Deeper tanning ledge

[teener629]

For anybody with a deeper tanning ledge (9-12” of water), could I please see pics of how you addressed stairs? Like one small step down to tanning ledge level and then rest of steps? Vs. whatever else you did. I’d like to minimize the footprint of the stairs but will need them bc shallow will be 4ft.

My PB said 12” is very non-traditional which is prob somewhat true but I think 6” of water will be a waste of space for us.

Also please share if you have any furniture/loungers besides the Ledge Loungers that work for this deeper water.

Thank you so much!!
Edit to add pics: We are still deciding btwn 35x15 with a 6ft tanning ledge, vs the L shape to accommodate the ledge outside of the swimming area of a 30x15. Here are 2 mocks ups I literally made on microsoft word bc I'm nuts and can't decide and didn't want to bother my pool designer again.

 

[Tom09]

Ours is 18” I don’t have a current photo, and I am not home at the moment.

 

[proavia]

Welcome to TFP!

Edit your location in your profile to show city, state.

Do you have a drawing of the proposed pool? If so, post it here.

Mine goes from the deck to a small step and then to the ledge. From the ledge there are additional steps into the shallow end of the pool. How all of that fits is highly dependent on the pool shape and size location of the tanning ledge.

 

[Dirk]

I would love to see some stats about how these ledges are being used over time. Do people get good value from them? Use them all the time? Or realize after a while that they don't use them much at all? And wish they had the pool real estate back, for better uses.

I think they would be great for small children, playing and learning to swim. But for lounging, I never understood the appeal. When I lounge, it is by the pool, not in it. I like my little side table, packed with a snack, a drink, my phone, maybe a book or some lotion. Sometimes even a laptop or iPad, so I can binge-lounge! None of those things I would trust to be near me while over the water! I want to lounge comfortably and safely over my deck, and swim in the pool. Is that just me? Why would I want my kids or guests to have to tiptoe into the pool, and then remain perfectly still, so as not to splash my bowl of chips! Or float my phone? I don't want the towel I'm laying on to get wet. Heck, I don't even want to get wet. Not until I'm ready to. That's when I get off the lounge and jump in! Get out, dry off, continue snacking and binge-lounging. Literally rinse and repeat!!

Also note that a pool without an automated cleaner would not be something I'd consider. And I don't think there is any cleaner that will do steps or benches or ledges. Those all have to be done manually. The more sq ft of those areas you have, the more work for you. And since the ledge will be covered with piles of sloggy Doritos, you'll need to manually sweep or vacuum it regularly!

OK, end of rant. Pardon the sniping. Just wanted to give someone in the planning stages something to think about...

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

 

[Tom09]

I would love to see some stats about how these ledges are being used over time. Do people get good value from them? Use them all the time? Or realize after a while that they don't use them much at all? And wish they had the pool real estate back, for better uses.

I think they would be great for small children, playing and learning to swim. But for lounging, I never understood the appeal. When I lounge, it is by the pool, not in it. I like my little side table, packed with a snack, a drink, my phone, maybe a book or some lotion. Sometimes even a laptop or iPad, so I can binge-lounge! None of those things I would trust to be near me while over the water! I want to lounge comfortably and safely over my deck, and swim in the pool. Is that just me? Why would I want my kids or guests to have to tiptoe into the pool, and then remain perfectly still, so as not to splash my bowl of chips! Or float my phone? I don't want the towel I'm laying on to get wet. Heck, I don't even want to get wet. Not until I'm ready to. That's when I get off the lounge and jump in! Get out, dry off, continue snacking and binge-lounging. Literally rinse and repeat!!

Also note that a pool without an automated cleaner would not be something I'd consider. And I don't think there is any cleaner that will do steps or benches or ledges. Those all have to be done manually. The more sq ft of those areas you have, the more work for you. And since the ledge will be covered with piles of sloggy Doritos, you'll need to manually sweep or vacuum it regularly!

OK, end of rant. Pardon the sniping. Just wanted to give someone in the planning stages something to think about...

We didn’t get much use of the pool since being built recently, but the kids did play on the ledge. I can understand your view points. I enjoy the depth of the ledge we have, I can actually swim up on it and be under water still. It’s nice to sit there and relax with legs stretched out instead of being on a bench.

