Fibreglass Spool & Cocktail Pool: Sizes, Depths & Cost
A spool, or cocktail pool, is a small fibreglass shell built for soaking rather than swimming. Sizes, depths, installed cost and plunge comparison.
Written by Tehbyn Nova, Head of Operations & Growth · Technically reviewed by Caleb Druhan, General Manager (QBCC licence 15087383) on
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“Spool pool” and “cocktail pool” are American terms for a small fibreglass pool shell. Information about these pools often uses US dimensions in feet, prices in US dollars, and model names that are not available in Australia.
What is a fibreglass spool (or cocktail) pool?
A spool is a small fibreglass pool with jets and a heater. It can operate as a heated spa or a cool pool. The term combines “spa” and “pool”. In the United States, spools are also called cocktail pools, dipping pools or soaker pools.
A cocktail pool is a small inground pool with built-in seating. River Pools gives a typical water volume of 400 to 700 cubic feet, or approximately 11,300 to 19,800 litres. Spools are generally shallow. The Pool Nerd and Jenna Sue Design specify depths of 3 to 5 feet. River Pools specifies no more than 4 feet, while Thursday Pools specifies approximately 4 feet. This is about 0.9 m to 1.5 m. Australian builders generally call this type of pool a fibreglass plunge pool. Adding spa features makes it a spool.
Our spool range includes the Bastia, Elba and Malta:
- Bastia: 3.2 m by 2.0 m, with a flat depth of 1.0 m
- Elba: 4.0 m by 2.0 m, with a flat depth of 1.0 m
- Malta: 4.0 m by 2.0 m, with a graded depth from 1.1 m to 1.54 m
Our other small shells, including the 3.0 m by 3.0 m Infinity 3, are plunge pools. Adding spa jets converts a plunge pool into a spool. Latham, Plungie and Swimming Pool Kits Direct state that plunge pools can be installed inground, above ground or semi-recessed. Most buyers choose an inground installation.
How big is a spool pool, and how deep does it go?
Australian shells that match the spool description range from 3.0 m to 5.5 m long. Depths range from a flat 1.0 m to a graded 1.78 m.
US sources specify a lower maximum size. The Pool Nerd defines a cocktail pool as 6 to 10 feet wide and 10 to 16 feet long, or about 1.8 to 3.0 m wide and 3.0 to 4.9 m long. River Pools sets a maximum of about 12 by 14 feet, or about 3.7 by 4.3 m.
| Model | Length | Width | Depth | Water volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infinity 3 | 3.0 m | 3.0 m | 1.45 m flat | 6,275 L |
| Bastia | 3.2 m | 2.0 m | 1.0 m flat | 3,800 L |
| Elba | 4.0 m | 2.0 m | 1.0 m flat | 4,920 L |
| Malta | 4.0 m | 2.0 m | 1.1 m to 1.54 m | 6,900 L |
| Serenity | 4.0 m | 2.5 m | 1.10 m to 1.47 m | 9,500 L |
| Infinity 4 | 4.0 m | 4.0 m | 1.45 m flat | 10,410 L |
| Verona | 4.5 m | 2.5 m | 1.10 m to 1.50 m | 10,300 L |
| Latina | 4.5 m | 3.5 m | 1.37 m to 1.78 m | 18,500 L |
| Allure | 5.0 m | 2.5 m | 1.10 m to 1.60 m | 12,800 L |
| Sovereign | 5.0 m | 2.7 m | 1.00 m to 1.63 m | 12,550 L |
| Paradiso | 5.5 m | 2.15 m | 1.05 m to 1.60 m | 11,400 L |
| Portofino | 5.5 m | 2.5 m | 1.10 m to 1.60 m | 13,200 L |
Published shell weights for these models range from 341 kg to 604 kg. Bastia, Elba, Infinity 3 and Infinity 4 have a flat depth. Malta, Serenity, Verona, Latina, Allure, Sovereign, Paradiso and Portofino have graded floors that slope from the shallow end to the deep end.
These shells are suitable for sitting, soaking, wading and cooling off. Their length allows only one or two swimming strokes from end to end. River Pools states that most cocktail pools are not designed for more than 10 people.
Malta
From $46,053The Malta fits a real pool into 4m × 2m — corner entry steps, a full-length bench seat, and a graded floor for tight courtyards.
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Bastia
From $49,074The Bastia is our most compact dedicated spa — 3.2m × 2m with bench seating on three sides and a constant 1.0m depth.
