Water around a swimming pool needs somewhere to go. Whether it comes from splashing, rain, or routine hosing down of the pool surround, poor drainage causes problems fast: slippery surfaces, water damage to surrounding structures, and contaminated pool water from runoff entering the pool itself.
This guide covers how pool drainage works, where drains should be positioned, what type of drain suits a pool surround, and what to look for when specifying pool drains for a new build or renovation.
Why pool drainage matters
A pool without drainage designed into the surround is a safety and maintenance problem. Water that sits on pool paving after heavy use or rain creates a slip hazard. Water that has no path to drain will find one anyway, often into garden beds, under paving, or into the pool itself, carrying dirt, fertiliser, and organic debris with it.
Good pool drainage does three things: removes surface water before it pools, protects the surrounding structure from water ingress, and keeps the pool environment clean.
How pool drains work
Pool surround drains work by collecting surface water along a channel or at a point, then directing it to the stormwater system or a soak pit via underground pipework. The drain sits at the lowest point of the surrounding surface, which is designed with a slight fall of 1 to 2 percent toward the drain.
Strip drains, also called linear drains or channel drains, are the preferred option for pool surrounds because they can be installed along the full perimeter of the pool or at key low points, capturing water across the entire length of the channel rather than at a single point. This is significantly more efficient for a large wet surface area.
Where to position pool drains
The most effective placement for pool strip drains is along the pool coping edge, where the majority of water exits the pool during use and where rain is most likely to collect. A drain running the length of the pool on one or both sides handles the bulk of water removal.
Additional drain runs may be needed at the far end of the pool surround, particularly if the paving extends into an outdoor entertaining area. Any area where water can collect and has no natural path to drain should have drainage designed in during the build, as retrofitting drainage to existing paving is significantly more expensive.
Drains need to be on the lowest point of the surrounding surface. This is achieved by laying the paving with a fall sloping away from the pool edge toward the drain position. A fall of 1 percent is sufficient. Too steep a fall creates an uneven surface underfoot; too little and water will not move.
Strip drains versus point drains for pool areas
Point drains, the traditional round drain you might see in a garden or driveway, require the surrounding surface to slope in from multiple directions toward a central point. For a pool surround with paving running in several directions, this requires complex grading and often results in uneven paving or areas that still pool water.
A linear pool drain collects water along its full length and requires only a single gradient slope toward the drain. This makes the paving installation simpler, the fall more consistent, and the drainage far more effective across a large surface.
For pools, linear strip drains also offer a cleaner finish. A wedge wire drain in 316L stainless steel runs flush with the coping and reads as a design feature rather than a utility fitting. A tile insert pool drain can match the surrounding paving for an almost invisible drainage line.
What material should a pool drain be?
Pool environments are harsh. Chlorinated water, UV exposure, and constant moisture demand a drain material that will not rust, pit, or degrade. Plastic drains are not suitable for outdoor pool applications. Cheap 304 grade stainless steel will corrode in poolside conditions, particularly in coastal areas where salt air accelerates the process.
The correct specification for pool drains is 316L marine grade stainless steel. The L designation indicates low carbon content, which gives the steel significantly better corrosion resistance at weld points. This matters because welds are the most vulnerable part of any fabricated drain, and pool environments will find that weakness fast if the steel grade is wrong.
All Strip Drains pool drains are fabricated from 316L marine grade stainless steel with no plastic fittings. Every component, the channel body, grate, outlet, and end caps, is metal.
Drain styles for pool surrounds
Two grate styles suit pool applications, and the choice comes down to aesthetics and the type of paving being used.
The wedge wire grate is a stainless steel bar grate with consistent slots between the bars. It is easy to clean, handles high water flow, and provides a strong visual line at the pool edge. It is the most popular choice for pool coping drainage and outdoor entertaining areas because it is durable, low maintenance, and looks right in an outdoor context.
The tile insert grate has a recessed tray into which a cut tile or paver sits flush with the surrounding surface. The drain becomes nearly invisible, which suits pools where the paving extends continuously from the surround into the pool coping area. The tile insert option works well when the pool builder or landscaper wants a seamless finish across the pool deck.
Custom sizing for pool drains
Pool surrounds rarely fit standard drain lengths. A standard drain product is unlikely to run the exact length of your pool coping, and fitting multiple short drains end to end looks poor and creates maintenance complications.
Strip Drains manufactures custom pool drains to the exact length required, with the outlet positioned to suit your plumbing layout. Custom lengths can be manufactured up to 3640mm as a single piece. For pools that require a drain run longer than this, sections can be joined on site. The outlet position, end cap style, and channel width are all specified per project. This is what makes a strip drain the correct drainage solution for a pool surround rather than a workaround.
Drainage around pool and spa combinations
Where a pool is paired with a spa or plunge pool, the drainage design needs to account for both the main pool surround and the spa surrounds separately. Water overflow from a spa during use is higher volume and more concentrated than pool splash, so the drain immediately adjacent to the spa should be sized to handle this.
In these installations, a strip drain running around the spa perimeter in addition to the main pool surround drain is the most reliable approach. The two drain runs can be plumbed to the same stormwater connection.
Pool drainage and slip resistance
The drain grate you choose affects slip safety as well as drainage performance. A wedge wire strip drain with consistent bar spacing provides a non-slip surface underfoot, meeting the requirements for wet area pool surrounds under Australian standards.
If the pool deck uses a smooth tile, the drainage system needs to compensate for the slippery surface by removing water quickly. A linear drain running the length of the pool edge means water moves to the drain rather than spreading across the full deck surface.
Specifying pool drainage for a new build
If you are building a new pool, drainage should be specified before the paving or coping is laid. The drain position determines where the fall is graded to, and the plumbing connection is set during the concrete or substrate stage. Changing the drain position after paving is laid involves lifting the paving and regrading, which adds significant cost.
For new builds, bring the pool drainage specification to your builder or landscaper early. If you are unsure what length or configuration of drain suits your pool layout, get in touch with the Strip Drains team. We manufacture to order from our Sydney workshop and can advise on the correct specification for your project.