You have measured the pool. You have chosen mesh or solid. Then you hit the last dropdown at checkout and it asks for an anchor type — and suddenly you are being asked a question about your deck that nobody warned you about.
This is the part of the order people rush, and it is the part that determines whether your cover actually holds. A safety cover transfers every pound of load into the anchors. Get this wrong and the fabric is irrelevant.
Here is what each option on our Loop-Loc safety cover listings actually means.
First, How the Anchor System Works
Loop-Loc covers are held down by springs. Each spring attaches to a strap on the cover at one end and hooks into a brass anchor set into your deck at the other. You tension the springs with an installation rod so the cover sits taut across the pool.
The anchors themselves are recessed and retractable. When the cover is off for the season, you back the anchor down flush with the deck with a hex key so nobody stubs a toe on it. That is the design across all three anchor types — what changes is what the anchor is set into.
Option 1: Brass Concrete Anchors
Use when: you have a poured concrete deck.
This is the default and the most common choice by a wide margin. A hole is drilled into the concrete, the brass anchor is tamped in, and the expansion body grips the surrounding concrete. Properly installed in sound concrete, it is the strongest of the three.
You will see this listed as "Brass Concrete Anchors" on products like the 20' x 36' Rectangle Mesh cover.
Watch out for: thin or cracked concrete. If your deck is spalling, or if you have a thin skim coat over base material, the anchor will not hold. Tap around your intended anchor points and listen for a hollow sound before you commit.
Option 2: Brass Wood Deck Anchors
Use when: your deck is wood — pressure-treated framing, composite decking over joists, or a raised wooden surround.
Wood deck anchors thread into the wood rather than expanding against it. They are shorter and designed to bite into a solid board without splitting it.
Watch out for: the board underneath. Anchors need to land in solid structural wood, not in a soft or rotted deck board and not in a gap between planks. If your deck boards are old, plan on locating anchors over joists where possible.
Also worth noting: composite decking varies enormously in density. If you have a hollow-core composite, talk to us before ordering — a wood anchor in hollow composite will pull out.
Option 3: Brass Anchors in Aluminum Pipe
Use when: you cannot drill into the deck surface at all, or there is no deck at that location.
This is the workaround option. A brass anchor is fitted into an aluminum pipe, and the pipe is driven into the ground — grass, soil, or a gravel bed — outside the pool perimeter. The pipe provides the depth and lateral resistance that a surface anchor cannot get from dirt alone.
You will see it listed as "Brass Anchors in 9" Aluminum Pipe" as a variant option on most covers. We also stock 15" aluminum pipe with brass anchor individually for longer runs or for replacing damaged pieces.
Watch out for: soil conditions. Sandy or loose soil offers less resistance. If a section of your pool borders lawn rather than deck, this is usually the answer — but it is worth a conversation about how much of the perimeter is affected.
What About Pavers?
Pavers are the case that does not fit neatly into any of the three dropdown options, and they are extremely common on Long Island.
The problem: a standard concrete anchor drilled into a single paver will pull the paver up out of the bed rather than holding. Pavers are set in sand and are not structurally continuous.
The solution is an extra long brass anchor. It is long enough to pass through the paver and into the compacted base beneath, tying the anchor to the substrate rather than to a single loose stone. These are sold individually so you can order the count you need.
If your paver installation sits over a poured concrete slab, standard concrete anchors will usually work fine once you drill through the paver into the slab. If your pavers are set over compacted stone and sand only, go with the extra long anchors.
How Many Anchors Do You Need?
Anchor count is determined by the cover, not by you. Every Loop-Loc cover ships with straps at set intervals around the perimeter, and you need one anchor per strap. That count scales with the size of the cover — an 8' x 8' square needs a fraction of what a 30' x 60' rectangle requires.
The hardware ships with the cover. You would order individual anchors when you are replacing damaged ones, adding anchors after a deck repair, or dealing with a mixed-surface perimeter where some anchors need to be a different type than the rest.
Mixed Decks Are Normal
Plenty of pools have concrete on three sides and a wood deck or a lawn edge on the fourth. You are not locked into one anchor type for the whole perimeter — you order the cover with the anchor type that covers the majority of your deck, then order the odd pieces separately.
That is exactly why we stock extra long brass anchors and aluminum pipe anchors as standalone items.
A Note on Installation
Drilling anchor holes is permanent. Before you drill anything:
- Lay the cover out over the pool and position it so the overlap is even on all sides.
- Mark every anchor location with the cover in position, working from the corners inward.
- Check that no anchor point lands on a control joint, a crack, an expansion strip, or a buried line.
- Confirm your marks a second time. Then drill.
If your deck has radiant heat, buried conduit, or a raised bond beam, get eyes on it before drilling. A patched anchor hole in the wrong place is a permanent scar on the deck.
Next Steps
Not sure of your size yet? Start with how to measure your pool for a Loop-Loc safety cover. Still deciding on fabric? Read mesh vs. solid safety covers.
Ready to order? Browse Mesh Rectangle, Solid Rectangle, or the full Loop-Loc Safety Cover collection. Irregular pool? Go to Custom Safety Covers.
Unsure which anchor your deck needs? Send a photo of the deck surface at the pool edge to support@suntekonline.com and we will tell you what to order.