Lap pools are fast becoming a popular, stylish addition to Queensland homes. Designed for swimming laps, the long narrow shape of lap pools is ideal for smaller spaces and rugged terrain, giving your whole family a convenient way to exercise, relax, and cool off at home.
A tastefully designed home lap pool transforms your back or side yard into a stunning space, enabling you to entertain with confidence, but work-out, play, and chill in privacy. In this short article, we will explore:
What a lap pool is
A lap pool is quite similar to a large traditional swimming pool except that it is narrower, making it ideal for smaller spaces.
Lap pools were pioneered in California in the 1970s and quickly spread throughout the world because of their convenience and the elegance they add to any home.
The opposite of a plunge pool, a backyard lap pool is designed for swimming laps in or doing water exercises. Lap pools are ideal for elderly or disabled people to exercise because they are shallow enough to stand in. And the bottom has no abrupt slope like a traditional swimming pool has.
Sizes of pre-made fibreglass lap pools range from 10 to 30 metres. If you need a shorter pool, plunge pools are a different type of pool that range in size from 3.8 to 6.0 metres.
Pool builders can install lap pools in-ground, above-ground or partially in-ground, making them easy to adapt to any space or terrain, unlike swimming pools that need a large, flat area.
You can incorporate any outdoor landscaping ideas you have into the area around a lap pool, building a highly personalized space. Adding features and accessories quickly turn a pre-made fibreglass lap pool into a unique creation specially designed for your individual situation.
Keeping fit becomes easy and enjoyable when you have a private space for your morning plunge or evening stress-busting swim.
Lap pools versus traditional swimming pools
The main difference between a lap pool and a traditional swimming pool is the size. A regular swimming pool requires a large area, while a lap pool will fit into a long narrow space, making it ideal for shallow backyards and narrow side yards.
In-ground lap pools are slightly less expensive to install than larger traditional swimming pools. Above ground lap pools can cost significantly less than conventional pools, depending on the type of deck area you choose for the area around your above ground pool.
Lap pools owners enjoy considerable savings in long-term operational expenses because much less water needs to be treated and heated.
Lap pools have a uniform depth of about 1.5 m for their entire length, so there is no mid-pool slope to contend with. This feature makes it easy and safe for elderly or disabled people to do low-impact water exercises to maintain their health.
Why choose a fibreglass lap pool
Fibreglass pools are slightly less expensive than concrete pools to install, and they are much quicker to put in. You can get a fibreglass pool installed in just a few days. A concrete pool usually takes months of construction work.
Fibreglass pools require a lot less maintenance. Concrete pools need acid washing, refinishing and consume more energy. You can expect to spend $20,000 above maintenance costs for a fibreglass pool to maintain a concrete pool over a ten year period.
Fibreglass pools with ceramic core technology can be self-cleaning because bacteria and algae don’t stick to the surface. Concrete pools need regular cleaning service because concrete is porous, giving microorganisms hiding places. You need fewer chemicals to keep the fibreglass pool clean, and less maintenance time is required.
Lap pool designs
The only area where concrete pools have a real advantage over fibreglass is in design. They can be nearly any shape, while fibreglass pools are limited to pre-made shells.
But everything else about a fibreglass pool is customizable. You choose the mix of pool colour and surrounding tile colours, water features, pool height, landscaping and accessories. You can readily get a unique look that’s totally unlike any other pool.
Your lap pool can have a bridge, a fountain or a waterfall. A stone wall or boulders add a natural look, or you can go for a sleek and ultra-modern design.
Water curtains and waterfalls give an alive feeling and add a pleasant sound. One intriguing design option is to have your lap pool part indoors and part outdoors so that you can swim in or out of your home!
Well-designed Compass Pool fibreglass shells that are ready to install come in a wide variety of widths and lengths. Many lap pool sizes are available to fit any space.
