Are you considering installing a slide in your backyard pool? The whole family can enjoy them!
Our goal at Clear Water Pools is to help you create the backyard of your dreams while staying within your budget. Here are some guidelines for indoor pool slides that we follow:
- It is possible to add a pool slide later.
- It is important to plan where the slide will go.
- There needs to be enough space on your patio for the slide.
- You can choose from a variety of slide models.
4 Aspects to Consider When Buying a Pool Slide
1. Is it possible to add pool slides later
A budget-conscious buyer of an inground pool quickly discovers that certain things have to be purchased now, while others can be added later. The good news is that pool slides can be easily installed in the future with a little planning.
Here are some tips for planning your future slide:
- Make sure there is enough space on the patio
- For future use, ensure that a water source is roughed in and capped.
A pool slide uses water from the pool, so have your contractor install another plumbing line from the filter system to the slide location.
It is important to choose your slide ahead of time if possible, as different slides require different pipe stub-up locations beside the pool.
2. Location of the slide is important
Put your slide in front of the main entertaining area. There are two obvious reasons for this.
When your slide is running, water falls from the slide into the pool, so it is both a slide and a water feature at the same time.
Second, to see the children’s (of all ages) excitement as they shoot into the pool. I find both of these more exciting than staring at a slide’s back!
For convenience, it is nice if there is an exit point like a step, bench seat, or ladder pool relatively close to the slide.
A majority of pool slides enter the pool along one of the sides and are located at the deep end of the pool. Residential pool slides almost never enter the pool at the end.
3. Make Sure Your Pool Slide Has Enough Patio Space
Most slides require at least 7′ by 15′ of space. If there isn’t enough patio around the slide, you have to walk around the pool deck or duck under the slide to get to the other side.
Despite needing plenty of patio, placing the slide in the middle of a large gathering area usually makes for a crowded place.
In addition to bumping out the concrete to go around the slide, you can also widen the entire side of the patio where your slide is located.
4. There are a variety of slide models available
Swimming pool slides have really grown in popularity over the past decade. The residential pool slides of 15 years ago were either white or blue. It is now possible to choose from dozens of different models…and they are all awesome!
