Category: Fiberglass Pool Designs

How to Improve Your Backyard Style

You’re spending most of your time dreaming about opening up your swimming pool this summer, aren’t you? We know you are ready to open your pool for the season. But is your space and environment surrounding your swimming pool ready? Your backyard style can make a big difference in your backyard pool parties.

Now is when you should be taking the time to decide on how you want to style your backyard. We know it’s hard to decide on a design for your backyard style. We want to help you think about all the ways you can achieve any style in your backyard.

In our guide, we cover four different styles; caribbean, modern, rustic cottage, and whimsical. In each style, we cover how small touches work together to achieve the style.

For a caribbean style backyard, we explain how details like plants and the furniture can turn your backyard into a beach paradise. In a more modern style backyard, we advise paying close attention to the color scheme and accent details to complete a more clean and polished look. A rustic cottage look can be reached by creating cozy outdoor living spaces with vintage looking furniture. Achieve the whimsical style with unique and different pieces of furniture and lighting that create a soft look in your backyard.

No matter what style you are going for in you backyard, our Style Your Backyard Paradise Guide can help get you started. Be creative and don’t be afraid to try something different in your backyard this summer. Make sure to follow our Pinterest page for more style inspiration.

Fiberglass pool designs are packed full of fun built-in features. Each fiberglass pool design offers you different features and benefits. Here are some top features and why you might want to look for them when selecting a fiberglass pool design for your backyard swimming project.

1. Benches and Seats. In-pool benches and seats are an excellent way to enjoy your swimming pool. Benches bring a perfect conversation area into the pool. Most folks just want to chill when they hit the water; these offer a great way to do that. In fact, some of our customers have lovingly referred to them as their beverage bench. They enjoy winding down at the end of a long day with their favorite beverage in hand. Toddlers love to stand on them and waddle back and forth and try their chances at jumping into the deeper part of the pool. Benches and seats are generally down about 18”-22” from the top of the pool, so the water depth will be 14”-18”.
2. Multiple Points of Entry and Exits. Having multiple entries and exit points has several advantages. More design freedom with the pool and patio layout is one big advantage. If you can only access the pool at one corner, then that naturally limits the position that the pool can be in. Multiple entries and exits are also ideal for those who may tire quickly while swimming, like young kids and our furry friends who like to take a dip.
   
3. Tanning Ledge. Tanning ledges and sunshelves in fiberglass pools offer luxury living at its finest. If you are looking to bring home that resort vacation, tanning ledges are a great way to recreate that experience in your backyard. Tanning ledges can vary in depth, our standard for a tanning ledge is 12” from the top of the pool which equates to about  6”-8” of water depth. Outfit the tanning ledge with ledge loungers, and bubblers, grab your favorite beverage and enjoy!
   
4. Wading Area. When you are looking for a full body submersion or a great place for toddlers to splash and play, a fiberglass pool design with a nice wading area might be a feature you want to consider. Wading areas are similar to tanning ledges but offer more water depth. Water depth of a wading area is 14”-18” of water. Take a look at our new pool designs that offer wading areas that feature both a tanning ledge and a wading area.
5. Swim Lane. A swim lane is an unobstructed space in the pool that can be easily used to swim laps back and forth in the pool. While you may not be looking to join the swim team, you may find that you enjoy a few vigorous strokes to exert pent up stress and energy. You will certainly fill invigorated enough once you hit the water.

Congratulations on choosing to add a fiberglass inground pool to your backyard. You have made a wise investment in yourself and your family. Aside from the obvious health benefits, a swimming pool will bring you countless hours of stress free rest and quality family time. Memories made around a swimming pool last forever. At Thursday Pools we like to say we manufacture memories not just fiberglass pools. We are proud to build memory makers. Now, let’s see if we can help find the right Thursday pool for you to begin making memories.

The first thing you want to start with is size. Small, Medium, or Large? You can determine what size you need by asking yourself 3 basic questions:

1. What will fit in my backyard? Often setbacks, easements, and other restrictions will play a role in what size pool will work in your backyard.
2. How many people will be using this pool 90% of the time? And how will they be using it? Exercise, Fun, Relaxing, Lap Swimming??
3. What is my budget? Fiberglass pool pricing is very much affected by the size of the pool.

Once you have decided what size fiberglass pool fits your needs, you can move on to review the unique style and design features of each pool within that size category. I will review these features and benefits with you starting with our largest pools first. Feel free to skip through to whatever size category is right for you.

Large Rectangle Fiberglass Pools

We have a nice line up of large rectangle fiberglass pools. In this line, you will find the Goliath and Monolith fiberglass pool designs. These designs are perfect for those who like classic clean lines and want a fiberglass pool large enough to swim laps and regularly host their extended family and friends. I cover some great features of these large rectangle fiberglass pool designs below.

