If you’ve recently installed a swimming pool, you’re probably doing everything you can to ensure your family’s safety.
Lifejackets — check.
Swimming lessons — check.
Adult on duty — check.
But all the precautionary measures in the world can’t give you the peace of mind and security of a pool fence.
With a good pool fence surrounding your pool, you can make sure that no one is sneaking into the water when you’re not around. Not to mention that it might be a law in your state!
But how do you know what type of fence to install? There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of options out there. And every one of them seems to do the same job.
Well, as always, we have our opinion on the matter. Here are our top picks and what you should look for when you buy your own fence.
The 10 Best Pool Fences
#1. GLI Above Ground Pool Fence Base Kit
- SAFETY AND SECURITY - Designed to keep your friends and family safe from accidents, this pool barrier prevents anyone from accessing your above-ground pool from the outside and falling into the water. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing your pool is secure when it’s not in use.
The GLI Above Ground Pool Fence Base Kit is a set of vinyl fence sections made to connect to the existing braces of your pool. The kit is a set of eight, but you can order as many as you need.
This fence is a great safety barrier to keep kids and pets out of the water when you’re not around to supervise. But it does not block the view of the pool itself so you can safely keep an eye on your swimmers.
This safety fence is sturdy, attractive, and easily adjusts to any size pool. And the kit comes with everything you need, including posts, panels, hardware, and instructions.
#2. Life Saver Fencing Section Kit
- Easy-to-install, do-it-yourself fencing kit helps keep children safe from accidental falls into your pool
This kit is a DIY fence-building kit that allows you to construct your fence to the exact size and shape you need. You can choose from a couple of different size kits that either come with or without a gate.
The frame is constructed from sturdy aluminum and stainless steel and the fencing material is a sturdy industrial strength mesh.
The sections are four-feet tall, which is the recommended US height for swimming pool fences. And it can easily be removed at any time.
This product is backed by a lifetime warranty and 7-day-per-week customer service support.
#3. BISupply Plastic Fencing Roll
- [Create a Temporary Border]: The BISupply 4ft Outdoor Temporary Fencing is perfect for short term barricades for events, construction zones, and animals
This fence roll is designed with lightweight plastic netting to serve as a more temporary type of barricade.
But don’t let its light weight fool you. The rip-proof, high-density polyethylene is strong enough to keep children out.
The material is also brightly colored to clearly mark the protected area. And it’s a great barricade to put up for backyard parties when there won’t be any swimming.
This is easy to install with t-posts or fence posts. Or for extra stability, you can use fence stakes.
Each roll is 100 feet long and 4 feet high.
#4. WaterWarden Black Pool Fence
- POOL SAFETY FENCE – Protects against unauthorized access to your pool, keeping your loved ones safe. Sturdy & extremely safe while in use, it’s easy to remove. For best results, install on cement or concrete tiled decks. NOT recommended for use with pavers
The WaterWarden pool fence is made of a strong mesh material that adds a border to your pool without blocking visibility.
It comes in 4 or 5 foot sections so you can order as many as you need at the right size for your pool area. And it’s easy to assemble in just a few minutes with spring-loaded latches.
The poles for this fence will be anchored into the ground with stainless steel pins, so it’s extra sturdy and dependable.
This provides a safe system for keeping little ones out of the pool, but it can easily be removed at any time.
#5. Love Story Dark Green Fence
- (Breathable Material with 88% Blockage )Made with 100% 200 GSM new high density polyethylene(HDPE) material--no recycled materials used,more healthy and safe. Allow breeze and light pass through for better comfort space. Commercial solid fabric can achieve 88% blockage to meet your requirement.In addition,it prevents harmful UV sun lights from damaging for up to 90%-95%.
This durable fence cover is surprisingly durable with commercial grade high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It’s made to be installed over your existing fence for added weather protection and privacy.
This fence is super easy to install with zip ties and comes in several different size panels up to 6’ x 50’.
It can be used in all seasons and all types of weather and provides a 95% shading rate for protection against harmful UV rays and extreme heat.
#6. WamBam White Vinyl Fence
- FINISHING POST REQUIRED: This vinyl fencing is designed to scale, so you will need to order a finishing post to complete your yard fence or pool fence project (item BL19042)
This white vinyl fence from WamBam has a white picket fence feel with its charming design. But it’s sturdy and tall enough to meet US safety standards.
WamBam’s patented installation is a no-dig system that allows you to easily drive a steel pipe into the ground. It’s a permanent and sturdy fence that won’t be going anywhere until you remove it.
For this fence, you’ll need to buy a compatible gate, which is available in a matching style.
