Swimming pools have become a staple recreational tool everywhere. They have evolved from their history as nothing but elaborate baths in the homes of the wealthy while the poor made use of any other available body of water. Getting into and out of these pools, however, has always been a consideration, both for their designers and for those using them. There also arose the need for areas within the pool where one could sit and draw enjoyment while surrounded by the water. This brought on the advent of swimming pool steps and ledges.
Since man learnt about the benefits of regular swimming as a form of exercise as well as entertainment, they strove to make it as accessible as possible. From there, swimming pools have become a common feature of homes and communities large and small.
Along with the increase in the prevalence of swimming pools, so have their designs. There are now swimming pools of all shapes and sizes in any place that you look. They range from straight, no-frills rectangular lap pools to elaborate, oddly shaped dip and plunge pools. The one thing all these pools have in common, however, is the need for access points and the way that they are incorporated into the design of the pool.
What is the difference between steps and ledges?
Steps are usually constructed to ease ingress into the pool via the shallower end. While they are commonly featured in one corner or the other, this is not a hard and fast rule for the construction of swimming pool steps. You can have steps that are specifically designed to complement the shape and overall look of your swimming pool, with their placement arranged at whatever point you feel is best.
Swimming pool ledges have become popular more recently and are more often used as ‘waypoints’ within the pool. These waypoints provide areas that can be used as tanning beds, resting stools or handholds. Ledges are installed in various parts of the pool depending both on the design needs of the owner as well as the practical needs of the ledges themselves. It is why one might observe a row of ledges right in the middle of the deep end of the pool, whereas others are constructed flush against a pool wall.
Keep in mind that steps and ledges do not necessarily have to be interchangeable. While you may choose to install one or the other, you can also have both, as long as you have the room. Based on their purposes, steps can always serve both uses, with their design being tweaked a little here and there to act as such. Ledges, on the other hand, can be installed in place of steps, although this is not commonly done.
Making the choice between one or both is best done at the design stage so that they are more seamlessly incorporated during the swimming pool construction process. The steps and ledges that you select can be an extension of the unique design of your inground pool. As long as you are working with swimming pool builders that are a cut above the rest, the steps and ledges in your pool will fit in so flawlessly as to feel and look like nothing but the most natural of features to have in your swimming pool.