We did order the pool loungers with the risers, but never picked them up yet.

I can agree on losing the space of the pool. If I were to do it again, I would still do the ledge with the same depth but have it a bit smaller.

It’s not the best for laps either, I have scraped myself being a pebble finish.

 

[teener629]

I would love to see some stats about how these ledges are being used over time. Do people get good value from them? Use them all the time? Or realize after a while that they don't use them much at all? And wish they had the pool real estate back, for better uses.

I think they would be great for small children, playing and learning to swim. But for lounging, I never understood the appeal. When I lounge, it is by the pool, not in it. I like my little side table, packed with a snack, a drink, my phone, maybe a book or some lotion. Sometimes even a laptop or iPad, so I can binge-lounge! None of those things I would trust to be near me while over the water! I want to lounge comfortably and safely over my deck, and swim in the pool. Is that just me? Why would I want my kids or guests to have to tiptoe into the pool, and then remain perfectly still, so as not to splash my bowl of chips! Or float my phone? I don't want the towel I'm laying on to get wet. Heck, I don't even want to get wet. Not until I'm ready to. That's when I get off the lounge and jump in! Get out, dry off, continue snacking and binge-lounging. Literally rinse and repeat!!

Also note that a pool without an automated cleaner would not be something I'd consider. And I don't think there is any cleaner that will do steps or benches or ledges. Those all have to be done manually. The more sq ft of those areas you have, the more work for you. And since the ledge will be covered with piles of sloggy Doritos, you'll need to manually sweep or vacuum it regularly!

OK, end of rant. Pardon the sniping. Just wanted to give someone in the planning stages something to think about...

I did read someone else here talking about the pool cleaner issue which is a bummer. How often ought one scrub the steps/ledge in this case? We don't have any trees nearby so we weren't going to get a cover.
But I am confident we will use ours a ton. We do have small kids but also you will always find me on a step or a bench or a ledge in a pool, I'm a pool lounger.
Thanks for you help with the first pool rule though, no Doritos!

 

[Dirk]

The kids playing on it, that I get. Mine liked my bench, but really that's all they needed size-wise. Then they outgrew that and took to the pool, and that took about 5 minutes, seemed like.

Laying on it while swimming makes sense, that'd be nice and comfortable (sort of) on a hot day. But if you're getting pebble, it's really not all that comfortable. YMMV.

I guess what I am questioning are the folks that install umbrella stands and expect to put a chaise lounge in the water, and lay on that for lengths of time. That's what I don't get. I want to lounge in a chaise over the deck, where I can have all my goodies nearby. Maybe that's just me.

The vac issue is real, though how much you'll have to maintain manually will depend on your environment. I don't get many leaves in my pool, but the few steps and benches I have always have more on them than the bottom. My vac gets the ones from the bottom. And I get silt on the steps and benches that is not on the bottom. I guess that's coming from the air. That's what I have to sweep off about once a week. Maybe you won't have those issues, or maybe it'll be worse for you. I'm not sure how to predict that. It'll just depend on what lands on your pool. The silt does get on my furniture. It must be coming from surrounding open land. Do you notice dust on your outdoor furniture? Is so, that'll collect on your ledge. If not, maybe you'll be OK. Whatever leaves you see collecting in the corners of your yard, those will collect on your ledge. I pretty much just sweep that crud onto the bottom, where the vac will get it. But sweeping off a 1' step, or an 18" bench is one thing. It's harder than you'd think, because the silt puffs up, then settles right back down. Leaves do that too, to some extent. It's not too bad with those dimension. It would be quite a bit more effort to sweep leaves and silt off a wide ledge. It's not like sweeping a sidewalk, because the water is fighting back. You'll probably have to use a manual vac, and that's not much fun: dragging out the hose and connecting it up, etc. You might consider asking for a suction port near the ledge, to facilitate vacuuming (though that can be a safety hazard, more on that if you're interested). Others attempt to deal with this issue with strategically placed returns. The idea is to have the returns blow the leaves and silt off the ledge. I have no idea how well that works. These are questions for the forum. See if others can advise how they deal with this, or if they even have to. Maybe it's just in my imagination.

