Whether an essential or a luxury, pools are gaining popularity with families as an enjoyable way to spend quality time. The backyard with a swimming pool extends the usable space for the homeowner. Like a finished basement with pool table, theatre room and games the backyard with swimming pool, spa, cabana and fire pit, is now becoming the summer games room.  

Not just for swimming, pools are being used for many health benefits. Aquatic exercises such as swimming, resistance movements and stretching offer improved muscle tone, joint and muscle flexibility, improved cardio-respiratory performance and greater agility.

A swimming pool is also a great place for relaxing or unwinding after work. With endless to do lists, stress is unlikely to be eliminated but having a place to unwind or cool off will likely reduce the accumulative effects of the fast pace we live.  

Swimming pools are no doubt a perfect way to entertain children, family and friends during those warm summer months. Whether you are planning an elegant dinner for two or having the whole gang over for a barbecue, the event is substantially more enjoyable around a pool.  

A pool can also be an architectural feature in the yard or a focal point. This can be achieved when dynamic waterfalls, fountains, underwater lighting, landscaping and decking are incorporated.  

Now that you have decided that a pool is a necessity, which type will you chose: concrete or vinyl. High-end concrete or gunite offer the utmost in versatility. They can be virtually any shape, size and design you desire and can be co-ordinated with any backyard landscape. Versatility comes at a price, however, concrete pools cost more than other types. They are also more labour intensive and take longer to build. But for those who want a luxurious looking the backyard, nothing can top a gunite or concrete swimming pool. This type of pool is built using a mixture of concrete, stone and sand over reinforcing rods to create the pool floor and walls. The interior surface of these areas is then covered with plaster or other types of coating products and can be painted in a choice of colours and accented with ceramic tile around the top border of the walls. Interior surfaces can also be given an exotic look by covering them with colourful tile fragments to create a mosaic design or by applying a coating made from reflecting ceramic-coated quartz crystals tat have a sparkling effect under water.  

Vinyl lined pools are very popular with families who want an in ground pool at a price that is more affordable than a concrete or gunite model. It uses steel wall panels that are supported by steel braces with a combination of sand and cement to form the pool floor, giving it a hard, smooth surface. After the wall panels, braces and cement floor have been completed, a vinyl liner is placed over the walls and floor and is held in place using coping that is installed around the inside perimeter of the pool. After the pool is filled with water, the liner will stretch and conform to the shape of the pool.  

Hot design trends are being implemented because of their effect and beauty. The vanishing edge design gives the illusion of a never-ending sheet of water extending into the horizon.

Rock formations whether real or faux rock and boulders of various sizes around the pool and deck area give a natural look to the yard.  

Water features such as nozzles installed in the pool deck or in the pool itself produce dazzling displays of water. Waterfall over the rock formations leading into a stream produce an oasis steps away from the indoors.  

Beach entry pools are one of the versatile features unique to concrete pools. This feature provides an attractive shallow end for easy entry. But the vinyl pool owner can have resin steps to enter the pool easily or just sit around.  

Whether you want a freeform pool to accent the flowing lines in you landscape or a lap pool with an endless edge, there is a pool for every taste and budget.