looks odd. No big deal. The surge capacity is nice.

 

[lager1829]

Over several years we bought poly furniture - tables, chaises, adirondack chairs, etc. Leave them out year round. Look up Lancaster Poly Patios to see the variety of options. (not a plug for the guy just a thorough list)

Umbrellas we have no shade.

Dock box for the "tools" and safety cover storage.

Fence is the towel rack.

 

[lazygirl1978]

The chaise lounges with sling material are on their last season. They get full sun all summer and this is year 8. They were not made with Sunbrella fabric, so I'm pleased with that lifespan. We have 6 lounge chairs and 6 regular chairs. 4 sit by the table and two sit with ottomans. Then supplement with green stackable chairs for parties. Rarely do 6 lounges get used but our deck design sort of requires them or it looks odd. No big deal. The surge capacity is nice.

bmoreswim, what brand loungers do you have? Will you buy those again? 8 years is pretty great, and I think we might able to put them in storage for the winter (especially if they stack and aren't heavy). Thanks for this input...I'm struggling to figure out how many of these things we need.

 

[bmoreswim]

bmoreswim, what brand loungers do you have? Will you buy those again? 8 years is pretty great, and I think we might able to put them in storage for the winter (especially if they stack and aren't heavy). Thanks for this input...I'm struggling to figure out how many of these things we need.

I have Polywood up by the house, a good bit of it. Great stuff. Can't afford it by the pool also (college). They were just a Sears set. Ty Pennington branded it, quite good but not top shelf. I'm going with these for replacements next year.

https://www.acitydiscount.com/Grosf...Patio-Chaise-Lounge-Sandstone.0.54323.1.1.htm $800 - $900.

These are what I would get if going Polywood. $329 each x 6 = $1,974

Nautical Chaise with Arms

 

[lazygirl1978]

I have Polywood up by the house, a good bit of it. Great stuff. Can't afford it by the pool also (college). They were just a Sears set. Ty Pennington branded it, quite good but not top shelf. I'm going with these for replacements next year.

https://www.acitydiscount.com/Grosf...Patio-Chaise-Lounge-Sandstone.0.54323.1.1.htm $800 - $900.

These are what I would get if going Polywood. $329 each x 6 = $1,974

Nautical Chaise with Arms

Thanks for these links! I'd thought hard about polywood and then wondered if they'd be heavier than I wanted....plus the one I wanted doesn't seem to come with wheels? I was confused at first and didn't realize that was $800 for a set of SIX chairs! That's a great deal.

 

[Leik]

Polywood furniture is great stuff. Yes, it is a little heavy but you don’t have to worry about storms blowing it into the pool. We have nine pieces in total, and love it. We leave it out all year round. About every three months I wipe them down with armor all type spray, which helps prevent color fading and really makes the colors “pop.” This stuff isn’t cheap, but will last a lifetime.

 

[Gladius Nova]

I appreciate your inquiry but it’s really all subjective. Some people want gas fire pits next to their pools, Other people prefer to be in their pool and to heck with anything else.

I actually built an easy peasy clothesline for the towels. One short and one long 4x4 notched to make Ts and 4 clothesline ropes through the holes I drilled in the top T part. I stained them dark walnut and for a clothesline it looks pretty nice, but when the towels are on it, it looks like I did laundry. If I throw all the towels on the fence like you said, it looks like we had a great day at the pool. So I still use the fence 9/10 times.

We actually have this (in black) attached to one of the columns underneath the patio. We can swing it out to the sun to dry and swing it back flush when not in use. I cannot stand anything "PVC" but this is ok with me.

Amazon.com : floatstorage FSTOW6W Original Hanging 6 Towel Rack, White : Home & Kitchen

Amazon.com : floatstorage FSTOW6W Original Hanging 6 Towel Rack, White : Home & Kitchen

www.amazon.com

 

[phonedave]

I'm in NJ, so like the OP, if it does not come in by October, it is going to take a winter beating. I have an ABG with a deck around roughly 30% of it. The one thing that I would say I will definitely recommend is shade.

We have a 8' x 8' canopy on the deck. The frame is aluminum and it stays out all year (its bolted to the deck). The fabric canopy comes in every winter, but I still end up replacing it 4-5 years or so.

Something else that is very handy are outdoor rugs. The wooden deck can get both hot and slippery. Rugs help a lot.

 

[S S]

I have also been selective in our accessories choices. I still haven't bought new patio furniture, and it's been well over a year! (We had stuff that works fine, but I'd like some chaise loungers....just can't figure out how many.) I think a place to sit and relax is nice (we have an outdoor sectional sofa), and a place to eat (we have a small round table and four chairs; I'd like something bigger; sounds like you're set?).

Most important is SHADE. Do you have good shade---do you have enough umbrellas? I also appreciate all the hooks we have around, too --- a dozen in the changing area by the outdoor shower, and then a few more here and there (especially by the house door).

I really want an outdoor trashcan, I've decided, but need to find one.

I keep our stash of sunscreen/bugspray in a small plastic container in a covered area. It just sits on a little table between two chairs.

We hang up towels on the hooks, mostly, but I haven't found a solution for where to keep the clean towels. I'd consider some sort of towel tree if you don't have wall space for hooks.

can you share photos of your outdoor shower set up?

 

[HeyEng]

If you have any kind of wildlife (small) that find their way into the pool (like frogs) then I highly recommend a "Frog Log." They cost about $20 and do a great job of providing an exit for the little critters. We have a LOT of frogs (and this year there are a LOT) and they are constantly hopping into the pool and since getting the frog log, we have yet to find any dead in the skimmer.

 

[S-Merry]

I'm not sure what ages you have hanging out in your pool, but I discovered with a pack of young teens, it's nice to have a "dry basket" - somewhere to put phones/iPods/valuables that no one touches unless they dry their hands first. It not only keeps the phones from getting water damage, but prevents wet slippery hands from dropping fragile glass screens on the stone patio, or someone grabbing a towel and accidentally flinging the phone (bracelet, necklace, earrings, book, etc) that's sitting in it across the patio or in to the pool/gardens. We keep our basket on a cabinet in the shade, and if a phone isn't in their hand, it's in the basket.

Instead of loungers, we have a big outdoor rug where they all spread out their towels to hang in the sun and warm up, then they retreat to the cushioned conversation set in the shade near the electrical outlets when they are dry and their batteries get low (we keep an extra power strip there too).