It’s that time of year again, lovers of the great outdoors! So here’s the million dollar question: Are you finally going to put in that swimming pool that your kids have been hounding you about for the last 3 summers? Think of all the great times you’ll have, swimming, grilling and cooling off in the 90 degree weather.

What are you waiting for – dive right in!

Oh, wait… there’s probably some things you need to consider first, huh? Most important – the size of your pool deck area. This is going to depend on a couple factors: the most obvious being the size of your future pool; and, secondly, the size of your yard. Consider all usable space in the yard, the bigger the outdoor area, the better. If you plan to add outdoor furniture, the minimum pool deck size should be 12 ft. x 12 ft. In a space this size, you can comfortably have 8 friends over for outdoor dinner parties. You might want to add more space for pool loungers or Adirondack chairs. Just take the width of your swimming pool, add 8 ft. for the perimeter deck on either side. For example: a 9-ft.-wide pool + 4-ft. deck on one side + 4-ft. deck on the other = 17 ft. 

Once you determine those, consider when you want to be in the sun. Are you an after-work swimmer? Or an early morning lapper? This will determine orientation.

Feeling overwhelmed with all the decisions you are going to have to make? No worries, there are plenty of qualified swimming pool contractors in your area who can answer all your burning questions regarding swimming pool designs and decking considerations.

For the complete article on determining the right size pool deck

For the complete article on pool deck orientation