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Swimming Pool Slides: A Buyer's Guide
Swimming pool slides add a whole 'nuther dimension to your pool enjoyment. We have swimming pools from Mild to Wild at In The Swim.
Kids and adults will line up behind a slide (no pushing!) for their turn at whizzing down the slide deck into the pool.
If you have been looking for a way to add some excitement into your pool, here's some thoughts on how to approach an installation of a pool slide on your swimming pool.
These aren't your father's pool slides! SR Smith offers up the latest & greatest, developed with safety and installation ease in mind, the entire line is also salt pool and sea air friendly - made with completely non corrosive components.
1. Footprint. Pool slides can take up a good bit of deck. More than you may think. When looking at our pool slides, click the Specifications Sheet on the More Info tab. This will have a schematic to show you the overall length and width of concrete needed for installation. Slides take up a lot of deck space, and some installations may require additional concrete. You should also account for room for the line of sliders that will develop behind the slide, and an easy way to pass around the slide, without stepping off the pool deck.
2. Location. Most slide manufacturers call for installation in depth of 44" - 48" of water. This rules out most shallow end walls and deep end walls. Pool slides need to be installed in water that's not too shallow - and not too deep, for safety reasons. This depth also needs to be maintained for a distance past the slide exit point, as illustrated in the 'Water Safety Envelope' image shown here.
3. Color. It used to be that slides came in any color you wanted, as long as that color was sky blue. Nowadays, you can usually also get white, and many of the newer slides are available in earth tones of granite or buff (gray or brown), to match the natural stone.
4. Left or Right? Depending on how much deck space you have, and the location of the slide, choosing a left or right turn slide can be important in your pool slide fitting your particular pool deck size. Careful measurement of your deck, and a few phone calls to our helpful experts are in order - before you order your pool slide.
4. Tall or Small? We have slides from mild to wild! The taller they are, the larger the footprint, however.
5. Truckline delivery. It would be nice if UPS or FedEx would deliver our pool slides, but they just refuse! I can understand, these boxes would fill their whole truck! Pool slides are delivered by an 18 wheeler direct to your driveway. Our pool slide delivery trucks have a "Lift Gate" on the back, to lower your slide safely to the curb.
There are two important considerations when ordering a pool slide (or any truckline delivery).
1. The trucking company will call you to arrange for a delivery date.
2. Inspect the pool slide for any damage (rare) before signing and accepting.
6. Price. Of course, price is a consideration. The average price for pool slides is about $3,000. Tube slides, like you may see at water parks and shown below, are priced at $17K, for home pools (if you have the deck space). We have slides in many sizes and price ranges, so adding a pool slide to your pool shouldn't break the bank.
7. Installation. Can a slide be DIY installed - of course it can! If you can follow the installation manual, you should have no problem. Using a rotary hammer drill, stanchion anchors are epoxied into the concrete deck, and then nuts are tightened down to secure the slide legs. Adding a water supply to the pool slide complicates things a bit, but is usually tapped off of the pool supply (so it doesn't over-fill the pool if left on), or it can come from the house water supply.
POOL SLIDE OPTIONS HAVE CHANGED!
In early August of 2018, SR Smith, a large producer of pool slide and dive equipment, quietly released a press release announcing their purchase of Inter-Fab, their main competitor in the pool deck equipment category.
As part of the deal, SR smith will continue to produce many of the existing Inter-Fab products but discontinued the entire line of residential pool slides made by Inter-Fab.
Where can you Buy Inter-Fab pool slides?
Production on Inter-Fab slides ceased in August, 2019 and remaining inventory has been depleted.
Retailers like us were quick to change our websites, and remove the Inter-Fab slides from our catalog. Perhaps there were too many slides to choose from, with over a dozen different slide choices. Now we have a half-dozen slide choices from SR Smith, and a couple of inflatable kiddie slides for inground pools or above ground pools with decks.
SR Smith went to the trouble to produce a pool slide replacement chart, to show which SR Smith slides most closely match the no-longer available Inter-Fab slides. SR Smith calls it the Deck Slide Functional Equivalent Guide, but your could call it a Slide Supercedence Summary, or just the Inter-Fab to SR Smith cross reference chart. :-)
Pool Slide Buyer's Guide
The number of pool slides available today is half of what it was a year ago. That is because SR Smith recently purchased Inter-Fab, and decided that 12 slides in the marketplace was too many! Inter-Fab pool slides have been discontinued, and only SR Smith pool slides are available now.
The Vortex Slide is available with open or closed flume, and a platform ladder or a spiral staircase. The flexibility of the Vortex slide is perfect for commercial or high-end residential applications. The high-volume water delivery system gives you up to 30 gallons of water per minute.
Specifications: Height: 10'7" overall, 7'6" to the seat. Corkscrew flume is 19' in length. Required deck space: 11'4" by 9'9" (with staircase), or 9'9" by 9'9" (with ladder. Weight limit: 325 lbs. Available in two colors, Blue or Grey.
The TurboTwister slide is the tallest and fastest residential slide available. Whether it's the rushing water or thrilling dips and curves that you love, the TurboTwister is packed with tons of great features for the entire family. With sturdy molded-in handrails and an enclosed ladder, this slide is safe and easier to install.
Specifications: Height: 8'7". Available in right and left curves and in 2-colors Sandstone or Grey Granite. Flume is 14'4" in length. Required deck space: 13'6" x 6'3". Weight limit: 275 lbs. Children under 48" tall must be supervised at all times when using this slide. 
The Rogue2 slide has a retro look with a thoroughly modern flume that makes this slide the new standard for backyard fun. The Rogue2 is designed for quick and easy assembly, and has an improved high volume water delivery system that can be plumbed through the pool's return line or connected to a garden hose.
Specifications: Height: 8' (6'6" to seat). Available in right and left curves and in 4-colors, Blue, White, Sand or Grey. Flume is 9'3" in length. Required deck space: 10'7" x 8'5". Weight limit: 250 lbs. Flanges must be purchased separately. For residential use only.
The Typhoon slide stands 7'4" tall to the top of the handrails, and is available in sandstone and grey granite. Enclosed ladder and molded handrail design for maximum safety. Our unique GrandRapids water delivery system offers lots of rushing water for a fun ride.
Specifications: Height: 7'4". Available in right or left curves. Flume is 9'10" in length. Required deck space: 11'8" x 4'5". Weight limit: 275 lbs.
The Helix2 slide is a deep-flume, 360° adventure ride with a patented water delivery system. Enclosed stairway and integrated ladder and hand rail is safer to climb and the
Specifications: Height: 7'-4". 360-degree flume is 12'8" in length. Required deck space: 9'6" x 4'7". Weight limit: 250 lbs.
The Cyclone incorporates many of the same great features of our TurboTwister, but in smaller proportions, and just 4 feet tall. Safety features like molded handrails and enclosed ladder, this side is the perfect size for small kids and small pools.
Specifications: Height: 4'-1". Available in right curve. Flume is 6'10" in length. Required deck space: 6'8" x 5'5". Weight limit: 175 lbs.
Pool slides are so much fun, and more exciting than they used to be - so take a look at our pool slide offerings today!