How to Build a Concrete Lounger for Your Pool, Cocktail Pool, Spool or Hot Tub

Last updated: September 2026

If you want to make your pool, cocktail pool, spool or hot tub even more comfortable for the family, a concrete lounger is a brilliant addition. It’s one of those features that makes a DIY build look like it came from a high-end pool company, and it’s something you can make yourself with a timber mould and a few bags of concrete.

There are lots of ways to build one. This guide focuses on the method I’d recommend for most DIYers: design it, prototype it in cardboard, build a ribbed timber mould, then cast the lounger in reinforced concrete and finish it with colour or tiles.

Here’s the video that goes with this guide:

Design considerations

A concrete lounger is more than a simple mould. There’s a real design process involved. You’re making a chair that someone is going to try to relax in, and it can’t be adjusted afterwards, so it has to be comfortable.

Purpose

A lounge chair lets you recline, but a concrete one isn’t going to move. So think about the angles and the final position. Is it for sunbathing, for chatting with a drink, or for half-floating in the water? Each one wants a slightly different angle at the back and knees. And are you going to cast in armrests, or go for the clean, modern look without?

Location

• In the water or out of it? A lounger on a pool’s sun shelf or tanning ledge sits partly submerged. One on the side is fully dry. That changes the finish, the height and how you fix it down.
• Sun: dark colours in full sun get uncomfortably hot. Go lighter if it’s in a sunny spot.
• Will it ever move? Solid concrete is heavy. If you’ll want to move it, think about how many people (or what machinery) that will take, or cast it where it’s going to stay.
• In a hot tub: a built-in lounger seat is normally formed as part of the shell, in blockwork or ICF, then rendered, waterproofed and tiled, rather than cast separately. Make sure it doesn’t block jets, returns or the drain.

Aesthetics

Colour, texture and shape all come into play. You could even cast in your initials. You probably won’t want to paint concrete that sits in or next to water, as paint will flake. The best way to add colour is to mix a concrete colour pigment into the mix, so the colour goes all the way through.

You can also tile your lounger, like the one in the photo above. Use swimming pool tiles with pool-grade adhesive and grout. Regular tiles won’t give you the finish or durability you’re after. There’s more in Hot tub tiles: everything you need to know and Waterproofing, grout and tile adhesive.

Physical characteristics and anthropometrics

What size and shape is it? How heavy can it be? What load does it need to carry? Remember that people will sit on the edge, stand on it and jump off it, not just lie on it. And “anthropometrics” is just a fancy word for whether it fits the bodies of the people who’ll use it. A lounger that’s perfect for a 6ft adult can be a slide for a child.

Prototype it first

Building a prototype is essential. The last thing you want to do is go straight to the final mould without trying it first. Cardboard is my go-to material: it’s cheap, easy to cut, and flexible enough to try different curves.

• Look at existing loungers and garden furniture for angles you like. Visit a furniture shop and try a few.
• Use your own body as the template.
• Try different positions and angles. Test for comfort, how easy it is to get in and out, and what happens when you lean back or sit forward.
• Get everyone who’ll use it to try it.

I strongly suggest a life-sized cardboard version before you touch any timber. It’s much easier to correct a mistake in cardboard than in the mould, and impossible once it’s concrete.

Building the mould

As you can see in the images, I recommend a ribbed support section under the mould. Concrete is heavy, and without support ribs, the curved face of the mould will bow and your lounger won’t hold its shape.

A few tips for the mould:

• Use a board that copes with water. Standard MDF swells when it gets wet, so use melamine-faced board or exterior plywood sealed well, especially for the face the concrete touches.
• Space the ribs closely so the curved face can’t sag under the weight of wet concrete.
• Seal every joint with silicone or tape so the concrete’s water and fines don’t leak out.
• Use a mould release agent so the lounger comes out cleanly.
• Make it rigid and level. Brace it well, because wet concrete pushes hard on the sides of a form.

Thickness and reinforcement

The depth of the mould sets the thickness of your lounger. Around 2in (5cm) is a sensible minimum. I used to think you only needed rebar if you went thicker, but it’s the other way round. Thin concrete is weak in bending and cracks easily, so a thin lounger needs reinforcing more, not less. Your options:

Option	Good for	Watch out for
Steel mesh or rebar	Thicker, heavier loungers and in-situ casts	Needs enough concrete around it to stop rust. ACI 318 asks for 1½in of cover for small bars in cast-in-place concrete exposed to weather (¾in for factory precast). That’s hard to achieve in a 2in slab, and pool water makes rust worse.
Glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC)	Thin, lighter, curved pieces	A different mix and method. Concrete Network describes a thin face coat plus a ¾–1in fibre-reinforced backer coat. Great results, but there’s a learning curve.
Non-corroding bar (e.g. glass fibre or basalt rebar)	In-water loungers where rust staining would be a problem	Still needs to sit in the middle of the section. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance.

