Sun Shelf Size

Feb 20, 2018
54
Crowley la
Pool Size
20000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Salt & Swim 3C
I am in the process of building a 18x36 cinder block pool with a vinyl liner. I have been planning on making the first step in the pool the sun shelf and make it the width of the pool. I have been planning on making it 6' x 18' and then building 2 steps across the width of the pool just past the sun shelf. Basically having 3 steps the sun shelf and then 2 more steps. Today while talking with my wife she is worried the 6' sun shelf is too long and will take up too much space in the pool, she was thinking of reducing it to 4' and then 2 or 3 steps down. We haven't started making the forms, but we are getting ready to. I would love to hear from anyone who may have a sun shelf to see if 4' works or is too small.

Thanks
 
I was thinking of making the shelf the width of the pool which is 18 feet wide and making the steps also go all the way across the 18 feet. My wife saw a picture that she liked, the idea was to put some chairs on it. We have been talking and are thinking of splitting the 18 feet and do a sun shelf 6 feet by 9 feet, which is half the width and building steps in the other 9 feet.
 
Remember steps and shelf will take up a lot of pool even two steps add more space. I’ll send you a pic of mine I did an oversized shelf and added bubblers and enough room to lounge on.
I would recommend a nice square on your desired corner preferably where you want to enter the pool and cut the steps in to the side
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Thanks, it was hard to see it while we were planning, but now that the walls are almost up, you are right it takes up more pool than we want to give up. I think we are leaning now to putting the shelf in the corner and making the steps next to the shelf. Your pool looks nice what is the size of your pool and the size of your shelf? Thanks
 
Pool measured 15x22x33
The shelf was large about 9x13 to fit the radius.
I would recommend to use like painters blue tape to square of a size put some chairs you want to use and determine size. Most are about 7x7 but it’s personal preference.
 
Ryan, we are doing something similar. My pool is 16' wide, and I wanted steps that go the entire 16' width.

My first step is 14" extending into the pool, water will be around 4" deep
My second "step/ledge" is 44 extending into the pool, water will be around 15" deep
My third step is 14" extending into the pool, water will be around 26" deep

From liner bead to top of first step is 8" (so step height 11.5" when including 3.5" coping). The next two are 11" each, and the last drop is 10".

Total of 6' extending into the pool. I moved my sun ledge to the second step because I wanted more than 3-4" of water. 15" water depth is perfect for one of those cheap $15 Adirondack chairs from Lowes/HD. You could also use a normal lounger and put some sort of leg extensions on if you wanted up out of the water some. Plus 15" depth is pretty good for a running start to jump into the shallow end and catch a ball that my kids thrown. LOL...this sums up my logic, which may be awful, but feels right for us.
 

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Ryan, we are doing something similar. My pool is 16' wide, and I wanted steps that go the entire 16' width.

My first step is 14" extending into the pool, water will be around 4" deep
My second "step/ledge" is 44 extending into the pool, water will be around 15" deep
My third step is 14" extending into the pool, water will be around 26" deep

From liner bead to top of first step is 8" (so step height 11.5" when including 3.5" coping). The next two are 11" each, and the last drop is 10".

Total of 6' extending into the pool. I moved my sun ledge to the second step because I wanted more than 3-4" of water. 15" water depth is perfect for one of those cheap $15 Adirondack chairs from Lowes/HD. You could also use a normal lounger and put some sort of leg extensions on if you wanted up out of the water some. Plus 15" depth is pretty good for a running start to jump into the shallow end and catch a ball that my kids thrown. LOL...this sums up my logic, which may be awful, but feels right for us.

We had thought about putting a step and then the sun shelf. What is the total length of your pool?

- - - Updated - - -

You can see pictures of my 11'x8' shelf here.

New Rectangular In Ground Build (in progress) Eastern PA

8' feels/looks very small to me!

Hope it helps.

You have a very nice pool.

- - - Updated - - -

Our sun shelf is 9 feet across. It looked like it would be too small when in the gunite stage, but it has room for two chairs, which is what we wanted.

View attachment 80412

Do you know the length? We are thinking of making ours 9 feet wide and 6 feet long into the pool. Thanks
 
Ours is 6x8. I lay out directly on it and I wish it was bigger - and I'm only 4'10"!! The way it is now, we can fit 3 people on it (no chairs) - which really isn't bad. But I think if it was 7x10, it would be perfect... 4 people with lots of headroom! In all honesty, I didn't realize I'd want it bigger until all was said and done. I love it nonetheless!!

20180613_141211.jpg
 
We spent the weekend at a place with a pool that just so happened to be 16x36 rectangle and it had a sun shelf that was 7x16, we liked the size of the shelf. We are building 18x36 and were planning 6x18 and I think that is what we are going to do. They had two small diagonal steps on one side. I think I will have our steps go across the pool under the sun shelf. We were excited to see the pool so close to what we are building. I was also suprised that it had 1 skimmer and 2 returns.
 

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