Pool Bubblers Design Ideas, Inspiration & Considerations

Written by Michael Dean
June 2, 2023

pool bubblers

Swimming pool bubblers are a super popular water feature for many pool owners, especially for folks with a spa addition to their pool. Bubblers are small fountains that create water columns in shallow areas of your pool. They are commonly used on shallow shelves, spas, and pool steps. Below, I’ll walk through some of the main benefits and watch-outs of pool bubblers, get into some design concepts and some of my favorite design inspiration, and finish up with some installation tips. Ready? Let’s get started.

Main Benefits

Outside of being pretty to look at, bubblers provide a few additional benefits for your pool.

Sound Blocking

Bubblers can be a great sound blocker for noisy neighbors or a busy street in front of your house. The rush of the water has a wonderful calming effect, much like a waterfall or spillover.

Cooling Down Water

Bubblers and many other water features are also great for cooling down your pool water. The rush of the water out of the column keeps your pool water moving, introducing oxygen into your water and reducing the temperature. This is a blessing for those shallow pool areas if you live in a hot climate. Bubblers can help keep that water cool and enjoyable.

Aesthetics

When it comes to design, the surrounding environment of your pool is almost as important as the pool itself. If you have a lot of natural landscaping around your pool, bubblers can be a great way to keep that zen feeling that your trees and other greenery help establish.

Watch Outs

The two main watch-outs for bubblers are their cost and installation. This water feature is definitely going to add some cost to your initial pool build, so make sure to plan that out with your contractor ahead of time and work it into your budget. The installation process is pretty straightforward but can be easily complicated with additional features like lighting and automated timing. If you are thinking about any of those upgrades, get a recommendation from your pool builder on what to do and who to contact for maintenance on those parts if they ever malfunction.

Types of Swimming Pool Bubblers

Bubblers don’t really come in too many varieties. You can have different water stream widths, but other than that, the customizations are really all about additional features like lighting or automation. Below you’ll see some inspiration for those additions.

Pool Bubblers Design Ideas

rectangular pool with bubblers

The bubblers in this pool I built provide a striking entrance feature.

If you have a shelf with spa seating, bubblers can be a great addition to help block noise and cool down the water in that shallow area.

pool with deck jets and bubblers

Here is a photo of a pool I built that features bubblers in the lounge shelf and deck jets from each corner of the pool.

bubbler in pool spa

I loved doing the natural stonework on this project. The bubbler adds a nice touch to the spa.

Combined with spillover in the main spa area, these bubblers with custom blue lighting underneath them create a cool effect across the pool.

Bubblers can also be placed at the entrance to the pool next to the stairs.

These larger bubblers provide a cool juxtaposition to the firewall at the other end of the pool. Image from PresidentialPools.com.

Here, you have bubblers at two ends of the pool – one in the spa and one on the stairs.

They can also be placed in natural stone, like this walkway into the pool. Image from homestratosphere.com.

The overflow effect with a bubbler in this spa area is very neat. Image from artisticpools.com.

Installing Bubblers In Your Pool

Generally, bubblers are something you want to consider in the initial design phase of your pool. They are tough to install after the fact, but it can be done if you’re already underway with a significant remodel.

For the DIYers that are curious about how to install them, it’s a 4-step process:

  1. Installing the piping to the bubblers. If you have lighting with them, you’ll also need to install power lines.
  2. Install the bubbler fixtures and connect them to the water and power piping.
  3. Attach the bubblers.
  4. Install diverter valves to the bubblers.

Need Help Building Your Pool?

I offer design consulting services to help you build your ideal pool. I'll work with your contractor, create build-ready designs and specs, and much more.

And that’s it! Have questions about this fantastic water feature? Let me know; I’ll be happy to help.

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