Anthracite or dark grey liner: the pool as a mirror

The mirror effect

When the floor is dark, very little light comes back up. The eye then mainly sees what the surface reflects: sky, clouds, trees, the facade of the house. The water looks dark blue-green in the sun and almost black on cloudy days, and the pool resembles a natural lake or an ornamental reflecting pool more than a classic swimming pool. Compared with the other liner colours, it is the most dramatic.

The effect is strongest when the water level is high and the surface calm. That is why anthracite particularly suits overflow pools, where the water reaches the edge; with an overflow on one side facing the view, the mirror merges with the horizon.

Which houses it suits

• Minimalist, modern homes with anthracite window frames, glass and white or grey volumes.
• Villas with a view, where the pool should not draw attention away from the landscape.
• Gardens with dark stone, timber decking and strong greenery that are reflected in the water.
• Mountain or wooded plots, where an intense turquoise would look out of place.

Small, enclosed courtyards or very shady spots need care: without enough sky to reflect, the water can look simply dark rather than deep.

Temperature: a small advantage

Dark colours absorb more solar radiation, so the floor heats up and passes its warmth to the water. In a sunny position, an anthracite liner warms the water a little faster than a white or light blue one, mainly in spring and autumn. But do not think of it as a heating system: at night heat escapes from the surface as in any pool, and without a cover the gain is lost. We explain how colour combines with a cover and collectors in solar pool heating.

What shows on a dark floor

Anthracite hides dark leaves but highlights anything light-coloured:

• Dust and pollen, which settle on the bottom as a greyish veil, especially after wind or in spring.
• Calcium scale, as a white line at the waterline or a haze on the surface, in areas with hard water. You will find how to prevent it in water hardness.
• Bleached marks, if chlorine granules fall directly onto the liner. Always dissolve granular chlorine in a bucket of water first, as described in pool chlorine.

In practice, a dark liner needs regular vacuuming or a robot to look well kept, and a cover when it is windy. A robot with liner-friendly brushes does this job quietly every few days, without you having to bend over the water.

Safety and lighting

In dark water, the floor and the real depth are harder to make out, especially from a distance or against the sun. If children swim, supervision must be even closer, and clearly visible steps, a handrail and good underwater lighting for the evening hours all help. More in child safety at the pool.

At night, warm white lighting adds depth without losing the character of the water, while the garden lighting around it is reflected in the surface and doubles the picture.

In this shade we install, for example, the Haogenplast liners StoneTile Urban 15, StoneTile Grey, StoneFlex Concrete, StoneFlex Bazelet, StoneFlex Slate, 3D-Uni Grey 9133. Every range and colour is on the Haogenplast liners page.

Questions

See also