What Is a Beach-Entry Pool?

Imagine your backyard transformed into a true outdoor oasis. What do you see? Perhaps palm trees, a gorgeous pergola… now imagine a beach back there. Obviously, unless you live in a house on the coast, it’s impossible to walk into your backyard and see a beach. Bummer, I know. Enter beach entry pools. 

Maybe you’ve heard these called zero-entry pools before. The basic idea is a pool that replicates the look and feel of walking into a beach, gradually sloping the further you walk in, before reaching steps that take you down to the open swim area. Beach entry pools have been around for a while now. For years, if you wanted a beach entry pool, your only option was a concrete/gunite pool, but thanks to our very own fiberglass pool manufacturer of choice, Thursday Pools, fiberglass beach-entry pools have joined the party.

Beach-entry pools are one of the most visually appealing inground pool designs on the market, and if you’re thinking about purchasing one, we want you to be educated on what they feature and some important pros and cons to be aware of. 

 

Concrete Beach-Entry Pools

Concrete beach-entry pools have been around for a while now and can be built in a variety of shapes, sizes, and designs. The nature of vinyl liner pools requires water to weigh the liner down, so beach-entry pools have never been ideal for vinyl liner pools, and concrete or gunite were the only options. 

Concrete pools are highly customizable, making these beach-entry pools fit for any size or shape. If you want a rectangle, oval, or kidney-shaped beach entry pool, then concrete might be the way to go for you. These pools are also available in a wide variety of colors, one of which is sand-colored plaster, to create a legitimate beach look. Sand and stone can also be applied to concrete beach-entry pools to add a greater natural aesthetic. A beach-entry pool is easily accessible for children, pets, and older folks. Some may want to tan in the shallow part of the slope; some may splash around and play there; some may swim out into the pool and do a few laps.

Putting a slope on a pool can create a few problems, though. To accommodate the slope, beach-entry concrete pools are usually on the larger side and recommended for big backyards. This also means there will be less swim space overall because of the space taken up by the slope. You can do laps, but they might be smaller laps than you’re used to. A slope on a concrete pool can also cost an additional $8,000 – $10,000, depending on the size of the pool. 

 

Fiberglass Beach-Entry Pools

Beach-entry pools were a rare commodity for a long time. In 2018, however, Thursday Pools patented and launched the first beach-entry fiberglass pool designs: the grace beach-entry and the sandal beach entry. These fiberglass pools are the closest thing to a true beach-entry pool design you will find in a non-concrete pool.

We here at Royal Pools G2 Outdoor Designs have installed these pools and can confirm the luxury and accessibility they bring to any backyard design. These pools can be installed and swim-ready quickly, roughly 3-4 weeks, like any fiberglass pool. Fiberglass pools also boast an array of colors like blue, white, sand, gray, etc. They can blend with any backyard design and will last for decades. Beach-entry fiberglass pools can also be fitted with an automatic cover to keep debris and excess water from slipping into the pool. 

 

Pros and Cons of Beach-Entry Pools

We talked a little bit about some of the benefits as well as the drawbacks of purchasing a beach-entry pool above. Below is a longer list of those pros and cons.

 

Pros

• Beautiful aesthetic
• Concrete beach-entry pools are highly customizable
• Easily accessible
• Depths and swim space for children, adults, and elderly alike

 

Cons

• Less swim space due to the slope
• Cannot fit in smaller backyards
• Not available with vinyl liner
• High costs due to beach-entry design
• Concrete slopes can be rough for tanning and playing. 

 

Closing Thoughts

With beach-entry pools, it comes down to the aesthetic. The look and feel that these types of pools bring are unlike anything else. That’s not to say they don’t have their problems, which you are now aware of. 

Beach-entry pools have been around for many years and have only recently been revolutionized with beach-entry fiberglass pools. Thursday Pools is currently the only manufacturer of beach-entry fiberglass pools. They knew that with how popular fiberglass pools had become over this century, it was past time there was a fiberglass beach-entry option. We here at RPG2 are certified Thursday installers and love putting these pools in and can’t wait to see what the next step in their evolution is. Check out the videos below to get a closer look at fiberglass pools.

Shaped Fiberglass swimming pool

Top 5 Benefits of Fiberglass Pools

Fiberglass Pool Overview: Thursday Pools “Sunday Pool”