Glazing for Indoor Swimming Pools

An indoor swimming pool is a luxury addition to any home, but over the last few years, it has become increasingly popular for modern and traditional properties.

Imagine an indoor swimming pool with glass walls that flood the living space with natural light, creating a peaceful ambience around the pool. This design connects swimmers to nature and positively impacts health and well-being, offering a unique and inspiring experience.

Another benefit of an indoor swimming pool is that it helps keep the pool clean of debris 365 days a year.

As a property owner, architect, or builder involved in designing and constructing indoor swimming pools, selecting the right glazing with exceptional quality and efficiency can be challenging and requires professional knowledge, suitable materials and products.

These elements contribute to the pool’s aesthetic appeal and significantly help it withstand the unique challenges of a marine environment.

Rest assured, there are many window and door suppliers available, each with unique offerings. By comparing and researching different manufacturers, you can find the highest-quality glazing, ensuring you benefit from the innovation and technology of modern-day glass products.

In today’s blog, we will delve into choosing the perfect windows and doors that can be used to enhance indoor swimming pools, highlighting the advantages of sliding and bi-folding doors.

The Challenge of Marine Environments

Indoor swimming pools are characterised by high humidity, elevated temperatures, and exposure to chlorine, all of which define a marine environment. These conditions can be harsh on materials, causing corrosion, mould, and deterioration. Thus, when selecting windows and doors for indoor pools, choosing materials that can resist these elements and maintain their integrity and appearance is essential.

Importance of Material Selection

Aluminium is often the preferred material for indoor pool windows and doors due to its resistance to moisture and corrosion. For instance, double or triple-glazing with thermally broken aluminium frames can provide excellent insulation, reducing heat loss and condensation. This helps maintain a comfortable pool environment and saves on energy costs.

Aluminium with an anodised finish is more durable and can withstand the corrosive marine environment of an indoor pool.

Special Coatings and Treatments

Special coatings, such as low-emissivity, can be applied to windows and doors to protect against the harsh pool environment. These coatings resist moisture, prevent fogging, and block harmful UV rays. They also enhance the glazing’s insulation properties, reducing heat transfer and maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature. These treatments not only prolong the life of the installations but also ensure a clear view and a comfortable environment for pool users.

Thermally insulated glass is designed to prevent the transfer of heat or cold between the inside and outside of the enclosure, maintaining the pool’s temperature and reducing energy consumption.

Glass walls are a popular choice for indoor swimming pools. They help to connect indoor and outdoor spaces, offering an open, airy feel while providing the necessary insulation and safety features.

Advantages of Glass Walls

Glass walls allow natural light to flood the space, reducing the need for artificial lighting and creating a more inviting atmosphere. Additionally, they can be designed to be energy efficient, with double or triple glazing and low-emissivity coatings that help maintain a consistent indoor temperature.

Safety and Security

Safety is paramount in any pool environment. If the glass is within 2 meters of the pool, laminated glass must be specified.

The laminate, a layer of plastic between two layers of glass, will hold any broken glass together, stopping it from falling into the pool. We always specify toughened, laminated glass in a pool environment so that sharp glass shards aren’t floating around the pool in the rare event of a breakage. This safety feature is crucial for ensuring the well-being of pool users and the longevity of the pool’s filtration systems.

Glass Specification

A glass roof is a stunning architectural feature in indoor swimming pools. It offers a captivating interplay of sunlight and the pool surface. Whether it’s a grand glass lantern or a more modern flat roof light, this interplay is a sight to behold, seamlessly connecting the indoors with the outside. However, it also necessitates considerations such as temperature and safety regulations.

The heated glass prevents condensation and fogginess. It also ensures more natural light in the pool area, making it a practical and effective solution for a glass roof over swimming pools.

Low-iron glass increases light transparency and enhances the pool’s aesthetics and the swimming experience. Low-maintenance glass coatings, often called ‘self-cleaning glass’, may also help keep the glass dirt-free.

For the ultimate in luxury and glazing innovation, switchable glass can control privacy when necessary, adding a stylish touch to your pool enclosure. With the flick of a switch, this type of glass can be switched from transparent to opaque, offering a convenient way to control privacy without compromising on the pool’s aesthetics or natural light.

Indoor Swimming Pool Doors and Windows: Sliding vs. Bifolding

The focus should be on maximising space, providing easy access, and enhancing the view of windows and doors to an indoor swimming pool. Sliding and bi-folding doors are two popular options that cater to these needs.

Sliding Doors

Sliding doors are a space-saving solution that provides easy outdoor access. They are available in large sizes with slim frames, which means less frame and more glass, offering expansive views of the outside.

Bifolding Doors

Bifolding doors, on the other hand, can open up an entire wall, creating a genuinely open-air feeling, blurring the boundaries between the indoor and outdoor spaces, and enhancing the pool’s view and ventilation.

Bi-folding doors fold neatly to the side, making them ideal for connecting indoor and outdoor entertaining areas. When closed, they provide a wall of glass that still allows for spectacular views.

Selecting the Right Doors and Windows for Your Indoor Pool

Choosing the right doors and windows for your indoor swimming pool involves considering several factors, including aesthetics, functionality, and environmental resistance.

Aesthetic Appeal

The design of doors and windows should complement the overall architecture of the property. Whether you prefer a modern, minimalist look with slim frames and large panes of glass or a more traditional style, the choice should align with your home’s character.

Functional Requirements

Functionality is vital in a pool environment. Doors and windows should open and close effortlessly, provide secure locking mechanisms, and include features like built-in blinds or tinting for privacy and sun control.

Solarlux Sliding and bi-folding doors are known for superior quality, precision engineering, and innovative designs, making them a wise and worthwhile investment.

Over the years, we’ve worked on several projects involving swimming pool glazing, so there’s not much we don’t know about it.

Whether you’re building a new indoor swimming pool or renovating an existing one, Contact us today for more information about how we can help with your project.