Owner-operated · Licensed & insured · CPC1459857
License # CPC1459857
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A tanning ledge pool turns the hottest hour of a Florida afternoon into the best part of the day. You stretch out in a few inches of water, stay cool, and never miss the action. Here at Southern Pools of Florida (license CPC1459857), we are a family-owned builder based in Green Cove Springs. Specifically, we design and build these shallow lounging shelves into custom concrete and fiberglass pools across Northeast Florida. However, homeowners often mix up the names. Tanning ledge, sun shelf, Baja shelf, swim-out — people use these words loosely, and that confusion leads to design regrets. Therefore, this guide sorts out what each feature actually means. Furthermore, we cover the Jandy water features, especially bubblers, that make a ledge shine. Because we build across Clay, St. Johns, Duval, and Nassau counties, we design for real Florida heat.
A tanning ledge is a flat, shallow platform built inside the pool. Typically it runs 5 to 10 feet wide and holds just 6 to 12 inches of water. You lounge right on it, half in the sun and half in the cool.
Because the water sits so shallow, the ledge works as an in-water living room. For example, you can set a low chaise on it, plant an umbrella, and read for an hour without overheating. Additionally, families love the safety it offers. Young kids in Nocatee and Ponte Vedra splash on the ledge while parents relax close by. In our experience building pools across Northeast Florida, the tanning ledge is the single most requested feature on new custom designs.
Nothing, really. These three terms describe the exact same feature. The name simply changes by region.
For instance, a builder in California might say Baja shelf. Meanwhile, a homeowner in Texas might say sun shelf. Here in Florida, most people say tanning ledge or sun shelf. You may also hear splash pad or tanning shelf. In other words, do not overthink the label. All of these point to one thing: a wide, shallow, fully submerged platform made for lounging. Therefore, when you talk with a contractor, focus on the dimensions and the depth — not the name.
These features sound similar. In fact, they serve very different jobs. A swim-out is a seated bench in deeper water. A beach entry is a gradual slope. A tanning ledge is a flat, submerged shelf for lounging.
A swim-out is an underwater bench, usually set at the deep end opposite the steps. Swimmers use it to rest, cool down, or climb out safely. However, it sits too deep for sunbathing. Think of it as a seat, not a lounge.
A beach entry, also called a zero-entry, slopes gradually from the dry deck into the water. You walk in much like you would at the ocean. Consequently, it needs more square footage than a ledge. Many Jacksonville and St. Augustine homeowners pair a short beach entry with a separate tanning ledge for the best of both.
A tanning ledge, by contrast, is flat and completely submerged. It does not slope. Instead, it holds a steady few inches of water across the whole shelf. That flat surface is exactly what makes lounge chairs and bubblers work so well.
Indeed, a bare ledge is nice. A ledge with the right water features, however, is unforgettable. Moreover, we build with Jandy (Fluidra) equipment, and we offer several upgrades that homeowners can select for their shelf.
First, bubblers. A bubbler pushes a gentle dome of water up through the ledge surface. The Jandy TruFit LED bubbler includes a height-adjustable sleeve that sits flush with the concrete shell, plus two lens options and built-in LED color. As a result, kids get a safe play feature by day, and you get a glowing centerpiece at night. Bubblers are especially popular on family pools in Orange Park and Fleming Island.
Second, deck jets. Jandy deck jets arc thin streams of water over the ledge, and some models throw a stream up to 13 feet. They frame the shelf with movement and sound. Additionally, an umbrella sleeve cast into the ledge lets you anchor real shade.
To be clear, none of these features come standard. Instead, we present them as options you choose during design. We do not compete on the lowest price. Rather, we build a ledge the right way, with premium materials, so it lasts for decades in Florida sun.
You can add a tanning ledge to either build type, though the approach differs. With a custom concrete pool, we shape the ledge to any size, depth, or curve you want. We form the shell on-site with whichever concrete application suits the job best — usually shotcrete — so the ledge becomes part of one monolithic structure. As a result, this route gives you the most freedom for an oversized shelf or an unusual shape.
A fiberglass pool works differently. Many fiberglass pool models from Imagine Pools arrive with a tanning ledge already molded into the design. Because the shell is built in a factory, installation moves fast and the surface stays smooth. For homeowners in Yulee or Fernandina Beach who want a quicker timeline, fiberglass is often the better fit. Either way, our team helps you weigh the trade-offs honestly.
Southern Pools of Florida is owner-operated — the licensed contractors who design your project are the same people on your property building it, with no layers of management in between. We design and build custom pools across Clay, St. Johns, Duval, and Nassau counties. If you are ready to plan a tanning ledge that fits your family and your backyard, call us at 904-465-5621 or request a design consultation. Let's build something you will use every single day.
Most tanning ledges hold 6 to 12 inches of water. That depth keeps you cool while you lounge, and it stays shallow enough for young children to play safely.
Yes. Tanning ledge, sun shelf, and Baja shelf all describe the same shallow, submerged lounging platform. The term just varies by region.
Yes. We offer Jandy bubblers and deck jets as optional upgrades on every project. Bubblers add motion, sound, and LED color, and they create a safe play spot for kids.
Absolutely. Many Imagine Pools fiberglass models include a molded-in tanning ledge, and we can match Jandy water features to it.
