How Deep Does a Pool Have to Be to Have a Slide?

Water Depths

• Minimum pool water depths beneath pool slides vary by the height of the slide down which pool users travel. An online survey of various state commercial and public pool water slide rules shows a minimum water depth of 3 feet to be average. Private or residential in-ground pool minimum water depths for slides are given by each slide's manufacturer; however, 3 to 3.5 feet of depth is common. Regardless of minimum pool-depth recommendation, headfirst slides are discouraged by all slide manufacturers.

Weight Limits

• According to the Consumer Watch website, commercial and public pool slides must accommodate at least 300 pounds of weight. Private pool weight standards are rated by water slide models. For example, one manufacturer of a 6-foot-high residential pool slide rates it at 225 pounds of weight. Another maker rates one of its bulkier and taller pool slides at 275 pounds of weight per user.

Above-Ground Pools

• There are multiple manufacturers of above-ground pool slides, and minimum water depth recommendations vary by individual slide model as well. One maker of an above-ground pool slide requires at least 40 inches water depth beneath its various slides. An online look at the maximum weights allowed on most pool slides for residential above-ground pools reveals an average 200-pound user weight restriction. There are above-ground pool slides rated for heavier users, but they're more expensive.

Considerations

• Residential swimming pool slide standards from most makers also mandate minimum "splashdown" zone area dimensions. The splashdown zone of a swimming pool slide's exit into the water varies by the height of the slide, but a 6-foot-by-8-foot splashdown zone is common. Additionally, all pool slide makers list minimum heights above pool edges that their pool slides must meet when installed. At the time of publication, a basic but well-made 6.5-foot-high in-ground pool slide was selling for about $1,450.