The 3 Best Ways to Shade an Outdoor Pool

One of the great benefits of living in Australia is the amount of sunshine the country experiences in the summer months. Of course, many people want to spend as much time outdoors in the summertime as possible, but it's also important to have elements of shade so that you are protected from things like sunburn and even the development of skin cancer. Of course, covering up with hats and sunscreen is a good idea, but what about when you're in the pool?

If you're a pool manager, you have a responsibility to protect the health of the people using that pool. That does not end with on-site lifeguards and anti-slip materials but should also take into account sun exposure when using a pool. It is a very good idea for your pool to have a shaded element, but with so many options for pool shades in the marketplace, which is the best option for you?

Waterproof sails. An option that ticks all of the boxes is a waterproof sail. This is a sail that can be custom made to fit the size of your pool and created in whichever shape you want. Diamond- and triangle-shaped sails are often very popular with pool owners. This means that some portions of the pool will experience sun exposure but others will be shaded. You probably don't want to shade the whole area, or you might as well have an indoor pool instead. Waterproof sails are high enough in the air that people will not be tripping over them or accidentally pulling them down.

Pergola. Pergolas are often associated with patios, but there is no reason why a pergola can't also be constructed to partially shade a pool. One of the benefits of a pergola is that it looks high-end and luxurious, so if you want a shade solution for a pool located somewhere like an upscale golf club, this could be a great solution.

Umbrellas. If you are on a budget and you can't afford to construct something like a pergola, simply erecting umbrellas alongside a pool is a budget-friendly option that will cast a certain amount of shade on to a pool space. The benefits are that these are cheap and easy to install, and you could even use them as a short-term solution for a few months before you are due to have something more robust, like a shade sail, installed.