For a small St. Louis backyard, start with Latham’s Classic Delray or Corinthian 12. For room to swim and a real deep end, look at the Ariel 16 or Astoria 16. The right fiberglass pool shape comes down to three things: how much flat yard you have, how deep you want the water, and whether you want a tanning ledge.
We handle fiberglass pool installation across the St. Louis area with Latham pools, and every size below comes from Latham’s own model pages. Those are the pool’s outer dimensions, so the deck, the equipment pad and a delivery path all need room on top of them. On St. Louis lots with a slope, a soggy low spot or a narrow side gate, that extra room often decides which pool fits.
Key Takeaways: Quick Picks
- Best for small backyards: Classic Delray (11’10” x 25’5″) or Corinthian 12 (12′ x 25′). The smallest footprints in this list.
- Best large pool: Ariel 16 or Astoria 16 (15’10” x 40′). The Ariel goes to 7’4″ deep.
- Best tanning ledge: Apollo 14 (13’10” x 32′). Latham calls its ledge “generous.”
- Best for one depth everywhere: Classic Delray, 4’6″ throughout. Good for games, not for diving.
- Best mid-size: Cayman 16 (15’10” x 38′). Best for swimming, lounging, and built-in seating in a mid-size footprint.
Our Recommended Latham Fiberglass Pool Models for St. Louis Homes
The seven Latham collections below run from a compact 11’10” by 25’5″ pool to models 40 feet long. Between them they cover the main fiberglass pool shapes: plain rectangles, rectangles with a tanning ledge or a built-in spa, and one freeform. We picked them because each one shows a different trade-off you’ll face when you choose a pool.
Overall shape is only the first cut. Two pools of about the same length can feel very different once you count the tanning ledge, the steps, the bench seating and the depth. A ledge or a wide set of steps uses shell space that would otherwise be swimming water, so read the depth column as closely as the size column.
| Model | Size | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Delray | 11’10” x 25’5″ | 4’6″ throughout |
| Corinthian 12 | 12′ x 25′ | 3’6″ to 5’5″ |
| Astoria 12 | 12′ x 28′ | 3′ to 5’7″ |
| Apollo 14 | 13’10” x 32′ | 3’6″ to 6’1″ |
| Corinthian 14 | 14′ x 30′ | 3′ 6″ to 6″ |
| Classic Claremont | 14′ x 33′ | 3′ 7″ to 5′ 4″ |
| Astoria 14 | 14′ x 35′ | 3’6″ to 6’6″ |
| Unity | 16′ x 35′ | 3’6″ to 6’6″ |
| Cayman 16 | 15’10” x 38′ | 3’6″ to 6’8″ |
| Classic Kingston | 16′ x 38′ | 3′ 6″ to 5′ 10″ |
| Astoria 16 | 15’10” x 40′ | 3’6″ to 7′ |
| Ariel 16 | 15’10” x 40′ | 3’6″ to 7’4″ |
Sizes are Latham’s outer dimensions. Latham notes that lengths, widths and depths can vary by up to 3%.
1. Latham Corinthian Collection
The Latham Corinthian is a rectangular pool with a tanning ledge at one end and open swimming water past it. This list covers two sizes: the Corinthian 12 at 12′ by 25′, and the Corinthian 14 at 14′ by 30′. The 14 adds two feet of width and five feet of length.
The Corinthian 12 suits a family on a small lot that still wants a tanning ledge. It fits a ledge without stretching into a long pool, and it slopes from 3’6″ to 5’5″, so most of the water stays at standing depth for adults. The Corinthian 14 suits a yard with room for those extra five feet and a family that wants more open water for swimming and games. Both sizes share the same feature list:
- Rectangular shape
- Built-in tanning ledge
- Swim-up seating
- Works with an automatic pool cover
What to check: measure the flat part of your yard, then add deck space on every side before you pick a size. On a sloped St. Louis lot, five more feet of pool can mean more digging or a taller wall on the low side. Ask for the Corinthian 14’s real depth too, because Latham’s page shows a figure that looks like a typo.
A tanning ledge on a Latham fiberglass pool. Product image courtesy of Latham.
2. Latham Astoria Collection
The Latham Astoria is the only collection in this list with a spa built into the pool shell, next to the swimming area, a tanning ledge and seating. It comes in three sizes: the Astoria 12 at 12′ by 28′ (3′ to 5’7″ deep), the Astoria 14 at 14′ by 35′ (3’6″ to 6’6″), and the Astoria 16 at 15’10” by 40′ (3’6″ to 7′).
