There are several important considerations you’ll likely be making as you design and install a new swimming pool on your property, and one of these is shape. Do you want a more traditional rectangle or square shape, or are you more interested in a curved design, also known as a freeform swimming pool?
At Packman’s Pools, we’re happy to provide a wide range of swimming pool planning, design and installation services for clients throughout Salt Lake City and other parts of Utah — including numerous pool shape templates and design options. What are some basic qualities of each of these swimming pool types to consider, and which is right for you? We’ll go over everything you need to know in this two-part blog series.
Rectangular Pool Basics
Whether in the form of a rectangle or square, the most traditional and classic swimming pool shape is likely what you envision when thinking about this backyard feature. These pools can come in several different sizes, from smaller options all the way up to larger lap-swimming designs if needed.
There are a wide range of features and qualities to consider for any rectangular pool, including:
- Purpose: Whether you’re more interested in a pool for swimming laps or for lounging and relaxing with family and friends, this can help to dictate size and other related factors.
- Size: How large do you want your rectangular pool to be? This will be determined by how much space you have available on your property as well as budget restrictions.
- Material: What material do you want your pool to be made out of? This is an important consideration because it will affect not only the overall look and feel of your backyard oasis but also maintenance requirements going forward. For instance, while fiberglass is a highly beneficial product for many pools, it offers some limitations on overall size due to the predetermined production process used for this material.
- Cost: Building a rectangular pool will likely be less expensive than some other options, such as freeform swimming pools.
Curved (Freeform) Pool Basics
On the flip side, an option some consider more “modern” is the curved or freeform swimming pool. These pools are exactly as they sound — rather than being confined to a rectangular or square shape, these pools can be customized to have any number of different curves, turns and shapes you can imagine.
There are a few major considerations for any such pool, such as the fact that per unit of material, they will take up significantly more overall space than a rectangular pool. As such, you’ll need to have a larger backyard to work with if this is the route you choose. Additionally, because of this increase in size and complexity, freeform pools will also generally be more expensive than their traditional counterparts.
In part two of our series, we’ll look at the pros and cons of each of these options, plus how to make your decision. For more on any of our swimming pool design or installation services in SLC or surrounding parts of Utah, speak to the team at Packman’s Pools today.