Pool fencing is a necessary step for most people installing a pool or renovating one. The pool fence creates the barrier between the pool and the children who could unwittingly wander into it. As a homeowner, you have the responsibility to protect any children or animal who wander onto your property and a pool fence is a great way to do that.
Whenever you are considering fencing always check with your local, county and state regulations related to pool fencing. There will be stipulations regarding the height, materials, and various other dimensions related to making the fence difficult to climb.
These stipulations vary, but in most parts of the country, a 4 – 6 foot fence is mandated. For example, in Beverly Massachusetts, a town in which our staff has built many pools, a 4 foot fence. Whereas, in Phoenix Arizona, another place our staff has built pools, a 5 foot fence is required.
Different Ways To Create A Pool Fence
There are a few different ways you can fence the pool. Unlike other parts of pool construction, there is not a “right” way or a “wrong” way to build a pool fence. There are certain options that will work better based on your living situation and comfortability. Again, this is dependent on your local, county, and state code compliance.
Option 1: Only Fencing The Pool Itself
First, you can put a fence all the way around the pool and pool deck creating an independent fenced in destination for your pool. This is a popular solution for people with dogs. That way, they can let the dog into the backyard without worrying about the dog getting into the pool. Another benefit of this option is you’ll save money in fencing since you’re using less material.
Option 2: Fence The Entire Backyard
The next method would be to run the fence from the side of the house out around the pool and back to the other side of the house. This then would require either adding alarms to the back door and windows of the house, self closing mechanisms, or both depending on where you live. That option gives you direct access to the pool area from the house. It’s one of the most popular ways to fence in a pool.
Pool Fence Materials
The type of pool fencing, like many other factors, varies from location to location and norms vary by region. In Arizona it’s common to fence the property with concrete block fencing. Whereas, in Texas, and the northeast it’s more common to use wood or wood mimicking vinyl. In all of these locations a common fence type you’ll see is often referred to as “wrought iron”. In reality, it’s not really wrought iron but aluminum fencing which can be powder coated a number of colors. Most of the time you’ll see black.
Pool Fence Features
Whatever fence you, have you’ll need gates for access. Depending on your location you’ll have stipulations on what type of gate, but there are a few common features for most pool gates you’ll need to comply with. First, the gate must open away from the pool. In the instance your gate is not quite latched and a child walks up to the gate and pushes against it, you want the gate to push closed and latch, not open into the pool area.
The next safety feature your gate must have is self closing hinges. The gate must close on its own and latch on its own. The latch must be located 54” above the walking surface of the deck in most locations. If you have a solid gate, the latch can be lower but must be on the pool side of the gate. Again, with all of the particulars you must check with your local, county, and state regulations. Don’t commence or even start planning with any fence or gate construction, renovation, replacement or installation until then.
