If a stunning in-ground pool is the crown jewel of your dream backyard, you’re in good company. Many homeowners in the Capital Region of New York center their outdoor spaces around a pool, and for good reason. It’s the perfect place to gather, relax, recreate, and soak up the summer sun.

While there’s nothing wrong with a basic pool that embraces simple, functional design, personalizing your pool to fit your lifestyle is the best way to ensure you fall in love with it year after year. The good news is that these customizations don’t have to be extreme or unusual; they just have to work for you.

A pool tanning ledge is an excellent example of a small change with massive impact. Whether you’re enhancing your relaxation or entertaining good friends, an inground pool with a tanning ledge is the ultimate backyard addition, and we’re here to share all of the benefits with you.

Jump To:

The Benefits of a Pool Tanning Ledge
Is a Sun Ledge Pool Right for Your Lifestyle?
Designing Your Pool Patio Around a Tanning Ledge
Other Popular Pool Features to Pair with a Sun Ledge
Key Considerations When Planning an Inground Pool with a Tanning Ledge
Tanning Ledge Pool FAQs
Enjoy Your Backyard Pool Paradise with Professional Pool Design

Why Tanning Ledge Pools are Worth the Investment

Your backyard pool dresses up your landscaping, facilitates endless fun, and transforms your home into a tropical oasis during the summer months. Perhaps its most valuable attribute, however, is the relaxation it offers every time you step outside.

A sun ledge pool elevates this characteristic by giving you a built-in area to lounge amid the cool water of the pool. These shelves, which tend to run along the edge of a pool, are eight to 12 inches deep and approximately five feet wide, giving you ample space to place pool-friendly furniture in the refreshing water.

Unlike steps, pool ledges are intended to be used for sitting, lounging, and playing. They are not a purely functional way of accessing the pool, but a feature designed to be enjoyed.

The Benefits of a Pool Tanning Ledge

A ledge pool may sound interesting to you; it may even pique your interest and spark your creativity as you daydream about your ideal backyard, but what are the tangible benefits of upgrading your pool with a ledge?

As it turns out, there are many advantages to opting for a pool with a tanning ledge. In fact, we’d go as far as to say that it is one of the most practical, versatile additions any pool can include. If you’re on the edge (pun intended), here are a few key benefits of pool tanning ledges that might make you commit and dive right in.

• Lounging. One of the best features of pool ledges is that they can be made wide enough to support pool lounge chairs. Talk about relaxing in luxury!
• Safe play. Imagine keeping an eye on your kids as they splash around in shallow water. A ledge pool allows them to play in comfort and safety.
• Socializing. Pool tanning ledges act as the perfect place to hang out and socialize. Whether you’re cooling off with friends on a hot day or sipping a drink with your loved ones as the sun sets, elevating your pool with a sun ledge makes for an idyllic area to spend time.
• Resale value. Ledge pools are desirable. If you ever sell your home, having this pool upgrade already completed can increase your property value and serve as a motivating factor for a buyer.

Is a Sun Ledge Pool Right for Your Lifestyle?

Pool ledges are quite versatile, making them a good fit for a variety of homeowners. However, you should still think critically about your lifestyle and preferences before choosing to add one to your backyard pool.

The best way to determine if an inground pool with a tanning ledge is right for you and your family is to consider how you tend to use your outdoor areas. If adding a ledge to your pool would create value for you and improve your pool experience, it is likely worth the investment.

With your own lifestyle in mind, consider the following archetypes that would likely appreciate a ledge pool.

