Top 5 Small Fiberglass Pools For An Epic Transformation

In recent years, small fiberglass pools have become increasingly popular as backyards become smaller. Many potential pool owners desire a pool better suited for relaxation, social events, and perhaps smaller families. We’ve installed an insane number of small fiberglass pools for many families, and these are the Top 5 small fiberglass pool models we’ve chosen that will make for an epic transformation in your backyard.

Why You Won’t Regret Installing A Small Fiberglass Pool

Optimizing Space

We aren’t all blessed with large lots and ample backyard space to fit any pool size we could possibly want. Some yards are smaller than others, some are narrower, or you might not want a pool to take up your entire backyard. Utilizing a small fiberglass pool will allow you to optimize your outdoor space to include things such as patio space, seating areas, grass, structures and an assortment of other features you may want to include in your backyard design.

Fast Installation

One of the many benefits of fiberglass pools is the ability to install them faster than any other type of pool. Fiberglass pools are pre-manufactured as a single shell and delivered as one solid unit to your house. This reduces on-site construction times, especially for small fiberglass pools, reducing the disruption to your home and getting you swimming faster.

Easy Pool Maintenace

Fiberglass pools are by far the most maintenance-friendly pool type available today. A fibreglass pool's smooth, non-porous surface inhibits bacteria and algae growth and reduces the need for frequent brushing, scrubbing and chemical treatments.

Extreme Durability

The durability of a fiberglass pool is second to none. The engineering behind fiberglass pools makes them resistant to various problems, including cracking, shifting, and fading or modelling of the interior gel coat finish. This extreme durability will give you peace of mind, knowing you can spend more time enjoying your pool.

Customizations

A small pool doesn’t stop you from having a kickas* backyard. You can make a virtually endless number of customizations to complement your small fibreglass pool, including pool lighting, spillways, waterfalls, deck jets, laminar, pergolas, pool decking, and so much more.

It Fits Your Lifestyle

Depending on your lifestyle, a small fiberglass pool might be better suited for you. Maybe you live a career-oriented lifestyle and don’t have the time to look after a large pool, or maybe you don’t have kids or grandkids, and the pool is more for cooling off and socializing than diving and jumping. Outside of being restricted by space, lifestyle is a big factor in deciding on what size of pool you should get.

Small Fiberglass Pool Shapes

Rectangular

The days of kidney-shaped pools being the major trend are over. In recent years, the trend has been leaning towards the clean, simple, and modern look of rectangular pools. In 2023, 90% of our fiberglass pool installations were for rectangular pools. Not only has the trend changed, but you’ll find that as you get into small fiberglass pools, the options for rectangular styles are more abundant.

Freeform

The Freeform shape refers to curvy style pool shapes such as the kidney-shaped pool. Some people love the Freeform style despite the trend changing towards rectangular pools, and that’s just fine. It’s ultimately a matter of personal preference. Freeform pools deliver a certain level of elegance a rectangular pool doesn’t have with its simplicity. Freeform pools are also a fantastic choice if your backyard has a weird shape, like a slice of pie. Sometimes, you can’t make a rectangular pool look good in a yard shaped oddly.

The Top 5 Small Fiberglass Pools

Dolphin Fiberglass Pools - Stingray III - 12’ x 26’

The Stingray III by Dolphin Fiberglass Pools is the most popular small fiberglass pool we install at Hipel Pools. It features full-width steps, two convenient benches for seating on either side of the steps, and a consistent depth of  4’6” (flat bottom). The Stingray III is the perfect pool for social events, sports, those restricted for space, and anyone wanting a pool where they can cool off and spend the rest of their time lounging.

Latham - Olympia 12 - 12’ x 26’

The Olympia 12 is an elegantly designed small fiberglass pool featuring a small tanning ledge, two sets of entry steps, and two deep-end seating benches while still maintaining a full swim lane. With a gradually sloping depth of 3’6” in the shallow end to 5’6” in the deep end you’ll be able to use this small pool for everything from swimming laps, chilling on the in-pool benches, and lounging on the built-in tanning ledge.

Imagine Pools - Vision - Available sizes are 10’ x 16’, 10’ x 20’, 10’ x 23’ and 10’ x 26’

The Vision manufactured by Imagine Pools offers a versatile solution for those wanting a small fiberglass pool. Available in 4 sizes, selecting a size that fits your needs has never been easier. The vision features narrow entry steps at the end width of the pool, followed by a single bench for seating and entertainment. This pool offers a consistent depth bottom of 4’ 11” (flat bottom), making it perfect for cooling off on those hot July summer days.

Dolphin Fiberglass Pools - Stingray II - 10’ x 25’

The stingray II is an alternative to the stingray III we talked about earlier in this article. The Stingray II features a small full-width tanning ledge followed by a full-width set of entry steps. And in-pool seating benches on either side of the pool. This pool also has a consistent depth of 4’6” (flat bottom), making it a perfect pool for cooling off and relaxing in the peace of your backyard.