#7.GLI Removable Fence
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This fence is made to keep everything and everyone out of the pool when necessary, but it is completely removable when it’s not needed.
The connections for this fence are sturdy and durable with tight connections and no ground clearance. This keeps both children and even small creatures out.
It comes with pre-assembled 4ft x 10ft sections, along with all the hardware and measuring templates you’ll need. However, you’re not limited by this size as you can shorten the sections to fit around your pool.
#8. Giantex Pool Fence
- Durable Material & Sturdy Construction: This safety fence panels for pool is made of wear-resistant mesh fabric, aluminum tubes and stakes, which ensures increased longevity and durability. It stands firmly after assembly and will not crack and you can use the protective fence outdoors for a long time.
Safety mesh fences like these are great because they keep unwanted swimmers out, but allow you to see from and into the pool all the way around.
This Fiantex pool fence is made of a lightweight yet strong aluminum frame and can be folded up and put away whenever you’d like.
The 12-foot sections can be resized to fit your needs and easily installed alone. And the low-ground clearance keeps even the smallest visitors out of the water.
#9. Sentry DIY Pool Fence
- Mesh able to withstand 200 lbs of pressure;
This is another DIY fencing kit with a smart system of steel pins and deck sleeves. It’s an especially great fence for people who only need it occasionally because it can be quickly and easily removed.
Each section of this fence comes with five poles for maximum stability. And everything else you need for easy installation.
This comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
#10. EZ-Guard Child Safety Pool Fence
The EZ-Guard Child Safety fence comes in three different colors to complement your landscaping — black, brown, and tan.
Like many of the others listed here, it’s a DIY kit so it can be shaped and sized exactly like you want it.
The materials include stainless steel poles and UV-resistant fiberglass mesh. Plus, you’ll also get all the hardware needed for a secure and sturdy installation.
Types of Pool Fences
There are many types of pool fences, ranging from simple to elaborate designs. With all the available options, it shouldn’t be hard to find one that meets your needs.
Temporary Pool Fences
Temporary fences come in a lot of different styles, but they’re usually easy to install and remove. A good temporary fence will also be lightweight and durable, though, so they still offer the same safety as a permanent structure.
Some of these involve drilling holes in the deck or cement around the pool to hold them in place. But there are some available that use water-filled bases instead to weight them down and keep them from moving.
Most temporary fences come in DIY kits like some of the ones we listed above, and they’re usually constructed of some kind of mesh or vinyl.
Aluminum Pool Fences
Aluminum fences are some of the most popular types of pool fences because of their durability and rust-resistant properties. These are also usually cheaper to install than traditional or wrought iron fences.
Glass Pool Fences
Glass pool fences aren’t as common as other types of fences but they offer a beautiful unobstructed view around your pool. This is often appealing to people who want pool safety without interfering with their landscaping.
These come in either frameless or semi-frameless so that you can almost make them disappear from view.
You don’t have to worry about these fences breaking as they’re typically made from tempered safety glass.
Wrought Iron Pool Fences
A wrought iron pool fence will give you more of a traditional feel. They used to be pretty popular and considered an elegant addition to a backyard.
Some pool owners still prefer them, but they’re not as popular as more modern types of fencing material. They can also be more expensive than most of the other options.
Wooden Pool Fences
Wooden pool fences come in such a huge variety of sizes, shapes, designs, and colors that they’re a very popular choice for pools. They also offer a lot more privacy than the other types, which is important to some people.
This type of fencing is durable and lasts a long time if it’s maintained well.
Vinyl Pool Fences
Vinyl pool fencing comes in even more styles than wood fencing since it can basically be molded into anything a manufacturer envisions. It usually has the same look as a wooden fence, but it’s extremely low maintenance.
Vinyl fencing does usually cost a little more upfront, but it can last up to 30 years!
Crucial Factors to Consider Before Buying a Pool Fence
When buying a fence, there’s more to consider than just how it looks. But hey, we’re not saying that’s not important!
Materials
The material your pool fence is made out of is important to the design and strength of the surrounding.
Some materials are obviously stronger than others, such as aluminum and wrought iron. But that doesn’t mean the other options aren’t equally as effective for safety.
If you’re going with a mesh fence, pole strength is another thing to consider. Any fence poles should be reinforced to meet or exceed safety standards. They should also be spaced no more than 3 feet apart to ensure maximum stability.
Temporary vs. Permanent
Temporary pool fencing is actually a pretty popular choice for pool fences because of its versatility. In other words, it can be changed, expanded, or completely removed whenever necessary.
