Hermosa
About 9.67' × 5.75' · ~10" water · ~310 gal
Pool tanning
Pool Tanning Ledges in Mississippi
A shallow shelf sized for loungers and kids, molded into the Latham shell. Built for Mississippi heat when the dry deck is too hot to sit.
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In the yard
Pool Tanning Ledges That Actually Get Used
A tanning ledge is a broad, shallow shelf at the shallow end of the pool, a place to sit half in the water on a hot afternoon without swimming laps. Tanning ledge, sun shelf or Baja shelf, it is the same idea.
On a Latham fiberglass shell the shelf is molded into the structure, typically around 10 inches of water depth. We install these across central Mississippi as part of a new fiberglass pool build, so the ledge is chosen with the pool model before you order.
We built the Dickerson name on word of mouth. The pool division runs on the same habits: expectations set up front, no over-promising, and a quote that matches the bill.
Credentials
Licensed through the Mississippi State Board of Contractors, license 25203-MC. BBB accredited with an A+ rating since 2018. Home Builders Association and Rankin County Chamber members.
Ledge options
Latham Ledge Options: Hermosa, Rectangle and Semicircle
Fiberglass ledge styles from Latham, shown in perspective and overhead; a Genesis or Synergy semicircle side ledge also comes up in planning. We install molded fiberglass ledges only. Start with the pool that fits your access and setbacks, among models that offer the ledge shape you want; yard constraints almost always filter the catalog before taste does.
Rectangle
About 15.67' × 7.67' · ~10" water · ~400 gal
Semicircle
About 16' × 8.33' · ~10" water · ~250 gal
Shells with a built-in ledge
Pool styles that include a tanning shelf
About 14 Latham shells carry a molded ledge. Eight models in the line carry a spa option too, for households that want a soak zone and a tanning shelf. Style renders only; we confirm fit on your lot.
Apollo 14
32' × 14' · 3' 7"–6' 1" deep
Tanning Ledge · Swim-Up Seating · Auto Cover Ready
Ariel 16
40' × 16' · 3' 6"–7' 4" deep
Tanning Ledge · Swim-Up Seating · Auto Cover Ready
Coral 16
30' 10" × 16' · 3' 6"–6' 11" deep
Tanning Ledge · Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Points
Enchantment 9.17
17' 5" × 9' 1" · 4' 9" deep
Built-In Tanning Ledge · Easy-Access Entry Steps · Auto Cover Ready
Enchantment 9.21
20' 7" × 9' 1" · 4' 9" deep
Built-In Tanning Ledge · Easy-Access Entry Steps · Auto Cover Ready
Enchantment 9.24
23' 10" × 9' 1" · 4' 9" deep
Built-In Tanning Ledge · Easy-Access Entry Steps · Auto Cover Ready
Olympia 12
26' × 12' · 3' 6"–5' 6" deep
Tanning Ledge · Full-Length Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Points
Olympia 14
30' × 14' · 3' 6"–6' deep
Tanning Ledge · Full-Length Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Points
Olympia 16
35' × 16' · 3' 6"–6' 6" deep
Tanning Ledge · Full-Length Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Points
Tuscan 11.20
20' 3" × 11' 1" · 3' 11"–5' 2" deep
Tanning Ledge · Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Steps
Tuscan 13.24
23' 7" × 12' 10" · 3' 1"–5' 5" deep
Tanning Ledge · Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Steps
Tuscan 14.27
26' 10" × 13' 9" · 3' 11"–5' 9" deep
Tanning Ledge · Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Steps
Tuscan 14.30
30' 1" × 13' 9" · 3' 11"–5' 11" deep
Tanning Ledge · Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Steps
Tuscan 14.40
39' 11" × 13' 9" · 3' 7"–6' 2" deep
Tanning Ledge · Swim-Up Seating · Multiple Entry Steps
In the field
Depth, Width and How People Actually Sit
Depth shapes daily use. Around six to ten inches keeps loungers stable and water warm. Closer to a foot cools sitting adults better, but furniture is less stable and the water runs cooler.
Latham molded ledges commonly run about 10 inches. Always confirm the model sheet; marketing photos flatten depth differences that feel obvious when you sit in them.
Width follows how many people you want on the shelf at once: two loungers, or a family shelf where kids stand and adults sit along the edge. Too deep and in-water loungers float wrong, too narrow and they fight each other, so we talk furniture count when you pick the model.
A shelf that doubles as a wide first step into the main pool is easier on older knees than a narrow bench you have to climb past.
Why a Tanning Ledge Fits the Mississippi Climate
A Mississippi summer runs hot and humid from May through September, and full sun on a dry deck runs people indoors by early afternoon. A few inches of water under a lounger keeps you cool without committing to a swim.
It is also what owners do most once the novelty of deep water fades. Kids splash, adults read and guests gather on the shelf, and the deep end becomes a lane for the people who actually want to swim.
Parents who were unsure about a pool often end up sold on the ledge. Shallow water in full view, next to an adult who has not had to get fully in, is a different risk picture than a sudden drop into five feet.
Shade is not optional from June through August. An umbrella sleeve in the ledge, a sail, a pergola or a covered outdoor living area is what makes two o'clock usable, not only six o'clock.
How the Ledge Changes Dig, Circulation and Deck
A shell with a wide ledge has a different footprint and base profile than one without, so dig and base preparation are shaped to the model from the start.
Circulation matters more than people expect. The shallow shelf warms faster and moves less than the main body of the pool, so return placement and chemistry habits have to respect it, or the ledge is the first place you see algae in July.
The deck usually wants more width on the ledge side, where furniture, towels and bare feet gather. Light-colored decking stays kinder underfoot than dark concrete at noon, and lighting aimed at the shallow end extends use after dark. Plan both with the deck pour.
What You Cannot Do Later
You cannot retrofit a molded fiberglass tanning ledge onto a shell that did not come with one. The structure is the mold, so order the ledge with the shell.
A narrow bench is a different product. Benches are for sitting at the edge; ledges are for lounging in the water, with different depth, width and furniture.
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FAQ
Common questions
What is pool tanning on a fiberglass pool?
Time spent on a broad, shallow shelf molded into the shallow end, usually six to twelve inches of water, sized for loungers so you can sit or lie half in the water. It is also called a tanning ledge, sun shelf or Baja shelf.
How deep should a tanning ledge be?
Around six to ten inches keeps furniture stable and water warm. Closer to twelve inches cools better for sitting adults but is less stable for loungers. Many Latham molded ledges run near 10 inches. Confirm the model sheet.
Can a tanning ledge be added to an existing pool?
Not to a fiberglass shell that was not molded with one. The ledge is part of the structure, so it has to be chosen with the pool model on a new install.
Is it safe for small children?
With fencing, supervision and other safety layers in place, it is the safest water in the pool: a few inches deep, in full view, next to an adult. It does not replace those layers.
Can I put an umbrella in it?
Yes, if you specify an umbrella sleeve when you choose the model. Shade is what makes a ledge usable in the middle of a Mississippi afternoon.
Does a tanning ledge cost extra?
It is part of the shell. What moves the price is the model, the deck around it, and any umbrella or furniture provision.
How many Latham models offer a ledge?
About 14 models in the line we sell. We filter those against your yard access and setbacks on the site visit.
Do you remodel pools to add a sun shelf?
No. Our pool division installs new Latham fiberglass pools, so the shelf is chosen with the shell.
Don't know where to start?
Call the office, or tell us about the job online and get one written quote.