What is a grass surround pool? The old saying goes that the grass is always greener on the other side. However, for some pool owners, there’s an easy solution to this issue – simply swim to the other side.
We’re talking about the people who have grass around their swimming pools. A grass-surround pool is a quite minimalistic alternative to a conventional pool deck made of wood, concrete, or brick. And in contrast to other fancy pool functions, it’s much more cost-effective than the standard options.
Surely, a grass pool deck also has its disadvantages. Below is a summary of the benefits and drawbacks of a grass-edge pool.
Benefits
To begin with, we highlighted the major reasons why you may wish to choose a grass-surround pool.
Elegant design. It’s safe to say that the majority of people who prefer grass-edge pools are drawn by their stylishness and aesthetics. An elegant pool surrounded by a well-groomed lawn is the definition of attraction.
The economy of space. The U.S. adore their perfect lawns. You will be glad to know that you can save more of it by switching to the pool deck.
Pleasant to the touch. In contrast to the common pool deck, the grass is gentle and doesn’t become too hot in the sunshine. Moreover, the grass is a natural anti-slip surface, which turns it into a safer alternative to the deck materials that turn slippery when wet.
More cost-effective than alternatives. A pool deck is considered one of the costliest elements of a pool project and can become particularly expensive if you opt for high-quality materials like travertine. For comparison, the price of maintaining grass around your pool is low.
Drawbacks
Harder maintenance of the pool. If there is no buffer strip between the water and the lawn, this kind of pool is like a catnip to dirt, mud, and other trash. So, keep in mind that a grass-surround pool usually needs more maintenance and cleaning than one with a standard pool deck.
Chemical pollution of the lawn. What’s the use of owning a grass-surround pool if your lawn doesn’t look healthy and well-groomed? Unluckily, the fertilizer and weed poison used for keeping your backyard clean can easily penetrate into the pool. It can decolorize the water and might even be a threat to the owners’ health.
Additional lawn care. The popple and additional traffic around a pool can be tough on grass, calling for routine turf replacement, or simply additional TLC to maintain the good appearance of the things. Moreover, remember that by renouncing a conventional pool deck, you’re also refusing from one of its main advantages for a busy householder – less grass cutting.
Alternatives grass surround pool
Surely, speaking of inground pool design, there’s are more than one way to make something. Apart from weighing the above-mentioned advantages and disadvantages, you might want to consider some twists on the grass-surround concept. Below are a few of the most common ideas.
Fake grass
The easiest way to solve some of the above-mentioned problems is to use artificial grass. In comparison with actual grass, fake grass doesn’t require maintenance and won’t lead to excess garbage in the pool. Speaking of the disadvantages, it’s quite costly to install and may get too hot on sunny days.
Some are satisfied only with real grass. Nevertheless, fake grass has some unconditional advantages, including that it usually looks amazing.
It may seem to you that fake grass also loses out in terms of exterior. Nevertheless, synthetic grass has improved a lot over recent years, so now it can pass as the real grass even to the most sophisticated clients. It looks perfect all year round.
Partial deck
An alternative is to build a conventional pool deck around part of the pool and leave the rest of the pool grassy. In this design, the pool deck usually connects to the house, permitting the owners to use the pool without stepping on the lawn. It maintains the swimming pool and the grass in top shape.
Thanks to this style of pool, you can take full advantage of having a pool deck without renouncing too much space in your backyard.
Although it has many advantages, this trade-off might not attract those who prefer grass-edge pools due to their minimalist design. To be certain, there’s a space for creativity with a partial approach. Nevertheless, the final result will hardly have the same perfect and uncluttered look of a pool that’s fully surrounded by grass.
The glory of a grass-edge pool is indisputable. But as you can see in this article, there are many other factors to take into account than simply aesthetics when selecting a pool design. Who would have thought that the search for simplicity could end up so complex?