Imagine Pools - Inspiration - Available sizes are - 13’ x 23’, 13’ x 26’ and more…

The Imagine Pools Inspiration is the only small free-form pool to make our top 5 list of small fiberglass pools. Its exquisite design features built-in seating, small tanning and a small tanning ledge. The curvy pool design will appeal to anyone better suited for a freeform pool design.

How Small Can A Fiberglass Pool Be?

Small fiberglass pools can be as small as 6’ wide by 10’ long, but most manufacturers make pools that are 12’ wide x 24’ long or slightly smaller. Different manufacturers offer different size options, so you’ll have to find a manufacturer that makes a small fiberglass pool that suits your needs.

Customizing Your Small Fiberglass Pool

Now that you know what sizes a small fiberglass pool comes in and what might work in your backyard, let’s look at the most common customizations for small fiberglass pools.

Pool Decking

Pool decking is incredibly flexible and can vary in size and design to fit your seating and space requirements. Pool decking is typically constructed of either poured concrete, interlocking stone, or natural stone. The customization options for pool decking is virtually endless and can include contrasting borders, inlays, and multiple materials.

Water Features

Water features exist in many forms, including spillways, waterfalls, bubblers, deck jets, laminars, and custom options. Unlike any other feature, water features bring excitement, elegance, and appeal to your pool. They are the most common feature we install on our small fiberglass pools. 

Pool Covers

Investing in a pool cover of some sort is a wise investment. Summer pool covers like solar blankets, clear decks and automatic pool covers make your pool more efficient by preventing heat loss through evaporation, ultimately saving you money in the long run. Winter safety covers are a great idea to keep your pool safe and protected throughout winter.

Pool Lighting

Pool lighting is another very common way of spicing up your small fiberglass pool. Lights make your pool stand out at night, making it safer for night swimming while delivering a beautiful ambience to your outdoor space. Colour-changing lights take pool lighting to a whole new level with pre-configured light shows and the ability to select individual colours.

Pool Automation

Pool automation is the future of pool control, allowing you to control virtually every aspect of your from a mobile phone, tablet or computer. Had a tough day at work and want to ensure your pool is up to temperature when you get home? Simply hop on your pool automation app and set your pool heater to your desired temperature so it's ready to go when you get home.

Pergolas & Pool Houses

Having some shade around your pool might not be a bad thing… Pergolas or shade structures look great and are a great place to sit by the pool where you can read a book and avoid the sun. Depending on the scale, pool houses provide a great place to house your pool equipment and create an extension of your home closer to the pool where you can include things such as bathrooms, changerooms, kitchens, barbecues and more.

How much does a small fiberglass pool cost?

The answer depends on where you live, but you can expect prices for small fiberglass pools to be between $50,000 and $80,000 or more.

This will ultimately depend on a number of factors, such as the scale and complexity of the installation, the features you decide to include in the project and the brand and size of fiberglass pool you decide to go with.

How Big Of A Yard Do I Need To Fit A Small Fiberglass Pool?

You are going to need at least enough space to fit the pool into your yard and to meet the required setbacks from property lines, fences, and buildings in your municipality or county.

If you plan on installing a 12’ x 24’ fiberglass pool and your municipality requires a minimum setback of 3’, you’ll need a total space of 15’x27’.

You also need to consider what you want for pool decking around your pool. Typically, we recommend a 3’ pool deck perimeter around your pool. You can get away with less in some cases, but a 3’ of pool decking around your pool is generally a good rule of thumb for a minimum amount.

If you want more pool decking and are restricted on space, you may want to think about finding a smaller fiberglass pool to accommodate more pool decking.

How Long Will A Small Fiberglass Pool Last?

Fiberglass pools are incredibly durable and have a lifespan of about 20-30 years, with some lasting as long as 50+ years. 

Your fiberglass pool probably won’t need a complete replacement after 20-30 years, but you might want to consider having it re-finished. Over the years of exposure to outdoor elements, including the sun, winters, pool chemicals, and an assortment of other factors, the gel-coat finish on your fiberglass pool will start to wear and deteriorate. The structure of your fiberglass, however, in most cases, will be totally fine and should easily last 50 years.

Finding A Small Fiberglass Pool Contractor

Finding a pool contractor that offers a good selection of small fiberglass pools could be daunting, depending on the size and shape of the pool you are looking for. We recommend starting with manufacturers' websites and finding a pool made by a specific manufacturer that fits your needs. Once you have narrowed down on a pool (or a few), reach out to local dealers in your area who install the brand of fiberglass pools you are looking at. You can always reach out to the manufacturer to be referred to a local dealer in your area.

Small Fiberglass Pools In Ontario, Canada

At Hipel Pools, We offer an extensive line of small fiberglass pools from 4 brands and serve Southern Ontario, Canada. Based in Kitchener, Ontario, we have installed over 100 fiberglass pools since our inception in 2018.

If you are a homeowner in Ontario, we would love to help you find the perfect small fiberglass pool for your dream backyard renovation.