Choosing the Right Pool Depth: 5 Questions to Ask

When it comes to choosing the perfect inground fiberglass backyard swimming pool, you don’t just want to dive into it blindly. While you will most likely spend time contemplating the size, style, and color to complement your backyard and your personal tastes, choosing the right pool depth is equally important.

At Leisure Pools™, we offer a stunning portfolio of swimming pool designs with eye-catching features and colors. There are also a variety of depths from which to choose.  In order to determine the correct and proper depth for your needs, there are a few things to take into consideration.

This is the hard and fast question. You know you want an inground backyard swimming pool, but in order to determine the correct depth, it is important to consider the reasons you want the pool. There are many questions that come to mind. Hopefully after taking the following questions into consideration, you can narrow down how you intend to use your pool. As a result, choosing the right pool depth becomes a lot easier.

Do you want that inground backyard fiberglass swimming pool because you envision you and your family and friends playing pool games and sports. Conversely, do you want to do some water jogging or workouts in the pool? If either is the case, then a flat bottom pool with a consistent depth will be your best bet. Discover the available options from Leisure Pools™ that will work best for this purpose:  The Esprit, The Precision, and The Cube.

We are all about making memories with family and friends at Leisure Pools™. As such, many of our fiberglass pool designs were created with that at top of mind. A splash deck is a great feature that offers an area in the pool that has a shallow area with a consistent depth of 12 inches. This is the ideal play place for small children, and even pets, as they can get in your pool with you.

Further, the splash deck is a great place for adults to lounge and soak up the sun. Just place a lounge chair or two in the area, close your eyes, and just imagine you are on a warm and sunny beach somewhere.

If you want a diving board, you will obviously need to select a swimming pool with a greater depth. According to the America National Standards Institute, the minimum depth for inground pools with diving boards has a range of 7.5 feet to 9 feet. However, some municipalities may set their own minimum depth, so it is important to confirm those specifications for your area.

If you do want a diving board, the three best options from Leisure Pools™ are The Icon, The Infinity, and The Mediterranean. These are all referred to as “Type 1” pools.

Just as there are minimum pool depth requirements for a diving board, that also holds true for water slides. It does vary, however, depending on the slide. Therefore, be sure to familiarize yourself with the specifications that provide the exact depth measurements.

Typically, a water slide must be installed over a water depth of 36 inches that then drops to 42 inches to 54 inches. Nearly all of our fiberglass pool designs have an option to meet these specific depth requirements.

Obviously, one of the biggest factors when it comes to choosing the right pool depth is cost. Every project is going to have a budget, and with so many aspects to creating a new backyard — cost of the pool, cost of the pavers, cost of landscaping, etc. — the depth of the pool is just one more thing to consider.

And the truth is that choosing a deeper pool will add to the overall cost. It’s more fiberglass on the pool, more excavation during the installation, and possibly a bigger crane to put the pool into place. Is all of that worth the extra money? That’s a question only you can answer.

If you are ready for the excitement and fun of owning an inground backyard fiberglass swimming pool from Leisure Pools™, contact us today. We will have you swimming in quality and style before you know it.  Contact us today.  Your well-deserved life of leisure awaits you.