Concrete spa pools are an increasingly popular alternative to regular swimming pools in Australia. But what is a spa pool, and what are its advantages and disadvantages?

What is a spa pool?

Concrete spa pools are your own private spa in your backyard. It comes in a compact size as it is primarily built for relaxation in the water rather than serious swimming.

Like a public spa, a backyard concrete spa pools is equipped with spa jets so you can enjoy the benefits of relaxation and pain relief that hydrotherapy offers. This is ideal if you want to enjoy the spa experience in the privacy of your own property. And it can be particularly beneficial if you are recovering from a muscular injury or a painful health condition such as arthritis.

A spa pool is smaller than a regular swimming pool but still offers enough space for one person to swim in. It is a perfect spot for relaxation and hydrotherapy as it comes with large seating areas and hydrotherapy jets.

Spa pools can be heated and are installed inground.

How are spa pools installed?

Some spa pools come as “plug and play” designs. This means they arrive as a complete unit, requiring very little ground preparation or installation work. They sit on top of the ground rather than having to be built into it, so these are known as above-ground pools.

An above ground spa pool is ready to use practically as soon as it arrives. Once it has been placed on a level surface in your backyard, such as on a pre-laid concrete pad, it usually just needs to be hooked up to an electrical outlet and filled before you can start enjoying it.

Above ground spa pools also have the added advantage of being portable. If you ever decide to move house, you can take your spa with you. This allows you to get the most out of your investment.

However, some homeowners do not particularly like the look of an above ground spa swimming pool. Its appearance is difficult to customise and it is not always practical to have a large object sitting on top of the ground in your backyard.

Inground vs. above-ground Installation

Many concrete spa pools are installed inground. This means the ground in your backyard will have to be excavated before the installation can take place, just like it would with a full-sized inground swimming pool.

As inground and partially above-ground installations are more complex than above-ground ones, your swim spa will not be ready to use for days or possibly weeks depending on the ease or difficulty of the installation process. However, the results look sleek and sophisticated, enabling your spa pool to blend in more seamlessly with the rest of your property and making it easier to create a stunning landscaping design.

Spa advantages and disadvantages

As spa pools are relatively compact, they can be a good solution if you do not have a lot of space in your backyard. This is why swimming pool spas are particularly popular in Australian cities, where land is at a premium and blocks tend to be small.

Spa pools do enable you to enjoy swimming and hydrotherapy in even a relatively small backyard. However, this small size also has disadvantages. Swim spas are not an ideal choice for families, as only one person can comfortably swim in a spa pool at any time. This rules out family swimming sessions and water games.

In addition, swimming against swim jets is a very different experience to swimming against a natural water current. If you swim seriously, swim jets are not ideal as competitive swimming always takes place in natural conditions. You will not gain a realistic idea of your times and progress if you are practising in a swim spa. Young children might also struggle with swim jets because they can be too powerful for someone who is not a strong swimmer.

However, a spa pool can be a great addition to your backyard. It offers the dual benefits of swimming and the spa experience on your own property. With effective landscaping and proper maintenance, they can also look highly attractive, and increase the aesthetic appeal of your backyard.