How to shade an above-ground pool

Permanent structures are great. They are also expensive, slow to install and don't move. For most backyard above-ground pools, the right answer is a $200 fix that takes a weekend to dial in.

1. Permanent pergola or sail shade

Cost: $1,500-$6,000 installed. Shade quality: excellent. Hassle: permits, posts, contractors. Best for owners staying in the home long-term.

2. Patio umbrella with anchor base

Cost: $200-$600. Shade quality: covers maybe 30 square feet. Hassle: too small for a pool, blows over in any real wind. Skip it.

3. Pop-up canopy on the deck beside the pool

Cost: $150-$300. Shade quality: the full 10×10, but it only covers the deck — not the water. Fine for a chair-and-cooler setup. Useless if you actually want to swim in shade.

4. Pop-up canopy with Canopy Turtles (inside the pool)

Cost: $150-$300 for the canopy + $50 for the Turtles. Shade quality: a 10×10 directly over the water where you swim. Hassle: five minutes to install the Turtles once, then setup is the same as any canopy.

The Turtles solve the only problem that stops pop-up canopies from working in pools: bare feet that scratch and puncture liners. Once they're on, you can stand the canopy directly in the water without any damage.

The bottom line

If you want shade where you swim and you don't want to spend pergola money, Canopy Turtles plus a pop-up canopy is the only option that delivers both. Everything else is either way more expensive or way less shade.