Features and Benefits of the Goliath Series designs:

1. Large shallow end benches provide ample seating but are strategically placed as to not take up a lot of swim area. Benches are set at a depth of 18” from the top of the pool, placing water depth at approximately 12”-14” from the seat.
2. Deep end benches and swim outs provide a seat on the opposite end of the pool and a swim out for children and our furry family members. It is important to have multiple exit points for children and dogs as they can tire easily while treading water in the deeper end of these pools.
3. Each pool is outfitted with a courtesy ledge around the deep end edge.
4. Size and depth can easily accommodate a properly installed slide.
5. Dual corner entries provide flexibility in the backyard layout and design of your inground pool.
6. Easily accommodates an automatic cover system.

Features and Benefits of the Monolith fiberglass pool design:

1. Type 1 Certified Diving Pool. With the correct diving board installation and use, this pool can provide for a safe dive.
2. The single corner entry provides a large flat bottom shallow end that is ideal for children and a hearty game of basketball. It also provides for a nice lane to swim laps.
3. The pool’s 15” warning slope separates the shallow end and deep end of the pool. This fiberglass pool should always have a safety line and float on the pool at all times to mark this separation.
4. This fiberglass pool also has deep-end bench seats and a courtesy ledge that extends around the deep end of the pool.
5. Easily accommodates an automatic cover system.

Large Free-Form Fiberglass Pools

In this category of large free-form fiberglass pools, we have our Wellspring Series.  The Wellspring fiberglass inground pool design is a bountiful source of happiness for the young and old. The large sun shelf and beautifully crafted benches are carefully placed to create an artful display of elegance. This design is perfect for those who picture themselves lounging in luxury while sipping on a beverage and for those who want a cool spot where they can safely watch their toddler splash and play.  Check out these wonderful features and benefits of this inground pool below.

Features and Benefits of the Wellspring Series:

1. The tanning shelf has a 12” depth leaving water depth at 6”-8”. This spot is perfect for a set of two ledge loungers and bubblers. It is also a perfect depth for toddlers to be able to splash and play in.
2. The wrap around benches follow the pool’s curves and provide adult seating in strategic places that allow for great conversations and comfort.
3. Its unique free-form design will grab attention and quickly make it the focal point of your backyard.
4. Its sheer size enables the pool to still have a large open swim area.

Medium Rectangle Fiberglass Pools

In our lineup of medium sized rectangle fiberglass pools, we have our Lil Bob, Spirit, and Infinity pool designs.  These classy pool designs are perfect for folks who are constrained by space but still want to be able to entertain extended family and friends. These medium sized fiberglass pools can still pack a large pool party punch. Here are some great features that you will love about these three inground pool designs.

Features and Benefits of the Lil Bob, Spirit, and Infinity pool designs:

1. These 4’6” one-depth flat bottom pools make 100% of the pool usable space. (Very few people hang out in the deep-end of an inground pool and tread water, most always they migrate to the shallow end.) It also makes for a great depth for water sports like volleyball and basketball.
2. Elongated benches grace both sides of these pools providing plenty of lounging areas for entertaining family and friends. Each bench runs 12’ down the length of the pool.
3. Easily accommodate an automatic cover system.

Medium Free-form Fiberglass Pools

Are you dreaming of something with a little more pizazz or character to its shape? Try these medium sized free-form fiberglass pools on for size: Titus, Pearl, Cathedral, and Oasis. Because these pools each have their own great design features I will break them out individually and share some of my favorite features of these beautiful inground pools.

1. Titus: The Titus is a classic figure eight shape. My favorite feature of this pool is what we refer to as the beverage bench in the deep-end of the pool. If you are looking for an inground pool with a little spunk that you can enjoy with a couple of friends and maybe do a little water aerobics, this may be the right inground pool for you. This pool is available in two sizes.
2. Pearl: This sea shell shaped jewel is an inground pool design that you won’t find anywhere else. It features the ultimate sun shelf and complete wrap around bench. This pool is perfect for adults looking to relax and unwind.
3. Cathedral: The roman shape of the Cathedral pool offers a timeless style without sacrificing swim area. The pool features beautiful benches on each end with a large open swim area.
4. Oasis: The Oasis design provides a less dramatic free-form shape that allows for plenty of open swim area but still delivers a nice cozy corner bench. This design is also available in two sizes.

Small Fiberglass Pools

We have two pools that fall in this category, the Sea Turtle and the small Titus fiberglass pool. If you are looking for a pool for just the two or few of you, these designs are the perfect patio pool and may hit the mark.

1. The Sea Turtle is a rectangle 10’ x 20’ design. It features a large wrap around bench and flat bottom 4’6” depth. It can easily accommodate a Badu® Swim Jet System and an automatic cover system.
2. The Titus is a figure eight shaped fiberglass pool that is 12’ x 26’. It features a nice deep-end bench, perfect for the two of you.