If your lounger is going to be large or cantilevered (an overhanging back or legs), or if it forms part of the pool or hot tub structure, get the reinforcement specified properly. There’s more background in my rebar guide.

What about the dimensions?

At buildahottub.com we like to help you out, so here are the dimensions of a tried and tested concrete lounger you can use:

If you want the complete set, with full drawings in both imperial and metric, get my Concrete Lounger – The Ultimate Guide. It takes the guesswork out of the angles and the mould.

Casting, curing and finishing: step by step

1. Prep the mould. Check it’s level, braced and sealed, then apply the release agent.
2. Mix the concrete. Use a proper concrete or precast mix, add any colour pigment consistently to every batch, and hire a mixer. Mixing by hand for a whole lounger is hard work.
3. Place the reinforcement on spacers so it ends up in the middle of the section, not on the bottom.
4. Fill and compact. Work the concrete into the curves and tap the sides of the mould (or use a vibrator) to drive out air bubbles. Bubbles leave holes in the finished surface.
5. Cure it slowly. Cover it and keep it damp. Concrete Network says concrete moist-cured for 7 days is about 50% stronger than uncured concrete, and it reaches full strength at around 28 days. Forms can usually come off after 24–48 hours, but handle it gently for the first week.
6. Finish. Smooth any sharp edges, then either seal it with a sealer suitable for pool or water immersion, or tile it with pool tiles, adhesive and grout. Allow the full cure time the products need before it goes in the water.
7. Place and fix. Lower it into position carefully and protect the pool or tub finish underneath it. If it’s in the water, make sure it’s stable and can’t be pushed or floated out of place.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the prototype, then finding the back angle is wrong once it’s set.
• No reinforcement in a thin section, which leads to cracks across the seat or back.
• Steel too close to the surface, causing rust stains and spalling, especially in pool water.
• A mould that isn’t braced and bows under the concrete.
• Rushing the cure or letting it dry out in the sun.
• Kitchen tiles or adhesive on something that sits in water.
• A dark finish in full sun that’s too hot to lie on.

Planning your own pool or hot tub?

A lounger works brilliantly on the sun shelf of a cocktail pool or spool. My cocktail pool and plunge pool plans come in several sizes, for example the 12ft x 8ft, 15ft x 8ft and 20ft x 10ft. If you’d rather have loungers built into a hot tub, The Kyle 15ft x 8ft dual lounger plans have two built in. And for everything else, there are my standard hot tub plans.

For something truly custom, try the free Tub & Pool Designer Pro software, and I can turn your design into architectural CAD and a 3D plumbing design.

Want to read more about the pools these loungers suit? See Build the ultimate DIY cocktail pool or spool, What is a spool?, Plunge pool: everything you need to know and Hot tub pool combo design considerations.

FAQs

How thick should a concrete lounger be?

Around 2in (50mm) is a sensible minimum for a cast lounger, and it must be reinforced. If you’re using steel, you’ll need to go thicker to get enough concrete cover over it. GFRC can be thinner and lighter.

Do I need rebar in a concrete lounger?

You need reinforcement of some kind. Thin concrete cracks easily in bending. Steel mesh or rebar works if there’s enough cover. Otherwise use glass fibres (GFRC) or non-corroding bar.

Can a concrete lounger go in the water?

Yes. Loungers on a pool’s sun shelf sit partly submerged. Seal or tile it with pool-grade products, keep any steel well covered, and make sure it’s stable and can’t be moved or floated.

How long does a concrete lounger take to cure?

Keep it damp for about 7 days. Forms can usually come off after 24–48 hours, and concrete reaches full strength at around 28 days. Check the cure times for any sealer, adhesive or grout before it goes in the water.

How do I colour a concrete lounger?

Mix a concrete colour pigment into every batch so the colour goes right through. Paint tends to flake in and around water. Tiling is the other good option.

Built your own lounger? I’d love to see it, so drop a comment below. I read them all.

Cheers,
Andi

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Thanks - Andi

 

Hi, Andi here. I own Buildahottub.com and also write all of the articles and info pages on the site. Some years back now, I built my own hot tub but struggled to find the information I needed. So, once my tub was complete, I started this website to help others in their own pursuit of hot tub and plunge pools DIY building information.

Fast forward to 2025, I've helped over 1400+ DIY customers just like you all over the world build hot tubs and pools. Have a good look around the site, there are lots of resources here. Please do get in touch if I can help you. - Cheers, Andi