Having a pool in your backyard can be a luxurious addition. It will help you to swim and relax right at home. However, some pools can feel small or enclosed. This can limit your enjoyment.
Do you have a small pool area? Then installing glass fencing is an excellent way to make it look larger. The transparency of glass will remove all sorts of visual barriers. It can then open up space and offer sleek aesthetic complements to your backyard.
Follow this guide and we will share more details on how to enhance your outdoor oasis with glass fencing.
Choose Frameless Glass Fencing
The key to making your pool look bigger with fencing is to select a frameless glass design. Unlike other fence materials like wood, frameless glass has no posts or structural elements obstructing sightlines. By removing these visual breaks, frameless glass maximizes views and gives the illusion of a more expansive area.
The unimpeded transparency lets your lawn and landscaping features blend seamlessly with the pool, making the whole outdoor space feel enlarged. Frameless glass is also ultra-modern in style, pairing perfectly with the clean lines of most pools.
Determine the Required Height
In most areas, pool fences are required to be at least 4 feet high for safety. Some local regulations may mandate a 5-foot height. When planning frameless glass fencing, be sure to check your area’s codes for the exact requirements.
The appropriate height will keep the space safely enclosed while still allowing unobstructed visibility that makes the area feel bigger. Regulations for the gap distance between glass panels should also be followed to prevent entrapment hazards. Leave room in your budget for a custom height if your yard requires something different than a standard size.
Choose Clear Over Tinted Glass
While tinted glass does provide more shade and privacy, clear glass is optimal for opening up a small pool zone. The transparency and lack of color allow visitors to see through the barrier to the other landscape features beyond.
This expands sightlines, eliminates division between spaces, and makes the pool feel like a part of the whole yard. For a bigger visual effect, select the highest clarity grade. Low iron glass is clearer than standard grades because it contains less greenish tint. This ultra-clear design gives the cleanest view and barely looks like a barrier is there at all.
Use Minimal Framing
To get the transparent look, opt for completely frameless glass with slim hardware attachments rather than thick framing. Systems with thick vertical or horizontal supports obstruct views and disconnect the spaces. Minimal stainless-steel clamps or small metal floor shoes are much more subtle, maintaining the see-through effect.
Check that hardware fasteners are reinforced for durability but small in proportions. Positioning hardware near the corners rather than mid-panel also minimizes its appearance. With discreet supports, the glass barrier gets out of sight and lets the pool blend with its surroundings.
Set Inground for a Seamless Look
For the most seamless effect that makes pool and lawn spaces flow together, have your frameless glass fence installed partially inground. Setting posts just 12-24 inches into the ground eliminates the bottom frame support and removes the panel ends from sightlines.
This gives your barrier an undetectable underground foundation that leaves views completely unhindered from top to bottom. The glass simply appears to rise straight from the yard itself with no separation between ground surfaces. Just take care to have underground posts encased in concrete to prevent shifting. The right installation makes the transition between pool and garden spaces beautifully blurred.
Use Neutral Glass Tones
While tinted glass should be avoided, neutral, non-reflective tones are still ideal for frameless barriers. Clear glass with a very faint grey or bronze hue helps minimize glare from sunlight without obstructing views.
Make sure to choose low-iron grades so this nearly colorless tint does not darken clarity. Non-mirrored, anti-glare qualities also prevent light reflection so the glass itself essentially disappears from notice. With crystal visibility and barely detectable shading, the see-through effect feels maximized.
Incorporate Access Doors Wisely
Glass fences around pools must have designated access points rather than being completely open. When planning doors, strategic placement is key to maintaining wide open sightlines. Doors should be positioned in corners or along narrower sections rather than smack in the middle of the longer fence expanse. Avoid placing doors right next to main entertainment areas like gazebos or dining sets if possible. The more seamless traffic flow moves through doors with minimal interruption to open views, the bigger the pool zone will seem.
Upgrade with Automatic Openers
For even less barrier interference, install automatic opening systems on access doors. Keypad, key fob, or touch sensor controls allow doors to slide or swing open without the need for handles or latches that visually break the glass. Automated operation also eliminates the inconvenience and traffic jam effect of manual operation. With hands-free functionality, doors seamlessly welcome traffic, leaving maximum transparency uninterrupted. Upgrade indoor/outdoor stereo systems can also be incorporated to transition music playlists perfectly between areas.
Incorporate Neutral Hardscaping
To complement a clear glass barrier while promoting spatial flow, landscape the pool zone with neutral tones and natural textures. Pour concrete, flagstone, limestone, tan pavers, wood decking, and greenery help the hardscape suit the transparent style. By keeping hues light without bold color contrasts, the pool patio flows effortlessly into lawn spaces without drawing the eye to barriers. Repeat stone or wood decking on both sides of glass panels to make the transition perfectly smooth. The continuity pulls spaces together into one expanded area.
Play with Heights and Angles
Fence layout also impacts on how open spaces communicate. Avoid running panels solely parallel to pool shapes. Instead, incorporate some dynamic angles. Custom designs may angle out to reach wider across lawns, curve gently around bends, or notch in sharply to create pockets. Sections that protrude at different heights also prevent a flat, blocked-off aesthetic. Working with an installer experienced in custom glass layouts ensures a design tailored for maximizing your backyard width and angles. The more creative the shape and line options utilized, the less constraints are felt.
Final Words
The clean sightlines, subtle framing, and custom design possible with frameless glass fencing makes it the ideal choice for opening up a pool landscape. With strategic choices to keep barriers sheer and unobtrusive, a small pool area can transform into a spacious backyard oasis that feels far grander. Let barely visible glass welcome open movement between zones while showcasing the sparkling pool as the backyard centerpiece guests are drawn towards. The transparency, flow, and style glass lends to outdoor spaces redefines entertainment possibilities.