Part of the beauty of sun shelves is that they can take on virtually any shape, size and depth that the client and site need. So there are no hard-and-fast design rules. But here are some suggestions:

Size
Sun shelves can range from just over bench size — enough to accommodate a chaise lounge — on up. For serious sunbathers, builders have installed sun shelves that take up a substantial part of the pool. Die-hard swimmers or water volleyball players, on the other hand, may want to restrict the square-footage allotment.

Depth
Generally, the depth of sun shelves ranges from 3 inches to about 14 inches. Some go as deep as 18 inches; however, that’s usually too deep for small children or tanning. To get the ideal depth, break out a measuring tape and ask clients where they want the water to reach them or their children. For sunbathers, you’ll need just enough water to cover their legs. When lying directly on the shelf, 3 to 4 inches should do the trick. If they’ll be using chaise lounges, more depth is needed. Children will need enough water depth to play in, but not enough to scare them. These builders recommend 9 to 12 inches, depending on the age and size of the youngsters. “I try to make them shallow [so] if [the kids] fall on their rear, their heads are not under water,” says Parker Ewing, president of Ewing Aquatech Pools in Baton Rouge, La. For adults who want to sit and congregate, Ewing sees to it that the water is approximately 14 inches deep.

Placement
Sun shelves nearly always go on the pool’s shallow side to avoid diving accidents or children falling off into the deep water. To save space, many of these builders will create a sun shelf by extending either the first or second step into the pool, depending on how much depth the customer wants. To make use of dead space, you could put the sun shelf in a radius that otherwise would not be used. For the best view, the sun shelf should face focal points such as waterfeatures, gardens or even the house. To provide versatility for children, sun shelves could be attached to the steps, suggests Ron Coker Jr., vice president of Master Pools by Artistic Pools Inc. in Atlanta. “You could have a set of steps and maybe bridge the gap between the steps and the sun shelf with a bench,” he says. “That gives little ones places to migrate to and different levels to play on.” For adults who don’t want to muss their ’dos, place the sun shelf away from splash zones. Stay clear of the diving area and, in some cases, the hot tub. Die-hard sunbathers would want a shelf where it receives maximum sun exposure. Check spots where trees and overhangs will drop their shadows throughout the day. To accommodate adult socialization, place the sun shelf near other meeting spots, such as the hot tub or swim-up bars. This way, sunners, soakers and drinkers can shoot the breeze. When placed near hot tubs, however, the shelf will probably receive some splash-out so discuss with clients what’s more important — avoiding splash-out or joining the shelf and hot tub for congregating.