Go with the Overflow

Many pool builders slope the gutters to direct water and particulate into the drains. The holding tank can then be devised to sift out the unwanted materials, Palmer says. Solid matter will settle to the bottom anyway, so pick up water from higher in the tank. Place the feeds in the top 18 to 24 inches so that it pulls the cleanest water back into the pool. The container will need occasional cleaning, too. For that reason, the manhole leading to it should be put in an accessible area.

The Splashout. As long as people use the pool, there will be splashout, especially if children are jumping into the water. For this reason, builders should subtly slope the deck toward the vessel so that water falls into the slot. The 3 feet of surface immediately adjacent should tilt about ¼ inch per foot.

Their sleek design merges water and deck, giving perimeter-overflow pools an ethereal quality. Pool builder: Master Pools of Austin/Mowry Pools, Austin, Texas; Pool designer: Gardens, Austin. Raised perimeter-overflow pools can pose an access challenge. This design solves that issue with a step leading up to the pool and a deck overhang on the spa. Pool builder/ designer: Paragon Pools and Architectural Landscape, Las Vegas