# Lakefront craftsman pool on Mercer Island

An L-shaped pool with brick coping and a long lawn down to the dock on Lake Washington. Drawn for a large craftsman lake house with stone piers, cedar shingle siding, wide eaves and a deep porch, with a gently sloping lawn to Lake Washington with Douglas fir, rhododendron, a dock and distant hills.

A design idea for Mercer Island, WA. Pacific Northwest, lake or waterfront lot, Craftsman. Updated 2026-10-06.

## The numbers

- Size: 36 × 18 ft (3.5 to 6 ft deep)
- Water surface: 480 sq ft
- Water: about 12,300 gal
- Coping: 108 linear ft
- Deck: 1,960 sq ft
- Hot tub: 7 ft round (about 850 gal)

## The design, spelled out

The floor is 3.5 ft deep at the steps and stays level for about 10 ft, slopes over about 12 ft, then runs level at 6 ft for the last 14 ft. A sun shelf sits at the other end.

### Shape: L-shape

Two rectangles joined at a right angle. One arm is for lengths and the other for play, which suits a family with different ages in the water.

### Size: 36 × 18 ft

A pool about 18 ft wide and 36 ft long. Room for lengths and a group, and a yard that can hold the larger deck it needs. That is about 480 sq ft of water and about 12,300 gallons.

### Steps: Corner steps

Steps tucked into a corner. Keeps the water free for swimming and saves space in a small pool. The steps lead into water 3.5 ft deep.

### Sun shelf: Sun shelf

A shallow ledge a few inches under the water. Kids play and adults lounge on it, and bubblers or a chair fit there.

### Hot tub: Separate tub, 7 ft round

A hot tub on the deck, apart from the pool. It has its own water and heater, so you can run it alone on a cold night without heating the pool. The tub holds about 850 gallons.

### Pool finish: Pebble

An exposed pebble aggregate finish, in the Pebble Tec style. Durable and textured, which hides small marks, but rougher on bare feet. Cool, wet weather means more leaves and less sun, so a darker finish helps warm the water.

### Finish color: Blue finish, classic deep blue water

A blue interior. Gives a classic, deeper blue water.

### Waterline tile: Blue glass

Blue glass mosaic at the waterline. Adds sparkle and a clear blue edge to the water. It runs about 108 linear ft around this pool.

### Coping: Brick

Red brick with a rolled edge. A traditional edge that suits brick houses and colonial or Tudor styles. It runs about 108 linear ft around this pool.

### Deck: Stamped concrete

Tan stamped concrete with a stone pattern. An affordable deck poured in one piece. It needs a sealer and a grit additive so it is not slippery when wet. The deck is about 1,960 sq ft here. A textured surface and good drainage keep this deck safe through a wet week.

### Planting: Lawn and hedges

A green lawn with clipped hedges. Gives kids a soft place to play and a formal frame to the deck. Keep needles and leaves away from the skimmer by planting away from the water's edge.

### Pool fence: Black aluminum

A black aluminum picket fence. A standard, durable barrier that disappears in the planting and meets most barrier codes.

### Add to the yard: Pergola

Pergola: A pergola over part of the deck. Gives shade and a room feeling. It may need a permit and engineering where it is windy or snowy.

### Furniture: Dining table, Outdoor sofa

Dining table: An outdoor dining table and chairs. Turns the pool into the place where meals happen. Outdoor sofa: An outdoor sofa and lounge chairs. Makes the deck feel like a living room outside.

### Light: Golden hour

Shown in golden-hour light. Low sun is when the finish, the tile and the planting look their best.

## Why it suits this house

The yard: a gently sloping lawn to Lake Washington with Douglas fir, rhododendron, a dock and distant hills. A waterfront lot is regulated land, so the rules decide how close the pool can sit to the shore. Shoreline setbacks, flood zones and sometimes environmental review limit where a pool can go. The view is the point, so a low edge, glass fence or vanishing edge can frame it.

