The Sandal Beach Entry by Thursday Pools is not simply a pool with a distinctive entry point. It is the product of Thursday Pools patenting and introducing the world’s first fiberglass beach entry pool in 2018, a design that had previously existed only at upscale resorts and custom private estates. The Sandal (U.S. Patent No. 10,472,839) brings that experience home: a true zero-entry, freeform fiberglass pool where the pool floor starts at deck level and slopes gradually into the water, the same way a natural shoreline transitions from sand into the surf. For families with toddlers still building water confidence, for grandparents who find stairs less comfortable every year, and for households with dogs who deserve an easy way in and out, the Sandal changes the entire relationship between your family and the water before anyone takes a single stroke.
Sandal Beach Entry Thursday
Pool
Go to the Beach Outside Your Door
What Is the Sandal Beach Entry Pool?
The Sandal is a freeform fiberglass pool with a patented zero-entry beach entry design. It comes in two sizes:
- 16′ x 34.5′ with a 5’8″ deep end: O.D. 16′ x 34.5′ | I.D. 15′ x 33’9″ | 12,000 gallons
- 16′ x 39′ with a 6′ deep end: O.D. 16′ x 39′ | I.D. 15′ x 39′ | 13,000 gallons
The beach entry area extends approximately 14 feet into the pool at its longest point, transitioning from deck level through a true zero-entry slope and into a shallow wading zone before reaching the roomy steps, bench seating, and wide-open swim area. Beyond the swim area, the Sandal includes a sun shelf and swim-out near the deep end, where a 5’11” person can sit with their waist out of the water. A courtesy ledge extends around the deep end perimeter, where a person 4’5″ in height can stand with their head above the waterline. Every zone in the Sandal serves a different purpose, and every one of them is built into a single molded shell.
What the Sandal Beach Entry Pool Is Not
The Sandal is not a pool for someone who wants a rectangle with traditional stairs. Its freeform organic shape, gradual beach entry, and multiple functional zones make it a design that requires careful yard planning. The beach entry alone extends approximately 14 feet from the entry point, which means the total footprint demands more thoughtful placement than a standard rectangular pool.
The Sandal is also not a diving pool. Its deep end reaches 5’8″ or 6′ depending on the size you choose, which is generous for recreational swimming but below the threshold for a Type One diving pool. If a diving pool is the priority, the Monolith is the right direction. What the Sandal offers in return is an entry experience and a range of distinct swimming and lounging zones that no other fiberglass pool design, from Thursday Pools or any other manufacturer, can replicate. Thursday Pools patented it for a reason.
Why Thursday Pools?
The Sandal Beach Entry is evidence of something Thursday Pools has done consistently throughout their history: they invent things no one else builds. The beach entry fiberglass pool did not exist before Thursday Pools. It is now patented, in production, and available to residential pool buyers through the Thursday Pools dealer network. That kind of innovation comes from a company that holds both ISO 9001 certification for quality management and ISO 14001 certification for environmental stewardship, the only fiberglass pool manufacturer in the United States to hold both.
Because of the Sandal’s large shallow beach entry area, three patented Thursday Pools innovations are available for this model:
- Backfill Eliminator®: The large shallow slope of the beach entry area is more difficult to backfill and compact properly than a standard pool wall. Improper backfilling in this area can cause structural problems over time. The Backfill Eliminator® is a Thursday Pools innovation specifically designed to address the support requirements of shallow entry areas and tanning ledges, and Thursday Pools lists it as an Optional Innovation on the Sandal’s page for exactly this reason.
- Geo-Anchor Pool Wall® (U.S. Patent No. 9593455): Structural reinforcement for the pool wall itself, important for any fiberglass pool in Ohio where freeze-thaw cycles create seasonal below-grade pressure.
- Lucky 7 Skimmer®: The first skimmer in the fiberglass industry designed specifically for fiberglass pools, with a 7-degree angle and mounting plate that improve skimming efficiency and produce a cleaner finished look at the pool wall.
Why Fiberglass, and Why Sandal?
