Need advice and examples of sheer descents on curves in freeform pool

[Cessna172R]

Hello,

I need advice from anyone with examples or experience with the installation of sheer descents and ideally having two sheer descents on a freeform pool along curved edges.

My pool is under construction and my contractor intends to install two 3 foot sheer descents along the freeform back wall in locations that include one inside radius (concave) and one outside radius (convex). He's proposed the final install of the sheer descents with the lips of the waterfalls straight and uncut with the outer corners of the lip flush with the coping and rock vaneer in order to maintain a consistent and straight visual flow of water from each waterfall. In other words, he's concerned that if we cut the lip of the sheer descents flush to the shape of the radius, like some Jandy sheer descents allow, the shapes of water flowing out of two waterfalls will look different from each other and not visually appealing. The concern I have with his proposed installation is that the middle section of the sheer descent will be recessed behind the coping and rock vaneer by a few inches, especially on the convex radius curve. To me this is not visually appealing and leaves a gap between the coping and rock vaneer when the waterfall is not operating. The examples I've found online and friends pools have the sheer descents installed with the lip cut flush to the edge and shape of the curve. However, none of the examples I've seen have one installed concave and one convex to verify what my contractor is saying about the shape of the water. I called Jandy technical support and they said their extended lip sheer descent has an x-baffle design which should maintain a uniform shape to the waterfall whether it be cut concave or convex but I'm not confident this is the case in the real world and contrary to what my contractor says.

Does anyone have first hand experience with sheer descents either having installed them and/or cut them which could help me in this situation? Or if you have a pool with two sheer descents like I've described that you could send me a picture?

Here are photos of my pool in different stages of our build from concept to current state. Please note, we've had to tear out our poured in place concrete coping because of design issues so we're back to setting the sheer descent and pouring again in the next couple weeks.

Thank you in advance for your help!


Photo 1: CAD Design with 2 sheer descents

Photo 2: convex curve with sheer descent (this concrete was taken out because of design issues from my pool builder i.e. sheer descent was installed too high and the coping had to be notched up. This gives a visual idea of what my pool builder is recommending however with a straight edge lip on a curved wall.

Photo 3: this is a visual of the rough install after the coping has been removed showing both sheer descents. This is the current state of my pool and contractor wants to repour coping in the next couple weeks. FYI, I've already pointed out to my contractor that the rock traps were installed incorrectly (pointing sideways instead of down).

 

[proavia]

My single shear is on an inside curve. The PB radiused the shear to match the wall curve. Leading edge of shear protrudes about 1/4" passed the pebble finish. The upper edge of the shear is just below the lower edge of the cantilevered deck. If I recall -the shear was radiused/cut prior to decking install.

 

[blakeusa]

To me it would appear to be more symmetrical and visual appealing to put the water features on both interior curves. Or to have three in total.

If you moved the one in the middle or outside radius to the right to the inner curve it would look nice sitting on your baja shelf chairs.

To me the one in the middle seems out of place.

By the way the pool and design looks awesome.

 

[PoolGate]

My sheer is concave, contoured to the shape (cut), and totally even water flow comes out.

Here is a pic I found of it. I don't have any with it running I will try to get one. It doesn't work that well since I really don't have enough water pressure to run it. It used to work better when I could run it without the rock waterfall but I changed the valving to allow me to run the rock waterfall by itself since this is primarily what we run.

 

[jza1736]

I agree with Blake. It will look more natural with the 2 falls on the interior curves.

 

[Cessna172R]

Thanks Gene. Your description is how I imagined it should look. I suppose it could be cut before the coping is poured but either way I think it should be cut to follow the contour.

 

[Cessna172R]

Hi Blake, that is a good idea. I asked my BP about relocating the sheer descent so they are both on inner curves and he said he would have to see if we could re-work the plumbing at this point. Either way I would still like to know if cutting the lip of the sheer descent to shape is the preferred installation method.

- - - Updated - - -

My sheer is concave, contoured to the shape (cut), and totally even water flow comes out.

Here is a pic I found of it. I don't have any with it running I will try to get one. It doesn't work that well since I really don't have enough water pressure to run it. It used to work better when I could run it without the rock waterfall but I changed the valving to allow me to run the rock waterfall by itself since this is primarily what we run.

Thank you Pool Gate. That's consistent with what I heard from Jandy, one of the manufacturers.