How to Keep a Poolside Patio Safe for Your Guests in Waunakee and McFarland, WI
Your backyard pool is going to be the center of fun, exercise, and relaxation throughout the warmer months. As always, safety is the first priority and since many pool-related accidents happen not in the pool itself but in the surrounding patio or pool deck, here’s how to keep a poolside patio safe for your guests in Waunakee and McFarland, WI.
Non-Slip, Permeable Pavers
The pavers used in your poolside patio make elegant additions to the pool and your outdoor living space. When someone exits the pool, they naturally carry a lot of water with them and it ends up wherever they go. Kids especially aren’t exactly known as the most restrained when it comes to playing around a pool, so slipping hazards from a wet pool surround can quickly become a serious risk. Using permeable pavers in your poolside patio will allow any excess water to seep into the ground instead of collecting on the surface, which means your patio will stay drier and safer. Combined with non-slip pavers, you have a winning combination.
A Baja Shelf
Along the same lines as reducing the amount of water that comes out of your pool, consider installing a pool with a baja shelf or consider adding one in your existing pool. The baja shelf allows a gradual entry and exit from the pool instead of a ladder or jumping up the side. At the top, you can install grates that allow the majority of the excess water to slide directly back into the pool. This gradual entry also offers a place for the little ones and the elderly to enjoy shallower water.
Security Fencing
Not all pools need security fencing; but if there are children or toddlers that frequent the pool area, security fencing is a must because kids move quickly and it only takes a second for tragedy to occur. Security fencing typically surrounds the immediate pool area - meaning absolutely no entry except through a gate, which can be kept locked.
Proper Lighting
The right amount of light around the pool is of paramount importance All areas of the poolside patio must be clearly lit to prevent tripping hazards. This can be achieved by placing lights in any retaining walls or planting areas so that they’re not glaring at eye level for those walking. Meanwhile, it’s also important to make sure that the pool itself is adequately light at night when people are present. Submersible lights should be installed beneath the surface of the pool so that everyone and everything that is inside the pool is fully visible at all times of the evening. This technique also creates mesmerizing shadows on hard surfaces as the light dances on rippling water.
Plantings
The greenery installed around your pool does more than just look nice. It helps prevent kids running and doing other activities too close to the edge of the pool. Allow a small amount of space near the edge for sitting and climbing out of the pool as necessary, but make sure that the main entry and exit are at one or two ends. In between, install plants that discourage rambunctious activities so that the area stays relatively docile.
Shade
The combination of sun and water can be exhausting. Make sure that your pool area has a permanent shade structure: safer than pool umbrellas which can be blown over by the wind, a pergola or a pavilion also creates a sense of shelter and coziness which can turn your pool deck into a multi-season hangout, even after the pool has been closed up for the season.
Related:Must-Have Amenities by the Pool: What Your New Patio Needs in Madison and McFarland, WI
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With over two decades in business and maintaining an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau the entire time, Proscapes LLC is a leading landscape company in the Madison, WI, area. As a Unilock Authorized Contractor, we are recognized as the best-of-the-best in our craft—earning numerous awards along the way.