Fastlane Custom Pools are 10.34m long x 2.78m wide and can be up to 30 m long. The attractive Vogue and X-Trainer models are wider (4.2 meters wide) and include steps and bench seats but come in lengths above 10m so can be great for swimming laps if you have more space in your backyard.
Please view all of our stylish lap pool designs.
Pool colours
You can choose between Compass Pools’ premium Bi-Luminous colour range that gives your pool a stunning sparkle or the Vivid range, which offers a wide selection of popular and vibrant colours at a more affordable price.
Bi-Luminous colours not only give your pool an incredible glow, but they also protect it with an added layer of high-quality vinyl ester resin. This double layer finish ensures that your pool will maintain it’s incredible colours for many years. The underlying fibreglass shell also has added protection.
Lap pool installation
Once you’ve chosen a pool design, planned the landscaping, and have the necessary permits, installing your lap pool usually requires pool builders about ten days. Fibreglass pool installation is easy and straight forward if you have a flat backyard and sufficient access space to get the prebuilt fibreglass shell into the yard.
You may choose to design an above ground pool installation or a partially inground installation to meet landscaping ideas or rugged terrain features —like a sloping backyard. Compass Pools offers a unique, well-tested solution that may be less expensive than earthworks, retaining walls, or concrete with their innovative Maxi-Rib technology.
Maxi-Rib enables fibreglass above ground lap pools to be installed nearly anywhere. Ribs added to the outside of the fibreglass shell give it the structural strength and integrity to allow installation in virtually any location so that you can express your design ideas freely.
You’ll find a more complete discussion of factors influencing swimming pool installation here.
Lap pool accessories
A swim in your lap pool becomes even more enjoyable when you have these accessories, which are designed to add to the pool’s beauty and make life more enjoyable. Your pool builder will install them.
Underwater lighting makes swimming at night safer. The light shimmering underwater makes your yard striking and seem bigger.
Disappearing edges (Infinity Pool) create a stunning, romantic effect for lap pools installed on sloping ground or a rooftop. Your lap pool becomes part of the landscape, making you feel like you’re floating, suspended in space.
A pool spa is lovely for relaxing after a hard day or while you watch the kids play. The combination of hot water and hydrotherapy waterjets releases stress and relaxes anyone, ensuring a good night’s sleep. A pool and spa combination creates the ideal backyard solution for both exercise and relaxation.
Water jets in your lap pool can be used for resistance to swim against or for hydrotherapy. They also help circulate pool water which keeps the pool clean and the temperature uniform.
The Vantage in-floor self cleaning system continuously circulates the pool’s water in the most efficient way. Water jets on the pool bottom channel debris to a drain where a pool pump sends them into an easily accessible filter for you to remove periodically.
Constant circulation eliminates uncomfortable cold areas and dead spots where algae and bacteria can grow. Self cleaning pools with a pool pump are easier to maintain, and you don’t need to pay out as much for pool cleaning services.
A wader pool installed next to your lap pool gives the kids a place to play and splash about.
Sunpods are a perfect way to join a wader or spa to your lap pool for an impressive visual effect. Sunpods are also a favourite feature for kids. They love playing in the bubbling water jets. Your sunpod can be any size and located on any side of your lap pool. Sunpods even wrap around corners!
Even though Bowen and Rockhampton are in Australia’s tropical zone, mornings can be chilly during the winter months, making the addition of a lap pool heater a comfort.
You may be wondering about the cost of your dream accessory. Please call us for a free, no-obligation talk so our knowledgeable staff can answer all your questions and help you —0401 871 192.
Lap pool prices
The price of lap pools varies so much depending on size, design, accessories, terrain, and ease of access and installing one that it’s best to call an expert at Smart Self Cleaning Pools to get a free quote. Lap pool cost may be less than you think.
Our friendly, helpful mobile consultants are happy to visit any location in the Bowen to Rockhampton area to assist you with everything you need to know. You’ll quickly arrive at the best possible swimming pool construction solution for your family’s home.
For questions and help, please call. The number is 0401 871 192.