The Astoria suits a household that wants a spa but doesn’t want to build a separate one beside the pool. The Astoria 12 is the one to look at for a tight yard. It puts a spa and a pool in a footprint only three feet longer than the Corinthian 12. The Astoria 16 is the opposite end: 40 feet long and 7′ deep, for families who want both a spa and a real deep end.
What to check: the three sizes differ a lot in swimming area, depth and footprint, and the 16 is 12 feet longer than the 12. Check each size’s Latham page for its ledge and seating layout, since they aren’t the same across the collection. Ask your installer how the spa is heated and where its equipment sits, because that equipment needs a spot in the yard too.
Latham’s Astoria from above, showing the built-in spa and tanning ledge. Product image courtesy of Latham.
3. Latham Apollo 14
The Latham Apollo 14 is a 13’10” by 32′ rectangle that slopes from 3’6″ to 6’1″ deep. At 32 feet, it sits between Latham’s smaller pools and the models that approach 40 feet. Latham calls its tanning ledge “generous,” which is why it’s our pick for a ledge in this list. Its features:
- Tanning ledge
- Swim-up seating
- Several entry and exit points
- Works with an automatic pool cover
The Apollo 14 suits a family that wants a big shallow lounging area and still wants a deep end past 6 feet, without giving up 40 feet of yard. The extra entry points help when young kids or older swimmers use the pool, since nobody has to swim the length to get out.
What to check: 32 feet of pool plus deck on both ends takes more length than many St. Louis backyards have behind the house. Stake out the full footprint before you decide. Then ask yourself honestly how much time you’ll spend on the ledge, because that ledge is water you won’t swim in.
Latham’s Apollo 14 fiberglass pool. Product image courtesy of Latham.
4. Latham Ariel 16
The Latham Ariel 16 is the deepest pool in this list, at 15’10” by 40′ and sloping from 3’6″ to 7’4″. That 7’4″ deep end sets it apart, since the next deepest pool in the table, the Astoria 16, stops at 7′. Its features:
- Tanning ledges
- Swim-up seating
- Several entry and exit points
- Works with an automatic pool cover
The Ariel 16 suits a family that wants a large pool with room to swim and a true deep end, on a lot that can give up 40 feet of length plus deck. It’s the pick for older kids and adults who swim more than they lounge.
What to check: mark the 40 feet in your yard with stakes and string before you commit. Forty feet feels different when you’re standing beside it, and it can crowd a patio or a play area. Also note that Latham’s model pages say its pools are non-diving unless the page says otherwise, so a 7’4″ deep end alone doesn’t mean you can add a diving board.
Latham’s Ariel 16 fiberglass pool. Product image courtesy of Latham.
5. Latham Cayman 16
The Latham Cayman 16 is a 15’10” by 38′ rectangle built around a large tanning ledge, sloping from 3’6″ to 6’8″ deep. Its features are a large tanning ledge, built-in seating and a rectangular shape. The trade-off is plain: that big ledge takes shell space, so the Cayman has less open swimming water than a pool of the same size without one.
The Cayman 16 suits people who mostly want to sit in shallow water or float on in-water loungers, and who swim now and then rather than every day. It’s a good fit for families who host and want a spot for adults to sit in the water while kids play in the deeper end.
What to check: compare the Cayman’s overhead drawing with the Ariel 16’s before you choose. The two are the same width and only 2 feet apart in length, but the Ariel is 8 inches deeper and keeps more open water. If laps or pool games matter to you, that difference matters more than the footprint.
Latham’s Cayman 16 from above. Product image courtesy of Latham.
6. Latham Unity
The Latham Unity is the only freeform pool in this list, a curved shape 16′ wide and 35′ long that slopes from 3’6″ to 6’6″ deep. Its features are the freeform shape, a curved edge all the way around and swim-up seating. At 16 feet, it ties the Classic Kingston as the widest pool here.
The Unity suits a yard where a rectangle would look out of place, such as a curved lot line, a wooded backyard or a garden with planting beds that already curve. The rounded edge lets the pool sit in the yard more like a pond than a box.
What to check: the curves change how the deck and planting beds around the pool get laid out. A curved pool edge means more pavers cut along the curve and planting beds shaped to match, so plan the deck and the pool together. Also measure the yard at its narrowest point, since the Unity needs the full 16 feet of width.
Latham’s Unity freeform fiberglass pool. Product image courtesy of Latham.
