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—Design decisions

Choosing a cover for a new pool

Covers reduce debris, evaporation and temperature swings. Some must be planned into the pool’s design from the start.

Automatic slatted covers roll out over the water from a box built into the pool or deck. They suit rectangular pools, keep debris out and reduce evaporation, and can help hold temperature. Because the cover box is built into the structure, the decision must be made at design stage. Manual covers are simpler but need handling each time.

Design guides set out the choices that are hard to change once the shell is built.

Safety covers are designed to bear weight and form a barrier when closed. Solar covers — floating sheets — reduce evaporation and can gain some heat, useful in winter. Each type has different maintenance and storage needs. Choosing during design means fixings, cover boxes and power can be planned.

01Summary

What matters most here

  • Plan automatic covers early

    The box is built into the pool.

  • Reduce evaporation

    Covers save water.

  • Help temperature

    Hold heat in winter, reduce gain in summer when shaded.

02Detail

Cover types

  • Automatic slatted covers

    Motorised slats that float over the water.

  • Manual roller covers

    Rolled on a reel at the pool edge.

  • Safety covers

    Designed to bear weight when closed.

  • Solar covers

    Floating sheets that reduce evaporation and gain heat.

03Before you start

During design

  • Choose the cover type

    Before the shell is built.

  • Plan power

    For automatic covers.

  • Allow storage

    For manual or solar covers.

—In practice

How to use this

Decide on the cover type at the design stage, especially for automatic slatted covers that need a box built into the pool or deck. Compare options on how they suit the pool’s shape, their safety, how much they reduce evaporation and heat change, and how they are stored and operated, so the cover is used rather than left in its box.

Mistakes worth avoiding

Deciding after construction
Some covers need structural provision built into the shell or deck. Choosing afterwards may rule them out or mean costly changes.
Ignoring storage and handling
A manual cover with nowhere convenient to store it tends not to be used. Plan where it goes when the pool is in use.

04FAQ

Common questions about this

Do covers work on freeform pools?
Automatic covers suit rectangular pools; other types can be shaped.
Do covers keep the pool cool?
They reduce evaporation; their effect on temperature depends on type and sun.
Are covers a safety measure?
Only covers designed to bear weight; others are not safety devices.
Can a cover be added later?
Surface-mounted covers can; built-in boxes need structural work.

05Read next

More pool guides on this

Filed under new pool construction. Every pool guide is listed on the pool guides page.

—NEXT

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