Thinking about adding a slide to your backyard pool? They can be fun for the whole family!
Here at River Pools, we want to help you create the backyard of your dreams while also staying within budget. We're big fans of pool slides, and we go by these guidelines:
When buying an inground pool and trying to work within a budget, you quickly discover that there are things that must be purchased now and things that can be added later. Luckily, with a little planning, pool slides can be effortlessly installed any time in the future.
Here's how to plan for your future slide:
Pool slides use water from the pool, so have your contractor simply install another plumbing line from the filter system to the future slide location.
Note: Different slides require different pipe stub-up locations beside the pool, so try to choose your slide ahead of time if possible.
Try to position your slide so it is facing your primary congregating area. This is for two obvious reasons.
First, while your slide is running, water cascades down from the slide into the pool so you not only have a slide but it also serves as a water feature.
Second, so you can see the excitement on the kids' (of all ages) faces as they shoot into the pool. Both of these are a lot more fun than staring at the back of a slide!
It's also nice to have an exit point like a step, bench seat, or ladder pool relatively close to the slide for convenience.
Note: Many pool slides are installed at a deep end corner of the pool and enter the pool along the side. Residential pool slides almost never enter the pool at an end.
Most slides need a minimum area of 7'x15'. Without enough patio around the slide, access around the patio is cut off and you end up walking around the pool deck or ducking under the slide to get through to the other side.
Even though you need enough patio around the slide, placing it smack in the middle of a large congregating area usually makes for an awkward space.
You can "bump" the concrete out just to go around the slide or widen the entire side of the patio that your slide is on.
Over the past 10 years the pool slide industry has really blossomed. I remember 15 years ago you had two choices for residential pool slides: white or blue. Now there are probably a dozen different models to choose from...and they're really cool!
We predominantly carry slides by Inter-Fab and S. R. Smith. Both make excellent slides.
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At River Pools, we manufacture world-class fiberglass pools for customers across North America. If you're interested in buying a fiberglass pool for your home, you can browse our pool shapes, try out our pool pricing calculator, or request custom pricing using the button below.
Up Next:
5 Ways to Make Your Pool Project More Affordable
7 Pool Extras That Won't Break the Budget
Inground Pool Slides: Costs, Types, Safety
Editor's note: This blog article was updated on September 30, 2020.
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River Pools® manufactures fiberglass pool shells and does not install pools. Pools are installed by locally owned and operated dealers and franchisees. The relationship between the dealers and franchisees to River Pools® is that of an independent contractor. River Pools Franchising LLC (Franchising) provides independently owned and operated River Pool franchisees with the right to market the River Pools brand of pool shells as a franchisee. Franchising does not manufacture pool shells. Due to the unprecedented and historic growth of the River Pools brand, this website contains an abundance of information that has been created over the last decade. Some of the content on this site may reflect prices, perspectives, processes, entities, and names that were relevant at the time but may not be as relevant today.
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