The beach entry fiberglass pool exists only in fiberglass. Vinyl liner pools cannot maintain structural integrity at zero depth without the weight of water on top, making a true zero-entry design incompatible with vinyl. Custom concrete construction at residential scale would be cost-prohibitive. When Thursday Pools introduced the beach entry design in 2018, the specific goal was to make a resort-level feature accessible to residential buyers through the efficiency and consistency of a precision-molded fiberglass shell, and the patent was the mechanism to protect that invention.
The Sandal’s freeform shape also works in fiberglass in a way it never could in other materials. The curves, the gradual entry slopes, the multiple depth transitions, and the beach entry all emerge from a single mold. There are no tile seams at the entry, no liner edges at the shallow slope, and no patchwork transitions between zones. It is one continuous gel coat surface from the beach entry through the deep end, non-skid and algae-resistant throughout.
For Ohio families who want their backyard to feel genuinely different from every other pool on their street, and for households where easy water access matters for children, grandparents, or pets, the Sandal earns its investment every single summer.
Ready to Bring the Shore to Your Door?
Your yard can offer what resorts charge a premium for. The Sandal Beach Entry by Thursday Pools is a patented, one-of-a-kind fiberglass pool experience available now through Ohio Paradise Pools, your full-service, family-owned installer serving Northeast Ohio for over 32 years. We manage every step of your project, including the precision backfill work that the Sandal’s beach entry specifically requires, and we follow every installation with our two-visit pool school so you begin ownership fully confident.
Call us today at (440) 610-5484 or schedule a free consultation to begin planning your Sandal Beach Entry installation in Edison Park and the surrounding Ohio communities.
Available Sizes
This large pool gives you plenty of room for the ladies to relax near the beach while the kids splash in the deep end.
Our slightly larger version gives you all little more room for exercise and fun activities. Let the memories begin.
Sandal Beach Entry Pool FAQs
What exactly is a zero-entry or beach entry pool?
A beach entry pool, also called a zero-entry pool, is one where the pool floor starts at deck level and slopes gradually downward into the water, exactly the way a natural beach transitions from dry ground into the surf. There are no steps to negotiate at the entry point. You walk in from the deck, starting with your feet barely wet and progressing as deep as you choose to go. In the Sandal specifically, the beach entry area extends approximately 14 feet into the pool at its longest point, creating a full shallow wading zone before the pool reaches its swim depth. Thursday Pools introduced and patented this design for fiberglass pools in 2018. No other fiberglass pool manufacturer holds a beach entry patent.
Who does the beach entry benefit most?
The beach entry is particularly meaningful for three groups of pool users. First, toddlers and young children who are not yet comfortable with pool stairs or who find the depth change at a standard entry intimidating: the Sandal’s gradual slope gives them an intuitive, natural transition into the water with a parent right alongside. Second, grandparents or adults with mobility considerations for whom stairs become less comfortable year over year: walking into the pool from deck level requires no grip strength, no step negotiation, and no joint impact on entry or exit. Third, pets: Thursday Pools dealers have specifically noted that dogs hesitant around traditional pool stairs have a much easier time with beach entries, because the gradual slope matches how they naturally approach water.
How does the Sandal's layout work from entry through the deep end?
Starting at deck level, the Sandal’s entry slopes gradually downward into a wading zone where young non-swimmers can cool off with parents nearby. Moving further in, the Sandal’s steps and bench provide seating at a comfortable depth. Per Thursday Pools’ specifications, a young child 4’6″ in height will find the water coming up just to the neckline when seated on the bench in this area. The open swim area extends beyond the bench zone toward the deep end. Near the deep end, the swim-out and sun shelf give swimmers a resting place: a 5’11” person can sit there with their waist out of the water, and a 5’6″ person using the lower bench position finds their shoulders just above the waterline. The courtesy ledge around the deep end perimeter allows a 4’5″ person to stand with their head well above the waterline.
Why is the Backfill Eliminator® specifically listed for the Sandal, and not all models?
The Sandal’s beach entry creates a large, gently sloped shallow area that is structurally different from a standard vertical pool wall. As Thursday Pools explains, large shallow entry areas and tanning ledges are more difficult to backfill and compact properly than conventional pool walls, and improper backfilling in these zones can cause long-term structural issues. The Backfill Eliminator® is a Thursday Pools innovation designed specifically to address this challenge. It is listed as an Optional Innovation on the Sandal’s page specifically because that page is where the need is most direct. Ohio Paradise Pools has the experience and process knowledge to handle the Sandal’s backfill requirements correctly as a standard part of your installation, and we factor that into every Sandal project from the planning phase forward.