The house is a large craftsman lake house with stone piers, cedar shingle siding, wide eaves and a deep porch. A Craftsman house wants natural materials, warm wood and a pool that tucks into the yard. Wood-look decking, stone coping and planting that reaches the water soften a compact pool so it looks as if it belongs with the porch and beams.

## Will it fit your yard?

Plan on a clear area of about 66 by 36 ft for the pool, the tub, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 68 by 38 ft.

## Pacific Northwest: what the climate asks of this pool

In the Pacific Northwest, a pool is for the dry months and the warm tub in the wet ones, so heat and a cover are the design.

- Rain and cool nights mean a heater, a solar cover or a heat pump is part of the plan, not an upgrade for later.
- Shade from tall evergreens is a trade-off: it keeps the deck cool and fills the pool with needles, so keep the water away from the drip line when you can.
- Wet weather is hard on slick surfaces. A textured deck and a covered area for the hot tub or seating extend the season.
- Small city lots are common, so a compact pool with a narrow deck and a fire feature can fit better than a classic rectangle.

## Quick answers

**How much water does this pool hold?** About 12,300 gallons. It is 36 by 18 ft with about 480 sq ft of water, 3.5 ft deep at the steps and 6 ft at the deep end. The gallons come from adding up the depth over the real floor, steps and shelf included.

**How big a yard does it need?** Plan on a clear area of about 66 by 36 ft for the pool, the tub, 4 ft of deck around the water and 5 ft to the fence line. The deck as drawn here is about 68 by 38 ft.

**What does this design cost?** A planning range for WA is $85,000 to $210,000 all in: the pool, deck, coping, fence and features listed on this page. Permits and engineering are not in it. It is a range built from published prices, not a quote, and real jobs usually land inside it rather than on its edges.

**How long does it take to build?** Plan on about 3 to 6 months from a signed contract to the first swim. Permits take from a few days to several months, depending on the town, before work starts.

## Why it works here

Cedar shingles, stone piers and a deep porch call for warm, traditional materials, which is why brick coping and a stamped concrete deck suit this house. The L-shape fits a long lawn running to the dock, a pergola gives shade, and a separate round tub at the left end keeps hot water apart from the 12,300 gallon pool.

What to watch: Lake water is not drawn in the model, and a sloping lot near it can mean extra drainage work. Brick coping also gets slippery when wet and can hold moss in damp shade.

## What this will cost: a planning range

$85,000 to $210,000 for WA, a range from published prices and not a quote.

- The pool: $45,000 to $124,000. 479 sq ft of water at $90 to $250 a square foot (shell, excavation, plumbing, equipment, plaster). Steps and the sun shelf are part of the shell.
- Pebble interior: $5,500 to $5,500. 851 sq ft of shell at $6 a square foot above plaster. Pebble is $10 a square foot against $4 for plaster in both sources.
- Coping: $3,000 to $3,500. 108 linear ft at $25 to $30 a foot.
- Deck: $24,000 to $41,000. 1,958 sq ft at $12 to $20 a square foot installed.
- Hot tub: $6,000 to $19,000. A spa added to a new pool. A separate tub still needs its own plumbing and equipment.
- Pergola: $2,000 to $6,500. A 10 by 12 ft pergola. The one source is dated 2022.
- Pool fence: $3,500 to $7,500. 212 linear ft around the deck as drawn, at $15 to $35 a foot installed.