The other issue I only eluded to is what you give up in real estate. The ledge might be a good trade. Others like to swim laps, the ledge will impede that. I can barely swim over my 3.5' shallow end, a ledge would rule that out completely. 4' is better.

It's all personal preference. I only chimed in because I've seen here how pool builders and their designers sell folks on stuff that looks amazing in the 3D drawings, stuff I wouldn't want. Many of the goodies they push are real money makers for them. People building their first pool don't really know how those things are going to pan out. It's like buying a car and picking the wrong size or number of seats, etc. Except with a car you can trade it in and get the right one next time. With a pool, you're stuck with the decisions you have to make with little or no experience, with no way to change your mind later.

Just sayin... think it through. Ask others (like you're doing). See others' pools if you can, talk to them about what they would do different, etc. This is your one shot at getting it as close to ideal as you can. Don't build something for little kids. Like I said, in 5 minutes they'll be in grade school and will be using the pool in totally different ways. Don't assume the builder is giving you great advice (he may be, but he may not be). Remember, he wants to make money, and that can be a conflict of interest. Trust folks here who already have what you're imagining. They'll tell you straight with no conflict of interest.

 

[Tom09]

We haven't noticed any difference in debris on the shelf than the pool. I do not have any trees or anything nearby. We did have a bit of a windy day few weeks back and somehow got leaves from a distance land in the pool but nothing on the shelf. Our robotic vacuum does go up on the shelf as well and we do have a return on it, but not sure how much the return actually helps. I sweep the shelf on occasion and it’s nothing different than the normal depth of the pool.

I agree with the 4’ shallow end, this was brought up before our build and wife still wanted 3’5. She got what she wanted but she really isn’t a swimmer so she doesn’t notice the difference. I can notice it swimming across.

I

 

[Tom09]

Speaking of, there’s a couple of leaves floating, lol

 

[Semi-retired]

31' by 16'....shelf is about 4 by 10 and 6" to 9" deep depending pool level. We built the pool and wanted the shelf but didn't want to take the area out if the main pool footprint. Hence, an "L" arrangement. Shelf has a hole in the middle to accept an umbrella. Small step in the corner to enter pool/shelf, followed by proper steps into the shallow end. We wanted the shelf for kids/grandchildren and for dog. Have to say that for those uses it is great, but we honestly don't use it very much as a "tanning" or lounging shelf. Having the ability to put an umbrella there is great for keeping small kids out of Florida sun. It is also a nice transition for entering the pool proper. At some point, as we age, we'll put a handrail in.

 

[Dirk]

Our robotic vacuum does go up on the shelf

Tell us more about that, please. Did you program it, or does it just do it? How deep must the water be for that to work?

For me, that wouldn't change anything. I wouldn't ever own a robot (that's a bigger topic for another day) and I know my suction-side vac cleaner would not work on a shelf or bench or steps. So I'd still be stuck brushing off a ledge.

Since buying this pool with house, my goal has been to figure out whatever it takes to keep my maintenance chores to a bare minimum. I've automated everything, and have it down. 5-10 minutes a week, and that's it. If I was building a pool, all my decisions would be based on that same goal. But that's a personal preference that others might not share. Maybe they have others helping with the pool chores, I don't.

A ledge wouldn't be worth the extra work for me, even if I thought it'd be nice to have. The grandkids angle is something to consider, but mine grew up and never use the benches or steps. They jump in the deep end, maybe use the steps to get out. They don't miss something they never had, they love the pool because it's a pool! I'm not saying one shouldn't build a pool for everyone's enjoyment, I'm just cautioning building something that'll be great for toddlers will only have value for a few years, and only then when they come visit or feel like swimming. If the ledge is going to be a chore, it'll be one whether your kids use it or not, for the rest of your life (or until you move).

Sorry, I don't mean to keep harping on this, just playing devil's advocate. Probably every feature of a pool, including the pool itself, is some sort of compromise. Spas and shape and size and water features, etc, every aspect, will have its pluses and minuses. Explore and understand those aspects now.

 

[markdpratt]

For anybody with a deeper tanning ledge (9-12” of water), could I please see pics of how you addressed stairs? Like one small step down to tanning ledge level and then rest of steps? Vs. whatever else you did. I’d like to minimize the footprint of the stairs but will need them bc shallow will be 4ft.