 

Regardless of where you are at in your pool planning process, choosing the right inground pool design for your backyard could become overwhelming. Sometimes having too many choices makes it even more overwhelming. Begin your process by asking and answering the basic questions we mentioned at the beginning. Answering these questions may help eliminate a clear majority of the inground pool designs that you are considering.  Once you have narrowed it down to two or three designs; review the 360 tours and product videos that we have of those pools. Lastly, be sure to consult your Independent Dealer for input, they will be a good resource and chances are they can offer you some feedback that perhaps you hadn’t even considered.

 

Thursday Pools strongly recommends that diving boards and slides not be installed or used with its pools, given the inherent dangers associated with diving boards and slides in residential pools.  These dangers include brain, spinal cord, and other severe permanent injuries, and death.  For that reason, Thursday Pools® does not manufacture or sell diving boards or slides.  If, despite this warning and recommendation, the owner decides to install or use a diving board or slide, the owner assumes all risks inherent with a diving board or slide, and River Pools® further warns that diving boards and slides require minimum depths and distances and must be installed and used in strict compliance with the equipment manufacturer’s specifications and ANSI/NSPI, ANSI/APSP, and ANSI/APSP/ICC standards, as well as in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.  The owner is responsible for making sure the pool is appropriate for diving boards and slides and otherwise meets all standards and laws for diving pools, and the owner must consult the diving board or slide manufacturer and/or installer as to the appropriateness of the pool for the diving board or slide and that its installation, location and use meet all standards and laws for diving and slide pools.

Your family just called, and you’ve been summoned. For what, you wonder? Other than working harder than usual and needing a vacation, nothing major has happened that would require you to immediately return home. But, wait. There is something, and it’s big – as in gigantic, and it’s guaranteed to make everyone happy. Best of all, it’s calling your name.

So you leave work and head home where you’re immediately greeted by your kids who have finally convinced you that it’s time to invest in a fiberglass pool, and the Goliath from Thursday Pools is what they’ve been seeking. Just as you’re being whisked away in thoughts of your own backyard paradise, questions start swirling inside your head.  Why this fiberglass pool over another? How much does it cost and how long will it take for installation? What are the benefits of this pool?

As your mind wanders and your heart races, you suddenly stop and say something to the effect of, “Now, kids. I want this as much as you do, but before we jump in too deep, we need to learn a little more.”

Although feeling defeated, they reluctantly agree.

Because we realize that there’s a delicate balance between pleasing your family and knowing you’ve made the right decision, we offer this blog post about the Goliath in hopes that it reassures you and the decision you’re making to invest in one of our most popular pools.

What is the Goliath?

The Thursday Pools’ Goliath series are large rectangular, fiberglass pool shells with one gradual expanse. Sizes will vary by length, but with three different options to choose from, there’s sure to be a size perfect for your backyard.

Why this pool over another?

Thursday Pools offers many sizes and types of fiberglass pools, but if size is important, you won’t regret investing in the Goliath. This open design provides plenty of swim area, a center swim lane and corner benches for lounging.  Add in that every Thursday Pool is designed with master craftsmanship and you can feel good about the investment. What’s more, by promoting efficient use of raw materials, all Thursday Pools will leave a small environmental footprint.

How much does a 16’ x 41’ Fiberglass Pool cost?

Although it’s difficult to provide an exact timeline and quote without seeing the installation site and factoring in specific equipment and accessories, it’s a good idea to consider the fiberglass pool length, and to figure that every foot will cost approximately $1,800. For instance, the Goliath fiberglass pool shell design of 16’ x 41’ will be around $73,800 for a basic installation package. Maintenance costs will also vary, but it’s important to know that upkeep and chemicals for a fiberglass pool are far less than the cost of maintaining and owning a concrete or vinyl pool. In the end, if saving money is important, a fiberglass pool is the right decision.

What are the Goliath features and benefits?

Beyond its size, craftsmanship, and eco-friendliness, the Thursday Pools Goliath fiberglass pool shell is made with advanced technologies and multiple layers of strength. The Goliath also features dual corner entry steps that accommodate most backyards, and the design easily accommodates an automatic safety cover. The elongated benches make for a great adult gathering spot without taking up too much swim space. The open center lane allows for the recreational swimmer to swim laps. The deep-end swim-outs and bench seats provide an alternate entry and exit point, perfect for younger children or your furry and four-legged family members.

The Thursday Pools Goliath fiberglass pool is a true mark of beauty, and with its added functionality, it will provide you and your family with many years of fun and happiness in your own backyard paradise. For more information about the Goliath fiberglass pool, or to learn more about Thursday Pools, find a local dealer today.