Making the choice

Press, 26 November 1980, Page 18

Making the choice

Available space is not the only important consideration in deciding on the shape and position of a pool. Other factors are the style of the garden — formal or natural — and the prospective use of the pool, both immediately and in 10 years time. If the pool is to be for

casual relaxation by adults the choice is different from that made for a children’s play area or even a training facility for competitive swimmers and divers.. Rectangles, kidney shapes, tear-drops and L-shapes are the most popular, and it makes sense to keep this in mind from the point of view of resale value, along with the fact that an unusually large or small pool detracts from the market value of a property. By contrast, under-water lighting and gleaming, built-in,chrome accessories are highly desirable features, well worth their cost. Depth, too, is dictated by prospective use. Racing and training require a depth of at least a metre and divers should have 3m.

The width commonly recommended where there is a diving board is 5m or more, and the distance from the deep end wall to the “breaking point” should be at least 7m. A minimum of Im of walkway is usually recommended around the edge in the form of a “coping” (edging) and decking. If there is a diving board, extra decking will be needed, and allowance should also be made for patio and activity areas nearby. Other points to consider when deciding on a position are the amount of sun a pool would receive and the view it presents from inside the house. Freedom from shade in the hours of maximum use is very important but if there is a diving board, the deep end should be orientated so divers jump with their backs to the sun. Plenty of shade that falls clear of the pool is desirable for lounging. This can be provided with a patio roof or a retractable canopy rather than foliage, thus avoiding the nuisance of leaves and twigs in the pool. To minimize pool cleaning, keep trees, large shrubs, gravel and children’s sand boxes as far aww as possible. Siting a pool in full view of the houseis an advantage when there are children but is is more pleasant to live with if it can be built where reflect--

tions from the rising or setting sun do not shine directly indoo rs. With the increasing number of private pools, public pressure has grown for local by-laws requiring child-deterrent fencing and in some places these are now a reality. In any case, a decorative fence can serve both as a shield against wind that robs heat irom a pool and a safety fence to keep out small children. A slight breeze, though, is probably unavoidable and the skimmer outlet is best located down-wind from the prevailing wind so the pool is easier to clean. Similarly, the filter and pump and the heating equipment should be near the deep end to assure minimum piping for the circulating system. It must be on a concrete slab but is best set at ground level, with drainage for backwashing the filter system.