My PB said 12” is very non-traditional which is prob somewhat true but I think 6” of water will be a waste of space for us.

Also please share if you have any furniture/loungers besides the Ledge Loungers that work for this deeper water.

Thank you so much!!
Edit to add pics: We are still deciding btwn 35x15 with a 6ft tanning ledge, vs the L shape to accommodate the ledge outside of the swimming area of a 30x15. Here are 2 mocks ups I literally made on microsoft word bc I'm nuts and can't decide and didn't want to bother my pool designer again.

Here’s what we did for ours. Our tanning ledge is at 9” water depth, we have one 7” rise step down from the coping to the tanning ledge, and then 7” rise steps down from the tanning ledge to the main pool which starts at 4’ water depth and transitions to 6’ at the deep end. We put an umbrella mount in the center of the tanning ledge and used it a few times this summer.

Good luck.

 

[Dirk]

Here’s what we did for ours. Our tanning ledge is at 9” water depth, we have one 7” rise step down from the coping to the tanning ledge, and then 7” rise steps down from the tanning ledge to the main pool which starts at 4’ water depth and transitions to 6’ at the deep end. We put an umbrella mount in the center of the tanning ledge and used it a few times this summer.

Good luck.

What an amazing outdoor space you have! Does your robot clean your ledge? If not, is doing it manually any sort of issue for you?

 

[markdpratt]

What an amazing outdoor space you have! Does your robot clean your ledge? If not, is doing it manually any sort of issue for you?

Thank you Dirk. No, the robot does not clean the ledge - it goes to the top step and almost gets onto the ledge but never makes it. I think if it was a 12” water ledge it would do it. I normally just brush any dirt collected on the ledge to the steps. I also have a Pool Blaster vacuum that I use sometimes. Luckily, we have no large trees that shed in the pool. The pool is very easy to maintain - luckily I found TFP during the design stage and incorporated all the great advice here into the design, equipment, and maintenance of the pool.

 

[Newdude]

That's what I don't get. I want to lounge in a chaise over the deck, where I can have all my goodies nearby. Maybe that's just me.

IMO, tanning ledges are for form and not function, similar to the built in spas.

Both look stunning for the 98% of the time the pool is looked at from afar.

 

[Tom09]

Tell us more about that, please. Did you program it, or does it just do it? How deep must the water be for that to work?

For me, that wouldn't change anything. I wouldn't ever own a robot (that's a bigger topic for another day) and I know my suction-side vac cleaner would not work on a shelf or bench or steps. So I'd still be stuck brushing off a ledge.

Since buying this pool with house, my goal has been to figure out whatever it takes to keep my maintenance chores to a bare minimum. I've automated everything, and have it down. 5-10 minutes a week, and that's it. If I was building a pool, all my decisions would be based on that same goal. But that's a personal preference that others might not share. Maybe they have others helping with the pool chores, I don't.

A ledge wouldn't be worth the extra work for me, even if I thought it'd be nice to have. The grandkids angle is something to consider, but mine grew up and never use the benches or steps. They jump in the deep end, maybe use the steps to get out. They don't miss something they never had, they love the pool because it's a pool! I'm not saying one shouldn't build a pool for everyone's enjoyment, I'm just cautioning building something that'll be great for toddlers will only have value for a few years, and only then when they come visit or feel like swimming. If the ledge is going to be a chore, it'll be one whether your kids use it or not, for the rest of your life (or until you move).

Sorry, I don't mean to keep harping on this, just playing devil's advocate. Probably every feature of a pool, including the pool itself, is some sort of compromise. Spas and shape and size and water features, etc, every aspect, will have its pluses and minuses. Explore and understand those aspects now.

I didn’t do anything to the robot, it will make its way up on it and still do the tile line of the shelf. Although the robot has a mind of its own it will make a pass and get down but it does that for the pool itself too.

I am not sure the depth for a robot to get on a shelf or step, maybe someone else can chime in that has more experience with robotic cleaners.

The shelf hasn’t be an extra chore at all, I find myself sweeping the other parts of the pool more than the shelf.