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Paradiso
From $50,459The Paradiso brings the Villa Series' slimline design to 5.5m × 2.15m — a genuine pool for courtyards and narrow blocks.
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Elba
From $51,318The Elba is a generous 4m × 2m fibreglass spa with bench seating on three sides — designed to stand independent of your pool.
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Serenity
From $52,718The petite 4m x 2.5m Serenity is the ideal courtyard plunge pool, with an easy 1.1m-1.47m depth for relaxed dips in the smallest of yards.
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Verona
From $53,753At a compact 4.5m x 2.5m, the Verona slips into tight courtyards and small blocks, with a gentle 1.1m-1.5m depth made for cooling off.
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Portofino
From $54,115The Portofino's slender 5.5m x 2.5m lines tuck neatly down the side of a home, with a 1.1m-1.6m depth perfect for a quick lap or a cool dip.
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Sovereign
From $54,141The Sovereign's tidy 5m x 2.7m shape suits narrow blocks, easing from 1m to 1.63m so the kids can play while you cool off at the deep end.
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Allure
From $54,336At 5m x 2.5m, the Allure is a slimline plunge pool for compact yards, with a 1.1m-1.6m depth that balances splashing room and a place to swim.
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Latina
From $57,141The Latina packs real depth into a compact 4.5m x 3.5m footprint, reaching 1.78m at the deep end for proper swimming in a smaller yard.
View poolPrices are live all-inclusive installed prices (pool, standard installation, filtration and handover) for standard site conditions in South East Queensland.
Spa jets are available in sets of four or six. Adding a jet set and heater converts a plunge pool in the table into a spool. Installed prices from our catalogue are listed below.
| Spa jets, installed | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Spa Jets (Standard) | Spa Jets: ASF440 | $220 |
| Spa Jet Pump | Spa Jet Pump | $1,000 |
| Round Pool 23 Spa Jet Upgrade | Round Pool 23 Spa Jet Upgrade | $4,500 |
Jets are fitted during manufacture and plumbed in the build — quoted per jet plus the dedicated pump.
Ask about spa jets with your poolA smaller water volume reduces heating, chlorination and operating costs. A plunge pool holds about one-quarter of the water in a family pool. For example, the 5.5 m Portofino holds 13,200 L, compared with 51,700 L for the 11.0 m Kensington.
What does a fibreglass cocktail or spool pool cost?
In Australia, a fibreglass spool or cocktail pool is priced as a fibreglass plunge pool because it uses the same shell. A smaller shell does not reduce the total price in proportion to its size.
| Pool size | Length | Depth | Installed from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round pools | 3m to 4m | 1.45m level | $47,233 |
| Small pools | 4m to 5.5m | 1.0m to 1.78m | $46,053 |
| Medium pools | 6m to 7m | 1.0m to 1.88m | $55,003 |
| Large pools | 7.2m to 8m | 0.98m to 1.96m | $60,475 |
| Family pools | 8.25m to 11m | 1.0m to 2.0m | $69,428 |
Live all-inclusive installed pricing for standard site conditions in South East Queensland — updated straight from our quoting system.
The following costs do not reduce with shell size:
- Fixed job costs. The pre-construction fee, installation materials kit and miscellaneous allowance are the same for the smallest and largest shells in our range.
- Crane costs. Every shell is craned into position. The required crane class depends on the lift distance. The base allowance covers a 20-tonne Franna. A 13 to 16 tonne small slew covers lifts up to 15 m, a 40 tonne medium slew covers lifts up to 20 m, and a 55 to 60 tonne standard slew covers lifts up to 30 m. The standard slew can use a counterweight for lifts up to 36 m. An 80 to 120 tonne large slew covers lifts from 36 to 48 m.
- Excavation and spoil removal. Excavation pricing depends on the access width and the distance from the excavation to the truck. The default allowances are 3 m of access and a 20 m cart distance. With wide access, the truck can reach the excavation. With narrow access, a mini excavator is used and spoil removal is priced in distance bands of 0 to 20 m, 20 to 40 m and 40 to 60 m. Earthmoving is priced per cubic metre.
Other site-specific costs include concrete slab removal per square metre, a fixed allowance for stormwater diversion, and standard fire ant treatment for South East Queensland projects. We install fibreglass pools across South East Queensland, including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan and Moreton Bay council areas. Shell price, water volume and running costs are the main items that decrease with pool size.
