Small pools a top outdoor trend this summer

May 23, 2022



Photo credit: Poolcraft

Small swimming pools, sometimes called cocktail pools, are a hot trend in the residential backyard renovation market this year, manufacturers say.
“Smaller urban pools are making up about 20 per cent of our inground builds this coming year,” according to Pool Craft based in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Homeowners with small yards are no longer left out of the inground pool conversation, with many opting to add a pool under 400 square feet, the company noted.
The trend in smaller pools also has more homeowners opting for sport profile bottoms where the pool doesn’t have a traditional shallow end, slope, and deep end. Instead, a sport profile has a V-shape and dips to a maximum depth of approximately 5’6” in the middle. 
Swim jets are also becoming more common in the smaller pools. This high-powered turbojet on one end of the pool can transform a small pool into a lap pool with no added size.
The move to smaller pools arose in the United States in 2021.
Small pools are like spas because heating and jets can be installed. They are typically no larger than 4 feet deep and 400 square feet around. 
Plunge pools are also small, but generally deeper than cocktail pools. They usually do not have jets, but jets can be installed. Their size can vary; typical size is 8 feet around and 8 to 16 feet deep. They can be custom-built in all shapes.