Standard Inground Pool Sizes (With Drawings)

A pool can be a great addition to your backyard and add value to your home. And with various standard inground pool sizes to choose from, you don’t always need a giant space. It’s wise to think about how you’ll use your pool and who will use it most often.

Standard inground pools are 12′ x 24′, 14′ x 28′, 15′ x 30′, 16′ x 32′, 18′ x 36′, 20′ x 40′, and 22′ x 44′. These rectangular pools and similarly shaped designs (like kidney) have a 2 to 1 ratio of length to width. Oval pools are also popular and have similar measurements, although they can vary by a couple of feet.

If you’re in the market for a pool, make sure you get a pool size that works well in your yard. Another important consideration is how deep you want your pool to be.

The average residential pool depth ranges between 3 and 5 feet. But your pool can be deeper or more shallow, depending on your needs and preferences.

To determine the best depth for your inground pool, consider who will use it and why. Pools for kids and adults should have a maximum depth of five feet and a minimum depth of three feet.

If you plan to play recreational sports, people need to stand up, so a maximum of four feet is ideal. When jumping feet first into the pool, that part of the pool should be at least four feet deep. If there is a diving board, the diving end of the pool usually needs a 10-foot depth.

A pool with multiple depths is best if you plan to use your pool for different uses. You might have a shallow, three-foot deep area for lounging that gradually shifts to five feet deep for jumping. Also, your pool’s depths in different areas will influence what type of entrance and exit you need.

In general, your pool and the surrounding pool deck should only occupy between 25% and 35% of your backyard area. If you’re passionate about swimming and are okay with the pool taking up more room, it might take up to 45% of your yard.

Therefore, if you want the most popular pool size, 16′ x 32′, you’d need a yard of at least 3,500 sqft. This yard size would mean your pool and the surrounding area would take up roughly 45% of your yard. If you only want it to take up 25%, your yard would need to be about 6,000 sqft.

Remember, the 25% to 45% figures include the area surrounding the pool. Most codes require a minimum of between 42 to 48 inches on each side of the pool. Therefore, a 12′ x 24′ pool would create an entire pool area of at least 24′ x 40′.

This space provides sufficient walkways and room for people to get in and out of the pool. It also allows for simple pool chairs. If you want to fit larger seating or lounge areas or a grill area, you’ll need even more space around the pool.

Remember, you need to leave adequate walk space between these items and the pool’s edges. Keep all of these things in mind when designing your pool deck.

Check your local codes to determine how far your pool must be from your property line. This will affect the size of your pool since you need to factor it into your total area.

Some typical setbacks are at least three feet from a fence and five feet from the rear boundary of the yard and interior side yard. Additionally, the street side of the yard needs a 10-foot setback and the front yard a 20-foot setback. You also need to consider the distance of things like electrical receptacles, which typically must be at least 6 feet away.

Pools provide a lot of fun in a backyard, and you have many sizes and shapes to choose from. The most common inground pool is a rectangular pool, and it features many standard inground pool sizes. The most popular rectangular pool size is 16′ x 32′.

Standard inground pool sizes also come in 12′ x 24′, 14′ x 28′, 15′ x 30′, 18′ x 36′, 20′ x 40′, and 22′ x 44′. Rectangular pools usually have a length twice the width. If you opt for an oval or kidney-shaped pool, they will have similar sizes that vary slightly.