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Two things to consider if you want to put a shade structure over your swimming pool

17 January 2022 by Felecia Banks

If you'd like to put a shade structure over your home's swimming pool, here are some of the things you'll need to consider.  

Think about whether the shade structure should cover the pool deck

In addition to covering the pool itself, you should think about whether you want this shade structure to cover the pool deck, too. It might be a good idea for this structure to cover this area if, for example, you prefer not to sunbathe but like to lie beside the pool on warm days. Having a structure that shields the pool deck from the sun would mean that you wouldn't need to spend additional money on, for example, a clip-on parasol for your sun lounger, to avoid the sun whilst you're relaxing in this area.

Having a permanent shade structure over the pool deck could also be useful if you like to keep items in this area that you don't want to get rained on; for example, if you have cushions for your sun loungers and don't want the cushions' fabric to get wet or if you have a barbecue in this area that would be hard to light, in preparation for cooking, if it got soaked with rainwater.

If some of your family members enjoy sunbathing, then you might want to position the structure so that it covers the entire pool but only covers a part of the pool deck; this would mean that they would have the option of putting their sun loungers in the uncovered section of the deck if they felt like getting some sun.

Consider whether you want this shade structure to be retractable

There are many different types of shade structures, including ones that can be retracted. A shade structure that you can retract might be suitable if you sometimes like to swim on cool days, as in these weather conditions, you might want to keep the shade structure pulled back so that it doesn't block out the sun and make the pool water even chillier. Then, when the weather's hot and you need some overhead protection whilst swimming, you can unleash the shade structure and enjoy a safer swim.

However, if you only ever go into your pool when it's hot outside and need shade (or if you have a high-quality pool heater and so don't need to worry about the water temperature being too low when you swim on cold days), then you might find it simpler to have an immovable shade structure that you never need to remember to retract or release.

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