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 place to sit half in the water on a hot afternoon without swimming laps. That place is a broad, shallow shelf at the shallow end of the pool.
The industry calls it a tanning ledge, a sun shelf or a Baja shelf depending on who is selling it. They are 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. Because the ledge is molded into the shell, it has to be 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.
Add-on ledge styles
Hermosa, Rectangle and Semicircle
Fiberglass ledge product styles from Latham, perspective plus overhead. We install molded fiberglass ledges only. Built-in ledge shells are listed below.
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
These Latham shells carry a molded ledge in the catalog. 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 is the decision that shapes daily use. Around six to ten inches keeps loungers stable and water warm. Closer to a foot cools better for sitting adults, but furniture gets less stable and the water runs cooler.
Latham ledge water depth is commonly about 10 inches on molded options. 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. A ledge sized for two loungers feels different from a family shelf where kids stand and adults sit along the edge. That choice happens when you pick the model.
Entry and exit matter for older users. A shelf that doubles as a wide first step into the main pool is easier on 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. Full sun on a dry deck will run people indoors by early afternoon. A few inches of water under a lounger changes that. You stay cool without committing to a swim.
It is also the activity most owners do most often once the novelty of deep water fades. Kids splash on the shelf. Adults read on the shelf. Guests gather on the shelf. The deep end becomes a lane for the people who actually want to swim.
Parents who were unsure about a pool at all 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 still matters. An umbrella sleeve in the ledge, or a nearby structure from an outdoor kitchen and living build, is what makes two o'clock usable, not only six o'clock.
Ledge options
Latham Ledge Options and Model Choices
About 14 Latham models carry a tanning ledge option in the line we sell. Five ledge shapes come up in planning conversations: Hermosa, Rectangle, Semicircle, Genesis or Synergy semicircle side, and a custom vinyl ledge path when a standard mold will not match the plan.
Start with the pool that fits access and setbacks, among models that offer the ledge shape you want. Yard constraints almost always filter the catalog before taste does.
Sample shells that show the wider Latham range include compact freeforms such as Aruba, midsize rectangles such as Apollo 14, and larger options such as Ariel 16. Not every model carries a ledge. We bring the ones that fit your lot and your access, then narrow by how you use the shallow end.
Eight models in the line carry a spa option as well. Some households want both a soak zone and a tanning shelf. That is a model-and-budget conversation.
How the Ledge Changes Dig, Circulation and Deck
The excavation has to account for it. A shell with a wide ledge has a different footprint and a different base profile than one without, so dig and base preparation are shaped to the model from day one.
Circulation matters more than people expect. A broad, shallow shelf holds water that warms faster and moves less than the main body of the pool. Return placement and chemistry habits have to respect that, or the ledge is the first place you see algae in July.
The deck usually wants more width on the ledge side. Furniture, towels and bare feet gather there. Planning that surround with the hardscape avoids a narrow strip of concrete that fights the whole reason you bought the shelf.
Umbrella sleeves, in-water loungers and a small side table are the details that turn a shelf into a daily habit. Specify sleeves up front when the model allows them.
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. 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. Different depth, different width, different furniture story.
Vinyl custom ledge paths exist in some plans when a standard mold will not work, but that is a design decision made before install.
If you already own a pool without a shelf, our division is not the remodel path for that job. We focus on new Latham installs.
Furniture, Shade and Mississippi Sun
In-water loungers need the right depth and a stable shelf. Too deep and they float wrong. Too narrow and they fight each other. We talk furniture count when we talk model width.
Shade is not optional from June through August. An umbrella in a sleeve, a sail, a pergola nearby or a solid cover over an outdoor living area keeps the ledge from becoming a two-hour-a-day feature.
Light-colored decking around the shelf stays kinder underfoot than dark concrete. That choice is comfort, not only style, when bare feet hit the surround at noon.
Evening lighting aimed at the shallow end extends use after dark without lighting the whole neighborhood. Plan fixtures with the deck pour.
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FAQ
Common questions
What is pool tanning on a fiberglass pool?
It is time spent on a broad, shallow shelf molded into the shallow end, usually around six to twelve inches of water, sized for loungers so you can sit or lie half in the water. Trade names include tanning ledge, sun shelf and 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?
It is the safest water in the pool when fencing, supervision and other safety layers are already in place: a few inches of water in full view next to an adult. It is not a substitute for 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 carry a tanning ledge option. 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 focuses on new Latham fiberglass installs. We do not sell remodel or resurfacing packages to add a shelf later.