• Families with children. Pool ledges serve two purposes for families with children. First, they allow children to play in the safety of shallow water. Second, they give adults an area to relax in close proximity, allowing them to keep a watchful eye on their kids. Both of these benefits are compelling reasons for families to invest in a ledge pool.
• Social hosts. Extending your pool patio by incorporating a tanning ledge is perfect for people who love to entertain. Set up pool lounge chairs in the water, offer guests a reprieve from the heat, and take your social mingling to the next level.
• Sunbathers. Imagine sunbathing while simultaneously enjoying the refreshing waters of your pool. There’s a reason why pool ledges are often called tanning ledges, and if you love to sunbathe, you’ll be glad you invested in a sun ledge for your pool.
• Summer lovers. If you like to spend hours outdoors in the summer, we’re right there with you. Basking in the sun, reading a book, and dipping your toes in the pool is as close to paradise as it gets, and a pool tanning ledge elevates that experience to perfection.

Designing Your Pool Patio Around a Tanning Ledge

One stellar feature alone is not enough to craft a backyard oasis. As revolutionary as a tanning ledge may be, the rest of your pool patio must complement it.

Thankfully, comprehensive pool design accounts for everything from landscaping to lighting. To fully appreciate and enjoy your ledge pool, you should carefully consider and select your pool patio materials, shade structures, lighting installation, and the overall functionality and foot traffic the area will experience.

Working with a professional pool design team is the best way to sort through the many options available to you, match them to your aesthetic preferences and pre-existing property, and ensure they all work together to enhance your backyard’s appeal and functionality.

Other Popular Pool Features to Pair with a Sun Ledge

There’s no doubt that a ledge can completely transform your pool, both aesthetically and practically. However, you should consider adding complementary pool features to further elevate your space and improve your experience.

Bubblers, umbrellas, and integrated lighting are three of the most effective ways to take your pool ledge up a notch. They add visual intrigue, peaceful ambient noise, pleasant shade, and late-night functionality. When incorporated correctly, these additional features can turn your backyard into a serene escape reminiscent of a high-end resort.

Key Considerations When Planning an Inground Pool with a Tanning Ledge

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of planning your dream backyard, especially when it comes to the pool. As exhilarating as the process and potential are, it’s important to slow down and consider the technical side of planning a tanning ledge pool.

Working with a professional to evaluate the space your project will need, how your budget will affect the process, and the layout and shape that best suits your lifestyle and property is essential. Thankfully, an experienced local pool design professional can navigate those things alongside you, ensuring that your dream backyard remains attainable.

Tanning Ledge Pool FAQs

How deep is a pool tanning ledge?

There is some flexibility when it comes to the depth of your pool ledge. The most common depth range is eight to 12 inches.

What’s the difference between a pool patio and a tanning ledge?

Generally speaking, the pool patio is the area surrounding the pool itself. A tanning ledge, on the other hand, is submerged in the pool water, giving you a shallow shelf to use for lounging, playing, and other activities.

Can you place lounge chairs directly on a tanning ledge?

You can absolutely place pool lounge chairs directly on the ledge. This is one of the primary benefits of a pool ledge, so be sure to work with your design team to make the ledge wide enough for your furniture.

Are tanning ledges safe for young children and pets?

Yes, they are. In fact, many families opt for pool ledges specifically so their children can play in safe, shallow water within close proximity of adult supervision.

Can an existing inground pool be remodeled to include a tanning ledge?

It depends on a few variables, including the type of pool you have and the space available. Adding a tanning ledge to a concrete or gunite pool can be a relatively simple process, while fiberglass and vinyl pools typically demand more substantial (and expensive) changes.

Enjoy Your Backyard Pool Paradise with Professional Pool Design

A pool can elevate your home and lifestyle in a myriad of ways, often acting as the focal point of your entire outdoor space. For many homeowners, including a pool tanning ledge enhances their experience even further.

If you are considering adding a pool to your dream backyard, opting for professional pool design and installation in the Capital Region and cities such as Saratoga Springs, Albany, and Clifton Park is the best way to make your dream a reality.

Gallivan’s in-house teams of pool designers and installation experts have been helping Capital Region homeowners live their best lives for over 30 years, and we’d love to do the same for you. Simply fill out our consultation form to discuss your next landscaping project; our passionate professionals are ready to help!