A diving board or a slide can make a fun addition to your backyard swimming pool. Keep in mind there are certain safety regulations and building codes to follow when installing this kind of equipment. Some municipal codes totally forbid the installation of a diving board in a residential swimming pool. Others may have special rules. Make sure you check with the Building Department in your town. You will also want to ensure your insurance company allows for coverage.

Assuming diving boards are allowed in your area, required dimensions may vary according to your location, but as a guideline, when installing even a small diving board, the swimming pool must be at least 8 1/2 ft. deep, 28 ft. long, and 15 ft. wide. For slides, the dimensions very depending on the height of the slide. The higher the slide, the deeper the water must be in that particular section of the swimming pool.

Information about Diving Boards and Installation

Diving boards are basically wood (for flexibility) coated with fiberglass (for water resistance) and topped with a nonskid surface. Diving boards available for residential use are typically between 6 and 12 ft. long and 18 in. wide.

Types of Diving Board Models:

Spring-Assisted
Simple Platform

Diving board installation is fairly simple. The base is usually set in concrete. There may be some rails to attach.

Diving Board Maintenance:

Diving boards can be dangerous if they are not kept in good repair. If the fiberglass cover ever cracks, it can cause the wood inside to rot. This could cause the diving board to snap when it is being used. A cracked diving board cannot be repaired; it must be replaced.

Another type of damage to should watch for it is the destruction or wearing away of the nonskid material, usually caused by sun exposure and age. In this case, you do not need to replace the diving board. You can purchase a surfacing kit and fix it yourself.

Information about Slides and Installation

Slides are usually made of fiberglass. They have metal stairs and frames. Straight slides can be up to 13 ft. long, requiring quite a bit of space on the pool deck. Curving slides are good in smaller areas since they take up less room.

Installing a slide is fairly simple, but it may be easiest just to include the installation as part of the original pool construction. Typically, there are two ways of attaching a slide to the pool deck. 1) The builder sinks fasteners into the concrete, then attaches the slide to the fasteners 2) the builder drills holes into the deck and sets the legs of the slide in concrete. With either method, you’ll want to make sure the slide is securely set into the deck before using it. A wobbly slide is not acceptable.

Swimming pool design used to mean a kidney-shaped pool with a deep end and a shallow end, a concrete deck, and a diving board. The pool design industry has come a long way. Today, you can find residential swimming pools that range from long narrow lap pools to exotic shapes with vanishing edges to waterfall-laced lagoons reminiscent of the tropics.

These days, if you can imagine it, you can build it. Swimming pool design isn’t just limited to the shape of your pool, either. Colorful murals can add interest to pool bottoms and walls. Around the pool, statues and columns can add an elegant look to the area. Popular today, and seen in most of the luxury home and swimming pool magazines, are the pools with vanishing edges (sometimes called negative edges or an infinity edge) where the water appears to go off into thin air. Fiber-optic lighting is popular in swimming pools today because of the unique ambience it creates and the relative ease to install and maintain. Natural-looking pools often have water features incorporated into their design. A fountain, majestically lit by fiber-optic lighting, might draw the eye while a gurgling stream and waterfall combination tumbles down rock formations. You can even install a misting system to create a subtle fog around the pool and patio area.

As you’re planning your swimming pool design, you’ll want to take into account the following things:

* Is your pool meant primarily for exercise or for the kids or a combination of both?
* Do you want a private, relaxing escape or a party space?
* Will the pool be the focus of the backyard or should it complement a majestic view?
* Will it be used by a lot of people at a time or just a few?

Plan things out before you contact a designer or contractor. Figure out the dimensions of your yard, exactly what you want to do, and what sort of deck and landscaping you’re going to want to have around your pool.

One thing to keep in mind if cost is a consideration is that you can often get the best deals by having your pool built in the off season. In the winter, pool contractors have fewer clients and may be able to cut you a deal in order to get your job.