• 

• Print

• Email a Friend

Diving boards and slides for the family pool

Article

Create your own adventure playground in your pool area with diving boards and water slides.

If your kids love the fun of water slides and diving boards, there's no reason why you can't incorporate them into your own swimming-pool area at home.

Diving boards require a fairly deep swimming pool, with safety standards stipulating a minimum depth of 2.7 metres. If your pool isn't deep enough, then a safer alternative is a pool slide, which only requires a depth of 1.2 metres, says Jeanette Moore of Aqua Actions Slides.

"The actual space taken up by most slides is quite minimal," says Jeanette. "For example, our Aqua Twister model is 2.7 metres wide and 1.7 metres deep, measured from the coping of your pool. This enables it to fit into most pool surrounds."

With weight capacities up to 220kg, most pool slides are sturdy enough for kids of all sizes to enjoy.

Diving boards also have generous weight capacities and are available with different tensions depending on the level of 'bounce' you require. Ex-Olympic diving judge turned diving-board retailer Jack Barnett, of Barnett Diving Boards, says most of his customers buy diving boards to add another element of fun to their swimming-pool area, but there are diving boards for serious athletes too.

"There is a wide range of diving boards available," he explains. "They range in price from about $1800 to $2200 and are easy to install."

Both slides and diving boards will be exposed to the elements, so tough materials are used in their construction. Diving boards are generally made from fibreglass-coated wood, finished with a non-slip surface, while pool slides are made from UV-protected moulded plastic and steel.

Remember that excessive splashing and 'bombing' will cause your pool to lose water. To avoid this, it's a good idea to teach your kids responsible diving practices. Also, a small trickle of water is used with pool slides to ease traction down the chute. Look out for recirculating 'waterwise' systems to minimise wastage.