Pool planning guides
Short and practical — what actually matters when you plan a pool, without the jargon.
How deep should a pool be?
Depth decides who can use the pool, what it costs and whether anyone may ever dive. Most pools need less of it than people think.
5 min read
Pool edges explained: skimmer, deck-level overflow and raised
The edge system decides how your pool looks at a glance and how its water stays clean. It's the most architectural decision in the whole build.
6 min read
Choosing a pool shape: a practical guide
Shape is where taste meets consequences: it changes the swim, the build cost, the cover and how the pool sits in your garden.
6 min read
Pool interior finishes: porcelain tile vs plaster
The interior finish sets your water's color, your maintenance calendar and a surprising slice of the budget.
5 min read
Pool steps, ladders and entries
Nobody thinks about the entry until it's wrong. Tread sizes, widths and placement decide whether the pool is comfortable every single day.
5 min read
Tanning ledges: the shallow shelf everyone uses
Ask pool owners about their favorite square metres and the tanning ledge wins: 15 cm of water where all the lounging happens.
4 min read
Pool lighting: layouts that actually look good
Lighting is the difference between a pool that disappears at 9 pm and one that becomes the garden's centerpiece.
5 min read
Pool circulation: skimmers, inlets and drains explained
Clean water isn't made by the filter alone — it's made by water actually reaching the filter. That's circulation.
5 min read
Pool covers: heat, safety and fewer leaves
A cover is the highest-return accessory a pool can have: it halves heating costs, keeps debris out and can add real safety.
5 min read
Pool heating basics: heat pumps, solar and season length
An unheated pool in a temperate climate is comfortable six weeks a year. Heating — done sensibly — turns that into five months.
5 min read
What actually drives pool cost
Two pools with the same footprint can differ by 3× in price. Here's where the money actually goes.
6 min read
Pools for small gardens
You don't need a lawn the size of a tennis court. Some of the best pools we've seen fit in 20 m² of garden.
5 min read
Planning a lap pool
A lap pool is exercise equipment made of water. Design it like sports gear: long, calm and predictable.
5 min read
Pool maintenance basics for future owners
Maintenance fear stops more pools than budgets do. The truth: a well-designed pool takes 20 minutes a week.
5 min read
Plunge pools: small water, big luxury
The plunge pool is the espresso of pools: concentrated, intense, and exactly enough.
4 min read
Designing a family pool that works for everyone
A family pool serves a six-year-old, a lap swimmer and a grandparent — at the same time. That's a zoning problem, and zoning is design.
5 min read
Infinity and deck-level pools at home
The infinity edge is photography's favorite pool trick — and at home, its quieter sibling, the deck-level pool, is the one most gardens should actually build.
5 min read
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