A DIY kit has a lower advertised price. Swimming Pool Kits Direct prices an inground plunge pool kit at $12,500 to $16,000, with installation costing about $10,000 to $15,000. This gives a finished price of about $22,500 to $31,000. A pool advertised for about $25,000 is usually a shell-only product or DIY kit rather than an installed pool. In Queensland, council approval and a compliant barrier are required regardless of who completes the excavation.
“I've got a Malta at my own place, so I can speak to this one from my own backyard on a small block. Just because it's a smaller pool doesn't mean it's a smaller build. The same engineering, the same structural supports and the same materials go into a plunge pool as an eleven metre shell, which is also why the price doesn't halve when the pool does. It's a smaller pool, not a smaller quality pool, and for tight blocks like mine it's exactly the right answer.”
What's the difference between a spool, a cocktail pool and a plunge pool?
These terms describe similar types of small pools. Definitions vary between sources. Latham uses plunge pool, dipping pool, cocktail pool and dunk pool for the same product type. Plungie, Thursday Pools, Jenna Sue Design and River Pools distinguish them by depth.
A plunge pool is generally deeper and designed for full-body immersion. A cocktail or dipping pool is generally shallower and includes more built-in seating. River Pools uses four feet, or about 1.2 m, as the dividing point. It describes cocktail pools as no more than four feet deep and deeper pools as plunge pools. River Pools also uses compact pool and spool as other names for a cocktail pool. Plungie defines a spool as the spa-hybrid version of the same shell.
| Term | Where the term is used | Typical depth | What it is built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spool | United States, for the spa-pool hybrid with jets and a heater | 0.9 m to 1.5 m | Sitting and soaking, run warm or cool |
| Cocktail pool | United States; in Australia, Cocktail Pools Australia | No more than about 1.2 m (River Pools) | Sitting and socialising, with built-in seating |
| Plunge pool | Australia and the United States | Deeper than about 1.2 m (River Pools); Australian shells run 1.0 m to 1.78 m | Cooling off, floating and socialising, not lap swimming |
A pool and spa combination is different from a spool. A spool uses one small shell as both a spa and a pool. A combination shell includes a full-size swimming pool and a built-in jetted spa zone in one piece. Each zone has its own depth and function. These combination shells are in the Resort series. Dedicated spa shells, including the Bastia and Elba, are in the Spa series.
Terminology also varies by market. Australian builders generally use plunge pool. Cocktail pool names such as Margarita, Martini and Mai Tai are used by American manufacturers and are not products available in Australia. US manufacturers publish dimensions in feet. Watertite lists the Paloma at 8 feet 6 inches by 12 feet 6 inches. Rainforest lists the Nova at 7 by 14 feet with a 4 foot flat bottom. In Australia, Cocktail Pools Australia uses the cocktail pool term for its Mini and Biggi models, but does not publish dimensions or prices.
FAQs
Can you swim in a spool pool?
No. A spool pool is designed for sitting, soaking and cooling off. At 3.0 m to 5.5 m long, it only allows one or two swimming strokes from end to end.
Is a spool cheaper than a pool?
Yes. However, costs do not decrease in proportion to size. A smaller pool reduces the shell price, water volume and running costs. The pre-construction fee, installation materials kit, miscellaneous allowance, crane, excavation, spoil removal, safety barrier and council approval costs remain the same.
What is a margarita pool?
A margarita pool is a US cocktail pool model. American manufacturers name cocktail pool shells after drinks, including Margarita, Martini, Mai Tai, Mimosa, Daiquiri, Sangria, Paloma and Americano. These models are not sold in Australia.
How do I build a spool pool myself?
In Queensland, you need council building approval before filling a pool that holds more than 300 mm of water. You must also install a compliant safety barrier and record the pool on the state pool safety register.
What is the lifespan of a fibreglass pool?
A fibreglass pool shell lasts 30+ years, and a spool is a fibreglass shell, so the same figure applies to it. The gelcoat is cured into the shell at the factory and is not replaced on a schedule; what ages on it is colour and gloss, and a cut and polish restores both. A concrete pool needs resurfacing every 8 to 15 years, from $10,000. The shell and the finish carry two different warranties, held by different parties.
What is the downside of a fibreglass pool?
Fibreglass pools are limited to the shapes and sizes it is moulded in. You must select from the available shells. Each shell must be craned into position, so suitable site access is required.