Sources: [US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state](https://www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area); [HomeAdvisor, in-ground pool cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/inground-pool); [Fixr, gunite and concrete pool](https://www.fixr.com/costs/inground-gunite-concrete-swimming-pool); [Pool Research, plunge pool cost](https://poolresearch.com/plunge-pool-cost/); [ThePricer Media, pool resurfacing (quoting Angi, April 2026 data)](https://www.thepricer.org/how-much-does-pool-resurfacing-cost/); [Willsha Pools, pool finishes](https://willshapools.com/?p=5877); [Pool Research, pool coping cost](https://poolresearch.com/coping-cost/); [HomeAdvisor, pool deck cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/pool-deck); [HomeAdvisor, hot tub cost](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/swimming-pools-hot-tubs-and-saunas/install-a-hot-tub); [Shasta Pools, Arizona costs](https://shastapools.com/blog/breaking-down-the-cost-of-an-arizona-pool); [Fixr, pergola](https://www.fixr.com/costs/build-pergola); [Fixr, pool fence](https://www.fixr.com/costs/swimming-pool-fence)

## How long it takes

3 to 6 months from contract to first swim. Permits take from a few days to several months, depending on the town, before work starts.

- The yard additions are usually built after the pool is finished, so they add weeks that are not in this range.
- The hot tub is built with the pool, so it adds days of plumbing and tile rather than weeks.

## What it is made of

- Interior: Pebble, blue (about 850 sq ft of shell). Small stones set in cement. It is textured, hides wear and holds color well, and it is rougher on bare feet than the other finishes.
- Waterline tile: Blue glass (about 108 linear ft, 10 in. band). Glass mosaic reads bright in sun and is easy to wipe clean of the waterline scum ring.
- Coping: Brick (about 108 linear ft). Rolled-edge brick gives a traditional line. The mortar joints need attention over the years and the surface can be uneven underfoot.
- Deck: Stamped concrete (about 1,960 sq ft). Poured concrete pressed with a stone pattern. It should be sealed with a non-slip additive and resealed on a schedule, or it fades and gets slick.
- Pool fence: Black aluminum (about 210 linear ft around the deck as drawn). Black aluminum pickets are light, strong and the usual choice for a barrier. Near salt air, ask for a marine-rated finish.
- Planting: Lawn and hedges. A lawn and clipped hedges. It softens the yard and brings grass clippings and fertilizer, so it should be kept away from the water.
- Yard addition: Pergola. A shade structure over part of the deck. It has to be anchored for local wind and snow loads.
- Hot tub: Separate tub, round (about 850 gal). Built with the pool, with its own jets, heater share and cover. Tile and coping match the pool.

## Keeping it up

- Pebble in this climate: A dark pebble warms the water a little in a cool, wet climate. Keep leaves and needles out, because debris sits in the texture.
- When it is resurfaced: Pebble is usually redone every 15 to 20 or more years, depending on the water and the builder (Shasta Pools, plaster versus pebble and Pebble Technology, support). On this pool that is about 850 sq ft of interior.
- Stamped concrete deck: Reseal the stamped concrete every few years with a non-slip additive, or it fades and gets slippery when wet.
- The hot tub: A hot tub is a second body of water with its own chemistry. Keep it covered between uses and drain and clean it on the maker's schedule.
- Black aluminum fence: A black aluminum fence needs a wash and a check of its gate latch. Near salt air, rinse it and touch up any chipped finish.
- Leaves and rain: Wet weather brings leaves, needles and slick surfaces. Put a cover on for the wet months, keep the skimmer baskets clear and brush the steps.
- Yearly running cost: Owners commonly budget $3,000 to $5,000 a year for chemicals, power, service and repairs (HomeAdvisor, in-ground pool cost, 2026).

## Questions to ask a builder

- What heating and cover system do you recommend here, and how will water drain off the deck in a wet week?
- Since the lawn slopes toward the water, how will groundwater and drainage be handled around the pool shell, and can the pool ever lift when emptied?
- Do the pool and the tub share a heater, and can the tub run alone in cold weather?
- How deep is the sun shelf, and can a chair sit on it without tipping?
- Will the fence meet the barrier code, and is the gate self-closing and self-latching?

Start with this design in the free visualizer: https://rendersplash.com/pool-visualizer?idea=lakefront-craftsman-pool-mercer-island