One of the most daunting tasks of starting a pool build is learning the pool lingo. Some terms are easily identified, and others are quite complicated.

That is why our team at Bask Pools & Outdoors has created this three-part series! It will shed light and provide you with an explanation of some of these confusing terms.

Let’s start at the beginning of the pool building process: design.

Our design and construction teams will be the first groups you meet with, so ensuring we are all “speaking the same language” makes the design process smooth and simple.

Bond Beam
A bond beam is a thick course of concrete that fills in the space along the top of the pool, all the way around the perimeter. It is at least a foot or wider and it is reinforced with rebar and other materials. The bond beam creates a barrier between the pool and the surrounding dirt.

Coping
Coping is the term used to identify the material used to cap the pool edge or shell wall. It is installed between the pool edge and the pool deck. Options available are poured-in-place concrete, precast concrete, tile, brick, and natural stone. Some options are better suited to certain soils than others, and the design specialists at Bask Pools & Outdoors can help you select coping that is both beautiful and best suited for your area.

Design-Build
The comprehensive design and construction swimming pool according to your desires and specifications is called the design-build. Our designer, Ali Pugh, helps develop this plan.

Electrical Design
The blueprint for the placement of all the electrical equipment that operates your pool is produced by your pool designer as part of your overall swimming pool design plan.

Fiberglass
A type of swimming pool that is known for being more algae-resistant than other types of swimming pools. Bask Pools & Outdoors does NOT offer fiberglass swimming pool installations, BUT we DO service and maintain them.

Filtration
You will choose what type of filtration system you would like installed in your pool during the swimming pool design process. Every pool has a filtration system to help keep it clear of debris.

The three most common types of pool filters are:

• DE filters
  • DE filters pump the water through a filter canister filled with DE, which has particles considerably finer than sand and with a structure better suited to capturing contaminants.
  • Many pool owners and pool maintenance workers, therefore, consider DE filters to be the best type for residential swimming pools.
• Sand filters
  • A sand filter holds 250 lbs or more of special filter sand. The pool water filters through the sand, which catches debris and small particulates, and sends clean water back into the pool.
  • Require a sand change every 3-5 years
• Cartridge filters
  • Cartridge filters trap contaminants by straining the water through paper-like materials

Grotto
A grotto is a special type of water feature that can be built into a pool. They are often constructed with artificial rock and are built to resemble a cove over a section of your pool to provide cover for shady relaxation. Many pool owners will up the ante and add a waterfall feature over the entrance of the grotto to highlight the space.

Gunite
A type of swimming pool that is known for its extremely durable rebar framework that holds up better long-term than other types of swimming pools. Most notably, gunite pools do not require the addition of a pool liner to support their foundation. Gunite allows for infinite shape possibilities and is the best choice for a custom pool. Because we are a design-build company we choose to ONLY install gunite pools in Lafayette, LA.

Heater
Heating is an important element of any pool system – not only for the comfort of swimmers but also for the benefit of your pool’s water balance. Discuss heating options for your pool with your swimming pool design specialist.

There are two types of heaters:

• Gas heater
  • They do heat water quickly, so if you don’t swim often and use the pump only occasionally, this could be a good choice

• Heat pump
  • Heat pump pool heaters cost more than gas pool heaters
  • Typically have much lower annual operating costs because of their higher efficiencies
  • With proper maintenance, heat pump pool heaters typically last longer than gas pool heaters

Infinity Pool
A type of pool specifically designed to appear as if they blend in with the natural landscape of the surrounding area.

Inground Pool
Any type of pool that is built into the ground, making it a permanent pool structure. Bask Pools & Outdoors specializes in inground gunite pool design and construction and does not offer above-ground pools in Lafayette, LA.

Landscape Architect
A landscape architect is educated in site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, stormwater management, sustainable design, construction specification, and ensuring that all plans meet the current building codes and local and federal ordinances. Our licensed landscape architect, Ali Pugh, brings her massive knowledge set to every job, ensuring your pool and outdoor space are beautiful and sustainable.

Pool Plumbing Design
The swimming pool plumbing design is a schematic showing all the equipment selected (swimming pool pump, filter, water disinfection, heating, etc.) and the way they are connected together. It is more comprehensive than a filtration diagram which only displays the filtration concept as it will also include pipe installation layouts.

Remodel or Renovation
Swimming pool remodeling refers to any significant work performed on an existing pool to modify, improve, or expand on its current design or construction. This may also be called renovating or updating the pool. Bask Pool & Outdoors offers design and construction plans for pool renovations and remodels.

Spa or hot tub
Spas, hot tubs, jacuzzis – three terms that all mean the same thing. They are small pools that are filled with hot, bubbling water. Flush spas are often built adjacent to a larger pool, though some pool owners opt for raised version.

Tanning Ledge
A tanning ledge is an addition to your swimming pool that consists of a raised platform or area within the water that is extremely shallow. This expansive shelf could be anywhere from just a few inches deep to over a foot deep. The idea is that you can sit in the water without having to swim or float. There are three options for tanning ledges:

• Open Edge
  • Tanning ledges inset in the pool itself, like a very large step jutting out into a section of the pool
  • An ideal setup for adults who want to sit in the water while they sunbathe
• Enclosed Shelf
  • A small, shallow pool that is separated from the rest of the pool by a low wall, much like an attached hot tub, with water shared with the pool through spillways.
  • An ideal setup for families with small children because the barrier between the tanning ledge and the rest of the pool can help prevent children from wandering into less safe areas.
  • Water features like fountains or jets are often added to enclosed tanning ledges to turn them into an attractive focal point when not in use by sunbathers.
• Sloping or Tiered
  • Ledges could also be sloped or tiered leading into deeper areas of the pool, but this is generally referred to as a beach entry style rather than a tanning ledge.

Underwater Lighting
Any lighting that is installed in the pool under the surface level. Underwater lighting can significantly enhance the appearance and swimming experience in a pool or even be used for therapeutic purposes.

Variable Speed Pump
A type of pump that runs at various speeds making it the most efficient kind of pool pump and the quietest. It also helps with maintenance and lowers the use of chemicals.

Water Features
Any features added to the design of a swimming pool that, while not necessary for the pool’s function, can enhance the swimming experience in the pool.

Our most frequently installed water features include:

• Jets
• Waterfalls
• Fountains
• Grottos 

Waterline Tile
Waterline tiles are porcelain or glass tiles mounted at the top of the pool below the coping following the perimeter of your pool to help prevent pollen, sunscreen, body oils, and other substances that enter the water from creating a yellow, scummy line at the pool’s waterline. In addition, waterline tile takes on the calcium deposits and minerals that build up around the perimeter of your pool due to hard water.

Waterline tiles also serve as a design element via color or surface texture. If you want a pool that is extra shiny and luminous when the sun reflects off the surface, glass mosaic tile is a better choice than porcelain tiles.

Zero Edge Pool
A type of pool design in which the level of the water is exactly level with that of the pool deck or yard.

If this terminology made your head spin, or if it upped the ante on your envy for a new pool, contact Bask Pools & Outdoors today by filling out our contact form or call us at (337) 243-4394 to schedule a consultation with our knowledgeable professionals. Whether you want an outdoor kitchen installation or swimming pool water features, we have the expertise and knowledge to provide you with the best outdoor spaces and pools in Lafayette, LA. 

Stay tuned for our next installment featuring terms pertaining to pool parts and structures!