Deck and Patio’s Sound Design

 By June Sullivan

With its seemingly endless miles of beautiful shoreline, Long Island has been a summer playground of choice for generations. In facet, this particular Glen Cove home and property boasts such a lovely view of “the Sound,” it was rumored that President Richard Nixon was a regular visitor here during his presidency in the early 1970’s.

However, that was the 70’s and today’s expectations for outdoor recreation on Long Island have progressed beyond simply a beautiful view to include resort-style amenities. “And this property’s two-level back yard,” says Bill Renter, owner of The Deck and Patio Company, in Huntington Station “had a drawback to that, a steep – and dangerous – slope or bluff at its edge. Its new homeowner was savvy, however,” he continues. “She knew that a “vanishing edge” pool would make its deep slope an advantage and become the centerpiece of a beautiful resort-style outdoor living area.

“When the homeowner came to us, she put no limits on a plan,” says Renter. “She was pleased with finished projects of ours that she had seen. Her main requests were for the vanishing edge pool and that we keep the site’s already existing pond.

“She was very open to additional new ideas,” continues Renter, “and there was a collaborative and cooperative relationship between us.”

Renter says that one way they work together was through the use of Deck and Patio’s computer software program called “Pool Studio, which is a 3-D animation program that allowed them to literally fly over and walk through the project as it was developing.

“She could experience walking across the new patio to see things from different angles,” says Renter. “We have a talented designer who draws the plans. All aspects of the design — from the existing house to the proposed patio, pool, waterfalls, outdoor kitchens, and expanded pond – could be experienced in motion. Even the gas campfires.” This was particularly helpful, he says, to fully appreciate the water-to-water views of the proposed vanishing edge pool. These pools, explains Renter, are an optical illusion that suggests the water is vanishing out of the back edge of the pool. The ultimate vanishing edge, he adds, is when, as with this Glen Cove project, the illusion looks as if the water in the pool is connected to the water in the view behind.

“I should add, however, that it doesn’t have to connect to a water to be spectacular,” says Renter. “Some of the most dramatic vanishing edges simply have something beautiful behind them. It could be a beach, or as simple as a beautiful flower garden or charming wooded area. What happens is that the vanishing edge catches your eye and makes you focus on the spot.” Renter continues that even the size of the space doesn’t matter. “It just requires an attractive focal point behind it and, together with the pool edge, it can take your breath away.”

In reality, nothing is vanishing, of course, says the Deck and Patio owner. The water is clinging to a recess in the pool wall which then drops into a catching pool below. And while this sounds simple enough, it requires a good deal of mastery to design it correctly.

For example, says Renter, an undersized catch pool can almost never be corrected.

“I deal with an industry expert who is the foremost authority for vanishing edge pools. I asked him if I could fax him drawings and he called back and in formed me that the size of our catch basin could potentially be too small. We immediately changed the design to accommodate a larger one.” Renter explains that if the catch pool or basin isn’t large

enough there won’t be enough water returning to the main pool and the catch pool will run dry. That can trigger huge water bills because it would have to be constantly refilled to compensate for not having enough room to store water. Or, he adds, during rain falls, the basin could be overwhelmed, leading to it overflowing, or eroding or liquefying the soil behind it.

“At the very least, it might cause the pool to shift, rotate or settle and then it’s no longer a vanishing edge,” says Renter. “That is why we take such great care to ensure it is done correctly.”

Renter’s roster of experts are also useful in the construction of the pool itself.

“The pools we build are typically vinyl, not gunite,” says the Deck and Patio owner. “They have steel reinforced concrete walls, which are thicker and stronger than a typical gunite pool.”

He adds that all the stairs, benches, in-pool bar stools, spa and the catch basin are poured steel reinforced concrete.

“The real challenge is measuring and accurately cutting and welding the three vinyl pool liners for a project like this, e.g., a spa liner, pool liner and catch pool liner. For that, we called in experts at Dover Vinyl in New Jersey who can do complicated projects. They came to the Glen Cove job site to verify all measurements, to ensure the liners would fit perfectly, which they did.”

One concern potential customers have regarding vinyl pools, says Renter, is that some people are not certain they will like the feel of vinyl. In this case the homeowner initially thought that a vinyl pool might not be worthy of her new resort-style back yard. Renter says that he took her to his own home to demonstrate what a vinyl pool/spa combination would look like and how automation works.

“She took off her shoes and stepped into my spa and swimming pool,” says Renter. “Having been a gunite pool owner previously, she was surprised that’s she liked the smooth soft feel of the padded stairs in the vinyl pool. After that visit, she was really excited to go ‘vinyl’ and actually insisted on it.”

The entire project includes the vanishing edge pool with five water pumps, 3,000 square feet of Techo Bloc tumbled stone patio, two natural gas campfires, and large evergreen trees that flank the left and right side for privacy. In the pool, there are two waterfalls, five bar stools, three staircases, and in-floor cleaning. Plus the original pond she had wanted to keep was in need of restoration. Renter says he and his team gave it a face-lift and expanded it. It now includes a waterfall, bridge, moss rock cave, a savio skimmer and aquascape biofalls.

The lighting that creates the extraordinary night views was done by Outdoor Lighting Perspectives in Huntington. “And just as their carefully hidden lighting gives wonderful effects – yet goes unseen,” says Renter, “all the expertise and technology behind the waterfalls, water pumps, the DE filter, gas heater, LED lights, EOS wireless automation, etc. also go unnoticed.

What you do notice, he says, are the breathtaking views and stunning outdoor living areas.

“The homeowner, her family and friends, in particular appreciate the swim up bar, which, on its opposite sides, is also a walk up bar, and that it includes a barbecue, refrigerator, ice maker, cabinets and hot and cold water running sink,” says Renter.

In fact, the homeowner says she doesn’t need to travel anywhere now. Her beautiful piece of Long Island has become more than a summer playground. “It’s a multi-seasonal resort worthy of today’s presidents,” says Renter. “It’s all hers to enjoy and share.”