Once you have your pool measured and you know your size, one decision is left — and it is the one customers call us about most. Do you go with mesh or solid?
Both are genuine safety covers. Both anchor into your deck, both are built to hold weight, and both keep children and pets out of the water. The difference is not strength. It is what happens to water and sunlight, and that difference cascades into how much work you do every spring.
Here is how to choose between the two families in our Loop-Loc safety cover collection.
The Short Version
- Choose mesh if you want the lowest-maintenance winter, you have a pool that handles rain and snowmelt fine, and you do not mind a slightly dirtier opening. Shop Mesh Rectangle covers.
- Choose solid if your pool sits under heavy tree cover, you fight algae every spring, or you want the cleanest possible water at opening. Shop Solid Rectangle covers.
Loop-Loc II Super Dense Mesh
The Super Dense Mesh is Loop-Loc's flagship and by far the most common cover we ship. The fabric is a tight woven mesh — water passes through it, but the weave is dense enough to block the overwhelming majority of sunlight and fine debris.
What mesh does well
- Water drains straight through. Rain and melting snow pass into the pool instead of pooling on top. There is no pump to babysit, no puddle freezing into a hundred-pound ice slab, and no water sitting on the fabric.
- Nothing to maintain over winter. You install it in the fall and walk away. This is the single biggest reason mesh dominates.
- It is lighter. Easier to handle for installation and removal, which matters on a 20' x 40'.
- Lower cost. Compare a mesh 18' x 34' against the solid equivalent and the gap is usually meaningful.
- Blocks the sunlight that feeds algae. The dense weave keeps the water dark, which is what actually prevents an algae bloom.
The trade-off
Because water passes through, so do the finest particulates — pollen, dust, and very fine silt. Most pools open with water that needs a good shock and a filter run, not a full drain. But if your pool sits directly under oaks or pines, you will notice the difference.
Your water level will also rise over winter from rain and snowmelt, so you will likely lower it at opening.
Mesh is available in nearly every configuration: center step, left offset step, right offset step, round, oval, square, Grecian, and Jewel.
Ultra-Loc III Solid with Drain Panels
A solid cover is exactly what it sounds like — an opaque, impermeable fabric that nothing gets through. Not water, not pollen, not light.
The obvious problem with a solid sheet over a pool is that rain has nowhere to go. Loop-Loc's answer is drain panels: engineered mesh sections built into the solid fabric that let standing water pass into the pool while the rest of the cover stays sealed. See the 18' x 36' Ultra-Loc III Solid with Drain Panels for an example.
What solid does well
- Total blackout. Zero light reaches the water. This is the strongest possible defense against an algae bloom.
- Nothing gets in. No pollen, no fine silt, no leaf tannins staining your plaster or liner. Pools under heavy tree canopy open dramatically cleaner.
- Less chemical demand at opening. Cleaner water in the spring generally means less shock, less clarifier, and a shorter path to swimmable.
The trade-off
- Higher upfront cost than the mesh equivalent in the same size.
- Heavier fabric — noticeably more work to install and remove.
- Drain panels need to stay clear. If they clog with leaves, water backs up on the cover. That is manageable, but it is not zero-maintenance the way mesh is.
Solid covers are available in the same shape range: solid rectangle with center step, left offset step, and right offset step. Drain-panel versions are grouped separately — see Solid Rectangle with Drains and Center Step, Drains with Left Offset Step, and Drains with Right Offset Step.
Side by Side
| Factor | Loop-Loc II Super Dense Mesh | Ultra-Loc III Solid |
|---|---|---|
| Water passes through | Yes, freely | Only via drain panels |
| Light blocked | Nearly all | All |
| Fine debris blocked | Most | All |
| Winter maintenance | Essentially none | Keep drain panels clear |
| Weight / handling | Lighter | Heavier |
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher |
| Spring water clarity | Good | Excellent |
| Best for | Open yards, low-maintenance owners | Heavy tree cover, cleanest opening |
Which Should You Actually Buy?
Ask yourself three questions.
1. How many trees hang over the pool? If leaves and pollen dump into your pool every fall, solid pays for itself in reduced opening labor and chemicals. If you have an open yard, mesh is plenty.
2. How much do you want to think about the pool in January? Mesh is genuinely install-and-forget. Solid asks you to check the drain panels after big storms.
3. What is your opening routine? If you open the pool yourself and dread the green-water fight, solid shortens that considerably. If a service opens your pool, mesh is the more economical call.
For most inground pools on Long Island, mesh is the right answer — it is why it makes up the bulk of the Loop-Loc catalog. Solid is the specialist's choice for tree-heavy properties and owners who prioritize opening-day clarity above all else.
Before You Order
Whichever fabric you pick, you still need the right size and shape. If you have not measured yet, start with our step-by-step guide to measuring your pool for a Loop-Loc safety cover.
You will also select an anchor type at checkout, which depends on whether your deck is concrete, pavers, or wood. Our guide to Loop-Loc anchor types walks through that choice.
Pool shape not in the stock list? Order a custom Loop-Loc safety cover instead. Questions on either fabric — reach us at support@suntekonline.com.