I love my sunshelf and we use it all the time. My son plays on it and the bubbler fountain is also popular with the kids. I lay on it when I am out there watching the kids (or by myself relaxing). It is great when you have to watch the kids in the pool but you don't want to get all the way in and get completely submersed. It still keeps you cool in the warm weather and is better than just sitting on a chair watching the kids while you sweat your behind off. Ours is 6" deep and IMO I wouldn't do it any deeper. I know I keep mentioning kids, kids, kids, but this sunshelf was supposed to be MINE. I use it all the time with or without the kids in the pool.

Because of your pics, a bubbler has been a definite on the list for several months now. My son is 8 and I started thinking he'd prefer more swim space but when it comes right down to it, *I'd* enjoy the shelf.

I'm off to search for pics of your pool to refresh my memory of your shelf and bubbler.

Enjoy your day!

My son just turned 8, we do not have a sun shelf but wish we did, he plays on our stairs with his boats and pirate ship. Our pool job was a remodel so we didnt want to disrupt the integrity or add more cost to our pool project by adding the shelf...it was tempting! Part of me wishes we did, but it probably would have looked like we added it. I dont know how big to make it but it seems like from what I read many people love what they have. Good luck deciding.

I've never had a sun shelf, but I've had a pool for 14 years. My youngest son was 10 months old and my older son 3 years old when we moved into the house. We have three large steps and a 4' bench but the kids never even played on those. It was all about the swimming, jumping, diving.

If it were me, I would go for as much swimming space as possible. When they were younger I would either sit on a step or the bench, float on a floaty thing, or sit in the shade on the lanai.

Here is a picture of our sunshelf and bubbler. The bubbler can be adjusted and will shoot 20 feet into the air (like a geyser) if you let it, and believe me, DH has done it before. We were going to do the sunshelf in the "dune" color that Marbletite offered and then the rest of the pool in the finish we have, but last minute I changed my mind. I wanted the shape of the pool to flow with the rest of the perimeter and having the sunshelf in a different color would have looked as if I "cut off" that corner where my sunshelf is, giving the pool a smaller appearance (almost matching the deck rather than the pool). I like the way the different finish colors look on a beach entry more than on a sunshelf because a beach entry actually flows from the deck. That's just my opinion though and something to think about.

{{!gwi}}

We had a "lagoon" at our previous house. From the looks of it it's what everyone calls a sunshelf or baja shelf here. We loved it. It was a modified beach entry. We had to step down off the decking into the water but it was only 6" deep at the entry point. It sloped to 18" deep at the far side of the pool. At the time we had the pool built we had a newborn, a 2.5 year old, a 6 year old and a 9 year old. The two oldest liked to play shark and killer whale type games on the lagoon or they played in the deeper part of the pool. The 2.5 year old could play on the lagoon while I sat on the side w/ the baby. She actually taught herself to swim b4 her third bday b/c of the lagoon.
Adults loved this area to sit and chat and watch the kids swim. If we didn't want to get too wet we'd sit in the 6" area, or midway down. The guys usually liked sitting on the deepest edge or they'd put a chair in.
We've decided we want to do it again on the pool we're currently getting bids for. Now the kids are a bit older so it's more for me than anything.

We added a sunshelf, and although I think it looks great in our pool, it is rarely used. It is followed by some sweeping steps, which get used a lot. Though, I would have made them a little smaller too. The last one is a toe stubber. I thought that I would spend a lot of time on the sunshelf in a chair with my feet in the water. Unfortunately, every low chair that I can find rusts! I do occasionally lay there with a towel on the coping for my head.

Scapula and I have small backyard pools due to lot issues. With a larger yard and pool, a sunshelf makes more sense. I think that we should have used that part for more swimming area to make the most of what I had.

I find myself sitting on the next step down, so I think that a deeper shelf would have made a little more sense. I know some people in very hot areas like the Southwest like the deeper baja shelf. If we want to sit and socialize, we find ourselves in the spa, even if it isn't heated! The seats are great and it allows the adults to have a little area away from the kids...until they jump in too!

I do see grandkids in the distant future having a ball on the shelf. My kids loved my parents' pool steps. The first one was oversized and was perfect for them.

Here's some pictures that I took one morning. I was trying to get the reflection of the sunset, but the flash went off. I kept it because you can really see the shelf and spa. Look closely on the second and you can see my steps.

Good luck with your decisions!

We don't have children, so we don't need what seems to be a glorified wading pool. My PB suggested the sunshelf instead of a beach entry. I don't lay on it. The water is much warmer since it is shallow, and it is not refreshing.

Here's a pic of ours, which is 10 feet long. The steps lead down off of there. I would have preferred 2-3 feet, then the steps.

We entertain a lot, as homeschoolers we have a wide variety of ages of kids running around, so it gets a lot of use. I'd say that most of the time it is the moms hanging out there talking OR younger kids using it, my own kids (9, 13) rarely do except when sitting by me chatting.

Our pool is fairly large, so I don't feel like it detracts from the swimming area at all. If I had limited space I would probably want more swim and less shelf.

I put a chair on it and read, I sit there and watch the kids swim, I often just go outside in my regular clothes and wade in it. If I were building again, I'd choose it again.

Sorry Scapula, I meant to say Snookums! We still haven't gotten to the landscaping thing. Yours looks so beautiful! We've been working on the inside of the house. Next, the landscaping.

Nanshot, I do the wading thing too when I "ponder" whether or not the temperature is right to go in.

I think we're going to modify our shelf. Make it smaller - not as wide but wide enough for a chair or two. Big enough for one person to recline. I just can't give up the idea of Sandy Beach pebble on a shelf against the blue of a pool - so tropical. And no one around here has it and with money being an object I wanted something a little different and that's an affordable way to get it.

Thanks again.

Kristenfl...I looked at your 'pool building diary' a few weeks ago. When you posted yesterday I remembered I'd seen it before because of the distinctiveness of your spa.

I'm glad you finally made it to completion. You have a beautiful pool and can only imagine what it will be like when landscaping is in! Baby steps!

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