How deep should your pool be
In a prefab pool, the depth is set by the height of the panels: 1.10 m or 1.50 m. The first suits families with young children and warms up faster; the second gives you room to swim, with more water.
Panels and water level
The panel height is the height of the wall, not of the water. In a skimmer pool the water level sits about 7 cm below the edge, so the water is about 1.0 m deep with 1.10 m panels and about 1.4 m with 1.50 m panels. In a pool with an overflow channel the water comes right up to the edge, so the depth is slightly greater.
The two depths compared
| 1.10 m panels | 1.50 m panels | |
|---|---|---|
| Water level with a skimmer | about 1.0 m | about 1.4 m |
| Adult standing | Water comes to about the waist | Water comes from the chest to the shoulders |
| Children | Older ones can often stand | Most cannot stand |
| Water for an 8×4 m pool | about 32 m³ | about 45 m³ |
| Warming up | Faster | Slower, more stable temperature |
| Excavation | Smaller | Larger |
Which depth for whom
Families with young children
With 1.10 m panels, parents can stand comfortably everywhere and hold a child in their arms, while older children play more comfortably, always under supervision. It is the usual choice for a family pool.
Swimming and exercise
Both depths are fine for laps, but with 1.4 m of water swimming is more comfortable and turning at the ends is easier. See the pool for swimming.
Relaxing and cooling off
If the pool will mainly be for cooling off and chatting in the water, 1.10 m is enough and keeps down the volume that has to be filtered, heated and disinfected.
Mixed use
If the household has both young children and adults who swim, weigh up who will use it most over the coming years. Children grow fast, and a depth that seems too deep today may be just right in a few summers.
Volume, heating and the 1.5 m limit
Every centimetre of depth is multiplied by the whole surface area. In an 8×4 m pool, the difference between the two depths is about 13 m³ of water, which needs filling, chemicals and energy to heat. If you plan to extend the season with pool heating, the smaller volume comes up to temperature faster.
The taller panel, 1.50 m, matches the maximum depth allowed under the small-scale works approval. A greater depth would mean a building permit.
Why it is not a diving pool
Head-first dives and diving boards need a much greater depth than a home pool has. In a pool with 1.10 or 1.50 m panels, simple rules apply:
- get in feet first or by the ladder, never head first,
- no jumping from ledges, decks or other high points,
- no running or pushing on the paving around the water,
- an adult always watches the water when children are swimming.
These rules are worth telling every guest and putting on a sign by the water, as we explain in pool safety for children.
Questions
Which depth should I choose for primary-school children?
With 1.10 m panels the water is about 1 m deep, so older primary-school children can usually stand, while younger ones need an adult beside them. At any depth, supervision is essential.
Can a prefab pool be deeper than 1.5 m?
The panels are 1.10 m or 1.50 m, and their height sets the depth. 1.50 m is also the maximum depth for the small-scale works approval.
See also
Family pool
A family pool for 4–6 people: what size you need, why a 1.10 m depth is preferred, where the steps go and how…
Pool for swimming
A pool for swimming and exercise at home: why length matters, why 12×4 m stays under 50 m², 1.50 m depth, and…
Pool sizes
Prefab pool size chart from 4×3 to 12×6 m: surface area, water volume with 1.10 or 1.50 m panels, and when a…