Sloping block home with a pool: glass fence and levels

Slopes are common in Brisbane, and they change how a glass pool fence has to be set out.

Why slopes make pool fences harder

On flat ground a fence can run level along its length. On a slope, the ground changes along the fence line, so the height and the gap under the barrier have to be checked at the lowest point, not just at the start. The QBCC says the minimum fence height is 1200mm, measured from finished ground level, and the gap under the barrier should be 100mm or less.

Stepped panels and stairs

Glass panels are usually flat and straight, so on a slope the fence steps down in sections. Where steps sit beside the pool, the QBCC says to measure stair-side panels from the tread nosing, at right angles, so the fence stays at least 1200mm high. Watch the gap under the barrier at the stairs, because the QBCC calls this a common problem.

Ground movement on a slope

The QBCC notes that panels can shift or drop when the ground moves, which can reduce the legal height. Sloping sites and retaining walls can move more than flat ones, so check the fence after heavy rain and have it looked at if you see a panel sitting lower than it did.

Plan the levels before the fence

Decide the pool level, the retaining walls and the paving first, then set out the fence. Choosing between frameless and semi-frameless also depends on what the fence is fixed to. CKS Projects, builders of sloping-block homes in the Illawarra, lists sloping blocks among the homes it builds in NSW, where pool rules differ from Queensland, so check the rules for your own state.

Common questions