Sand-coloured liner: a pool like a shallow sandy beach

What colour the water takes on

The beige floor warms the natural blue of the water and tilts it toward green. In the shallows you see a light, almost transparent greenish turquoise; in the deep end a denser blue-green, just like wading into the sea from a sandy beach. The effect is reminiscent of a lagoon and is one of the most natural looks a pool can have. To see how it compares with the rest, take a look at the liner colours.

Afternoon light, which is more yellow, strengthens the warm tone and gives the water golden glints. On cloudy days, green wins over blue. As for water temperature, sand is a mid tone, so it absorbs slightly more sun than white, but without the difference you get with dark colours; it is not a reason to choose it either way.

Homes and gardens it suits

• Stone houses, country homes and farmhouses with timber and clay roof tiles.
• Mediterranean-style gardens with olive trees, herbs, dry-stone walls and gravel.
• Paving in beige or yellowish stone, travertine and ceramic tiles in earthy tones.
• Plots outside town, where the pool should look like part of the landscape rather than something added on.

When the paving around the pool is the same tone as the liner, the line between pool and yard softens. If you want more contrast, a very light coping makes the water stand out, while a dark timber deck gives a warmer, rustic feel. You'll find planting ideas in plants around the pool and material ideas in paving around the pool.

Dust, sand and leaves

This is its practical strength. Dust blown in by the wind or from nearby fields, sand carried in on feet after the beach, and Saharan dust are almost the same shade as the floor and stay invisible for days. For a holiday home left unattended between visits, that means a pool that looks well kept even when it isn't perfect. See also how remote pool maintenance is organized.

Dark leaves, pine cones and insects show up as usual, so the leaf net and the cover are still essential. The waterline gets dirty as on any liner, although the yellowish sunscreen line stands out less against beige.

The one trap: yellow algae

Whatever hides dust also hides yellow algae, which settle in shady spots and corners like a fine yellowish powder. On a beige floor they easily pass for sand. Two simple rules protect you:

1. If the "sand" lifts easily with the brush but comes back within a few days in the same shady spots, suspect algae.
2. Test chlorine and pH regularly instead of judging the pool by its looks alone.

The same goes for the fine silt left behind by dusty rain: you can't see it on a beige floor, but it consumes chlorine and gradually clouds the water. After rain like that, vacuum the floor and run a test, even if the pool looks clean.

How to identify and treat them, with brushing that is gentle on the liner, is covered in algae in the pool.

In this shade we install, for example, the Haogenplast liners StoneTile Golden, StoneFlex Sand, Larch Nature, Matrix Dune, 3D-Uni Sand 3152, Classic Sand 3152. Every range and colour is on the Haogenplast liners page.

Questions

See also