7. Latham Classic Collection
The Latham Classic Collection is the simple choice: plain rectangles in three sizes, without a built-in spa, a large tanning ledge or several lounging areas. The Delray is the compact one at 11’10” by 25’5″, with one 4’6″ depth throughout. The Claremont is mid-size at 14′ by 33′, and the Kingston is large at 16′ by 38′.
The Classic suits buyers who want open water and a clean rectangle more than built-in features. The Delray’s single 4’6″ depth leaves the whole pool at standing depth for most adults, which works well for volleyball, kids’ games and wading. It’s not a pool for diving or for anyone who wants a deep end.
What to check: Latham’s depths for the Claremont and Kingston weren’t listed when we wrote this, so ask before you choose either one. If you like the Delray’s size but want a slope, compare it with the Corinthian 12. The footprints are almost the same, but the Corinthian adds a tanning ledge and goes to 5’5″ deep.
Which fiberglass pool shape fits a small backyard?
The fiberglass pools that fit small St. Louis backyards best are the Classic Delray and the Corinthian 12, both about 12 feet wide and 25 feet long. The Delray stays 4’6″ deep the whole way, which suits families who mostly play and wade. The Corinthian 12 slopes from 3’6″ to 5’5″, so it feels more like a traditional pool.
The pool itself is only part of the space. You also need room for the deck around it, the equipment pad, and a clear path for delivery. On a tight lot, that path often decides which pool you can have before the shape does. We measure all three at the free on-site assessment.
Tanning Ledge or More Open Water?
Choose a tanning ledge if you’ll spend more time sitting in the pool than swimming in it, and choose open water if you swim laps or play games. A tanning ledge is a shallow platform built into the shell, deep enough for an in-water lounger or for sitting with the water around your waist. In this list, the Corinthian, Apollo 14, Ariel 16, Astoria and Cayman 16 all have one.
Two pools of about the same length can give very different amounts of space to a ledge. The Cayman 16 and Ariel 16 are both 15’10” wide, but the Cayman builds around a large ledge while the Ariel keeps more water for swimming. The Classic Delray has no ledge at all, so its full 25’5″ length is pool.
An overhead drawing shows this better than a finished photo. A photo shows the finish, while the plan view shows the space. Pull up the plan view on each model’s Latham page and compare how much of the shell is ledge, steps and benches, and how much is open water.
A Latham fiberglass pool with a tanning ledge beside the open water. Product image courtesy of Latham.
How to Compare Fiberglass Pool Models Without Overcomplicating It
Start with your yard’s limits, cross off every pool that’s too big, then compare what’s left on seven points. Measure the flat area you have, take off room for decking and the equipment pad, and check how a shell 25 to 40 feet long would reach the backyard. Then go down this list:
- Overall dimensions. Outer length and width from Latham’s page, plus deck on every side.
- Shape. A rectangle gives the most open water; a freeform like the Unity fits curved yards.
- Depth. One depth like the Delray’s 4’6″, or a slope to a deep end like the Ariel’s 7’4″.
- Tanning ledge. A dedicated shallow area, or more open water.
- Spa. Built into the shell like the Astoria, or a separate spa, or none.
- Steps and seating. Wide steps and benches are comfortable but take up swimming space.
- Space around the pool. Decking, furniture, planting beds and room to walk around the water.
The first point is about your yard. The other six are about how you’ll use the water, and that’s where a ledge, a spa or a deep end decides it.
When a fiberglass pool isn’t the right fit
A fiberglass pool comes in fixed shapes. If you want a custom size or an unusual shape, a concrete pool is the honest answer, even though we don’t build them. Every model in this list is 16 feet wide or less, so very wide pools are out. And the shell arrive in one piece, so access is part of the planning from the beginning. When there is enough room beside the house, the shell can be moved directly into the backyard. On tighter properties, a crane may be used to lift the pool over the house, a retaining wall, or another structure.
Installations commonly starts around the $40,000 range before decking and fencing, and can increase significantly depending on the pool size and site conditions. Angi currently lists inground fiberglass pools at roughly $38,000 to $95,100 in the St. Louis area.
Excel Landscaping offers a free on-site assessment to help homeowners determine which fiberglass pool models will realistically fit their property. We look at the available space, how the shell can reach the backyard, the slope, where the pool should sit, and how much decking you want around it. That is also when we can tell you whether a model is practical for the yard before you make a commitment.
Bring your shortlist, or just the size table from this page. We’ll walk the yard with you and give you a fixed price for the pool that fits. Talk To Our Team to set up a visit.