Auto Cover Lid Options

Many owners would like to walk on their autocover lid. Some even hope the kids can jump off of it safely. We wish there was something that could make this an absolute possibly but unfortunately that is just not realistic.

There are a couple of ways that an autocover vault can be covered. A coping stone lid is the most solid but most expensive. Special heavy duty brackets are installed by the coping installer to support the stones. The stones lay dry, look integrated, but are not truly adequate for regular traffic. When the coping stone brackets are used, a stone OR poured lid that matches your concrete can be installed. (see above)

The most common installation is lighter duty brackets to support an aluminum lid. This will enable the lid to handle most inadvertent foot traffic without fear of bending or someone falling. Despite how solid and well supported the cover lid might seem, pedestrians and bathers will not ultimately end up walking on it. It protrudes up a little, is different the rest of the concrete, and human nature is to step over it. In fact most pool spaces don’t see much foot traffic on the back side of the pool anyway. If possible the space should be designed deliberately to avoid the traffic. Focusing the concrete living space and traffic to the other end of the pool is safer, more useable, and a better value.

There is a cross between the two. Installing coping stone lid brackets, with an aluminum lid is a bit of an upgrade. Significantly less cost and effort than a coping stone installation, the bracket will support the aluminum much better and will be more solid. This will accept a higher level of foot traffic but will still be somewhat flexible. It will certainly not make jumping into the pool from the end any safer or comfortable.

Even if a lid was able to support regular unimpeded foot traffic, a jump into the pool off the lid exerts a much bigger load than plain traffic. It will never be a good idea. Additionally there is a space of 6”-10” between the lid edge and the water. In that space is where the cover leading edge bar rests as well as the end of the pool itself. It’s not a natural place to jump. Typically most of the ‘Cannonballing’ is going to occur on the far side from mid pool towards the deep end wall. Not the end of the pool.

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