Type of Gate Latch
Check with your state about pool fence and gate laws, but some states require pool gates to be self-closing and self-latching. Even if it’s not required, it’s a good idea, though. This way, you can’t accidentally leave it open and risk a kiddo sneaking into the pool.
Cost
If you have a budget to stick to, then cost is a definite factor. Every type of pool fence has varying costs due to differences in size, style, or installation.
Temporary fences are usually the cheapest, while materials like wrought iron and other metals can get pretty pricey.
Installation
Fences you can install yourself are always going to be cheaper than the ones that need to be professionally installed because of the added labor fees. But if you’re not that handy or just don’t wanna mess with it, professional installation is the way to go.
How to Install a Pool Fence
Pool fence installation is different for every type of product. But since we’re talking about above ground pools here, let’s stick with a vinyl style made to fit those.
Most of these are fairly easy to install yourself without much help, and they usually come in kits with easy-to-follow instructions.
Measure
The first thing you’ll need to do is figure out how many pool panels you need. You can do this by counting the number of metal posts on the outside of your pool.
Above ground pool fence panels are made to fit the width between those existing pool posts or to be adjusted to do so. So you should be able to calculate how many you need based on those sections.
Install the brackets
Your pool fence kit will come with mounting brackets that can be installed on those posts (or uprights). You’ll just need to drill the holes at the top of the uprights and secure the brackets with screws.
Watch a demo here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QyicY7neMo
Adjust the panel sizes
If your fence panels are not sized to fit between the uprights already, adjust them according to the manufacturer’s directions. Usually, they can be cut to fit or locked together to lengthen.
Assemble the fence
Once the panels have been sized, you’ll just need to attach the bottom rails to form a complete section.
Mount the fence posts
Insert the fence posts into the brackets you installed on the pool uprights.
Install the fence
Now, you’ll just attach the fence sections to the secured fence posts and you’re ready to go!
Quick Swimming Pool Safety Tips
- Never swim alone
No matter what your age or your experience as a swimmer, you never know what can happen. Heart emergencies, muscle cramps, and other issues can arise for anyone.
But, of course, it goes without saying that a child should especially NEVER be left alone in a pool for any period of time.
- Stay away from pool drains
Drain covers these days are made to prevent the death-threatening injuries they used to. But the suction they cause can still trap hair, limbs, or swimsuits, causing injury or drowning.
- Keep lifejackets on the kids
It may be a pain to swim with lifejackets on, but it could certainly save someone’s life. This goes for adults who can’t swim well, too.
- Teach your kids water safety
It’s a good idea to enroll your kids in swimming lessons as early as possible, especially if you do have a pool in your backyard. But aside from that, go over your pool safety rules regularly.
These might include, for example, never getting in the pool without adult supervision.
- Install a pool fence
This is actually a law in most states, so keep that in mind when installing your own pool. A pool barrier is probably the best protection you can have against drowning.
Best Pool Fence FAQs
What size pool requires a fence?
Pool fence requirements vary by state, but usually, any pool more than 18 inches deep is required to have a barrier.
What kind of fence goes around a pool?
Almost any type of fence can go around your pool, but it needs to be specifically designed for safety so that children aren’t able to climb it or slip through it.
What is the best pool fence?
The best pool fence is the one that keeps everyone safe. But we specifically like the GLI Above Ground Pool Fence Base Kit from above for above ground pools because of its versatility and ease of installation.
What is the safest pool fence?
Most pool fences are designed specifically for safety.
But look for one with a low ground clearance so small children can’t crawl under it. And there should be no wide-spaced pickets for anyone to slip through.
How much does a pool fence cost?
Because of the wide range of fence types, there’s no way to give you a good estimate on cost. They can range from a few hundred to more than $10,000.
The least expensive are usually the mesh temporary fences and the most expensive are glass or rot iron.
Conclusion
Enclosing your swimming pool is not only a good idea, it’s also often required by law.
Of course, most of the time, as long as your backyard is fenced in, you’ll be meeting state standards. But that won’t keep the kids in your own backyard from falling into the pool.
And fencing doesn’t have to be ugly. With all the different types out there, you’re sure to find one that looks great around your pool.
Hi, I’m Matt Harper, the founder of poolcareguy.com, a site I started with one simple mission: to help people around the world clean and take care of their pools and hot tubs on their own, without the hassle.
I’m not a professional pool cleaner and don’t have any formal training, I’m just an average guy who loves hanging out by his pool and hot tub and taking care of it. After many years on the job, I’ve become quite good at it.
On this website I will be teaching you absolutely everything I know about pools and hot tubs.