What are the sun shelf and courtesy ledge, and how do they work?
The sun shelf and swim-out are located near the deep end of the Sandal and give swimmers a resting platform after a long swim or a place to sit in the water and catch some sun. Thursday Pools provides specific height data: a 5’11” person can sit on the swim-out with their waist out of the water, and a 5’6″ person using the lower bench position finds her shoulders just above the waterline. The courtesy ledge is a separate feature that extends around the perimeter of the deep end and provides a narrow standing platform for swimmers who need a quick rest without fully exiting the pool. A 4’5″ person can stand on the courtesy ledge with their head comfortably above the water. Together, these two features give the Sandal’s deep end multiple ways to engage with the water without committing to full swimming.
What yard size does the Sandal require?
The Sandal is a 16-foot-wide pool at either size, measuring either 34.5 or 39 feet in length, with a beach entry that extends approximately 14 feet from the entry point into the pool. That combined footprint means the Sandal needs thoughtful placement in a yard with meaningful open space. Setbacks, grading, utility lines, and neighboring structures all factor into the layout. Ohio Paradise Pools conducts a site visit as a standard part of every consultation. We will come to your property, walk the yard with you, map out where the Sandal would sit, identify any grading or access considerations, and confirm whether the footprint works before you make any commitment. We have been doing this for over 32 years in Northeast Ohio and will give you a straight answer about what is and is not feasible.
Is the Sandal auto-cover compatible?
Thursday Pools lists the Sandal as auto-cover ready. Because of the Sandal’s freeform shape and the unique geometry of its beach entry, auto-cover integration requires specific planning during the design phase to ensure the cover mechanism aligns correctly with the pool’s contours. Ohio Paradise Pools handles this coordination as part of your project scope when an auto cover is part of your plan. An auto cover on the Sandal provides controlled access, reduced maintenance between uses, and meaningfully lower chemical loss during Ohio’s extended offseason, which runs from roughly October through May. Planning the cover correctly from the beginning is far simpler than retrofitting one later, and we build that into your project from the start.
How long does installation take?
The Sandal is a one-piece fiberglass shell, and like all Thursday Pools designs, it installs significantly faster than concrete or vinyl liner alternatives. Most Sandal installations are complete within approximately 2 to 3 weeks of excavation start, depending on site access, local permitting, weather, and the scope of your decking and water feature plans. The precision backfill work required by the beach entry area is factored into Ohio Paradise Pools’ standard process for every Sandal project. We manage the entire installation, provide regular project updates, and offer FaceTime check-ins for days you cannot be on-site. Every installation closes with our two-visit pool school so you understand your system completely before we step away.
What warranty does the Sandal Beach Entry carry?
Thursday Pools backs the Sandal with a lifetime structural warranty on the fiberglass shell and a 15-year surface warranty on the gel coat finish. The structural warranty covers the shell against defects in materials and workmanship. The surface warranty covers the gel coat against delamination, blistering, and structural coating failure over time. Ohio Paradise Pools brings over 32 years of Northeast Ohio installation experience, an A+ BBB rating, and three consecutive Cleveland swimming pool contractor of the year awards (2022, 2023, 2024) to every Sandal installation. That combination of manufacturer warranty and a local team who knows your specific pool is what meaningful long-term protection looks like.
How does the Sandal differ from the Sun Day and other pool models?
The Sandal and the Sun Day are both freeform Thursday Pools designs, which sets them apart from the rectangle models in the lineup. The key distinction is the entry design. The Sandal has Thursday Pools’ patented beach entry, where the pool floor starts at deck level and slopes gradually into the water for approximately 14 feet. The Sun Day uses a large landing pad with side-entry stairs. If walk-in beach-style access is the defining feature you want, the Sandal is the only model, from Thursday Pools or any other fiberglass manufacturer, that provides it. If you want a freeform pool with a traditional stair entry and multiple functional zones, the Sun Day is a strong alternative. Among Thursday Pools’ rectangle designs, the Aspen is the closest in spirit to the Sandal’s leisure focus, though the beach entry remains in a category of its own.