Do you or your kids love to have fun by the pool?  Add heaps of fun and that extra wow factor by installing a diving board, a pool slide or both!  You'd be surprised at just how easy it can be.  Read on for more.

Choosing a Diving Board

Kids - and adults, too! - love to dive into the pool so why not make it a bit more fun by adding a diving board?  You'll be able to branch out from the standard cannonball to dives that are fancier and have more twists and turns.  Diving boards are generally made from wood that is coated in fibreglass and then has a non-slip coating added.  The type of diving board you choose depends on a few things.  Perhaps the most important is how bouncy you want the board.  Do you want it to be relatively stiff or do you want plenty of spring?  Don't forget about safety issues too - to avoid tragedy, your pool will need to be at least 2.7 metres deep.  If your pool isn't deep enough to safely accommodate a diving board, then a pool slide may be the way to go.  Finally, think about your budget as diving boards will cost around the $1800 to $2200 mark.

Choosing a Pool Slide

Remember the fun that you had at water theme parks?  Bring some of that fun to your own backyard by installing a pool slide.  They can be enjoyed by big or little kids, and adults as well - just be sure to check the weight rating on the slide!  Generally speaking, pool slides are made from plastic (with UV protection to stop it fading and going brittle) and steel.  There are many different pool slides available so there are a few questions that you need to ask yourself to ensure that you get the slide that is right for you. How much space do you have around the pool to fit one in?  Slides can take up as little as 1.5m x 2.4m of space.  Do you want a slide that goes straight down or do you want a twisty slide for more of the theme park experience?  What colour do you want the slide to be?  What safety features does the slide need to have?  For example, using the slide can cause pain if the skin drags on it, so look for a system that keeps a continuous flow of water going down the slide to reduce the risk of this happening.  Also look for safety features such as non-slip coatings on the ladder rungs and strong grab rails.