Sauna Dekor is an indoor swimming pool builder and installation contractor for hotels, resorts, wellness centres and private villas in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, manufacturing spa and wet-area equipment in our own facility in Istanbul since 1987 — this is our 40th year — with projects delivered in more than 35 countries. An indoor pool is not an outdoor pool with a roof on it: the pool is the easy part, and the dehumidification is the project. A heated body of water inside an enclosed hall evaporates every hour it exists, and the air-handling plant that removes that moisture is what protects the glazing, the structure and the finishes. We build indoor pools as deck-level (overflow) or skimmer pools, and we coordinate the pool hall envelope, the plant room and the drainage with the design team.
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Dehumidification and Air Handling in an Indoor Pool Hall
Embark on the journey of Indoor pool construction with Sauna Dekor. Our meticulous approach involves precise stages of manufacturing to ensure the highest quality and longevity. From calculating the square meter of the pool area to the application of concrete, insulation, and steel construction, each step is crucial. The final touch includes lighting elements and water filling, marking the completion of your dream indoor swimming pool.
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Chlorine-Resistant Materials, Filtration and the Pool Hall Envelope
Sauna Dekor prioritizes the use of chlorine and water-resistant materials in indoor pool construction. Filters play a key role in keeping the pool water clean, and we ensure all materials used are durable, preventing leakage or cracking. Our commitment to quality extends to every detail, from ceramics to joints, ensuring a lifetime of enjoyment without the worry of issues like cracking or shedding.
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Plant Room, Drainage and Backwash Route
The plant room is the decision that is made too late. Dehumidifier, circulation pumps, filters, dosing, heating and chilling all need a position, a route and service access, and the backwash and drainage route has to be settled before the slab is poured. At Sauna Dekor we set the plant position and the duct and drainage routes on the drawings with the MEP consultant. Rely on our adept technical team, poised to address any queries, fostering a comprehensive understanding that empowers judicious choices for your envisioned project. Our commitment is not just to build pools; it's about nurturing your dreams. Trust us to guide you through the financial considerations, turning your aspirations into a meticulously planned and executed reality.
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Indoor Pools Inside a Wellness Scheme: Sauna, Steam Room and Plunge
Sauna Dekor has manufactured in Istanbul since 1987 and is now in its fortieth year, with projects delivered in more than 35 countries. An indoor pool is rarely the only wet room on the plan: it usually sits with a sauna, a steam room and a cold plunge pool, and those rooms share the same drainage, waterproofing and ventilation design. Our commitment to consistent service quality carries the transformation of your envisioned indoor swimming pool into a tangible reality. Entrust us with the privilege of infusing our extensive experience and expertise into your spaces, fashioning indoor pools that transcend conventional boundaries, redefining the essence of luxury and comfort. Immerse yourself in a world of opulence and relaxation as we craft an indoor oasis tailored to your desires.
Explore More Pool Types
See our outdoor pools, Olympic pools, and infinity pools. Add a sauna for post-swim relaxation.
Indoor swimming pool: the pool is the easy part, the pool hall is not
An enclosed body of heated water evaporates every hour it exists. Manage that moisture and an indoor pool is a room you can use every day of the year in complete privacy. Fail to manage it and the water quietly destroys the building around it — glazing runs, ceilings stain, timber moves, steel corrodes where nobody can see it. That is why an indoor pool is an air-engineering project that happens to contain water, and why we scope the air side before we scope the tiling.
What an indoor pool needs that an outdoor pool does not
| System | What it does | What happens without it |
|---|---|---|
| Dehumidification and pool air handling | Removes evaporated water continuously and holds relative humidity in a controlled band | Condensation on every cool surface; damage to structure, finishes and glazing |
| Air distribution across the glazing | Washes the coldest surfaces with dry air so moisture cannot settle | Running glass, stained reveals, mould at the frame junctions |
| Vapour-controlled enclosure | Keeps moisture out of walls, ceiling voids and roof build-up | Hidden interstitial condensation — the failure nobody sees until it is structural |
| Balanced air and water temperature | Air held slightly above water temperature to slow evaporation | Higher evaporation load, higher running cost, a colder-feeling room |
| Fresh-air ventilation | Controls air quality and chemical by-products in the hall | Chloramine smell, guest complaints, corrosion of metalwork |
| Water heating and chilling | Holds water temperature in a Gulf ambient that swings both ways | Unusable water for part of the year |
| Chemical-resistant materials | Ceramics, joints, fixings and metalwork specified for pool-hall atmosphere | Cracking, shedding grout, corroded fixings and leaks |
How we build an indoor swimming pool
- Survey and feasibility. Structure, ceiling height, plant space, glazing, access route and services — before a layout is drawn.
- Design and approvals. Pool geometry and depths, air and water calculations, plant room layout, drawings and authority submission.
- Structure and tanking. Shell, waterproofing, movement joints and sealed penetrations. This is the layer no later work can correct.
- MEP. Circulation, filtration, disinfection, heating and chilling, dehumidification and air handling, underwater lighting and control.
- Enclosure. Vapour control, insulation and glazing detailing at every junction.
- Finish. Tile, mosaic or stone, coping, non-slip surround and lighting.
- Commissioning. Water balancing, air balancing, equipment testing, O&M documents, warranty and a service plan.
The Gulf-specific version of this — why indoor pools suit a 45 °C climate, what the air system has to do, glazing, approvals and lead times — is set out in our guide to indoor pools in Dubai. For the outdoor comparison and the approval process in general, see swimming pool construction in Dubai. Where the pool is part of a wellness programme rather than a leisure one, see hydrotherapy pools and what hydrotherapy actually is.
Indoor swimming pool with a sauna, steam room and cold plunge pool
Most indoor pools we build do not stand alone. They sit next to a sauna, a steam room or a cold plunge, and the plant, drainage and ventilation for all of them are best drawn once rather than four times. Where a project also includes an outdoor pool, sharing plant between the two is often possible — but only if it is decided at design stage.
Frequently asked questions
What makes an indoor swimming pool different from an outdoor one?
Humidity. A heated body of water inside an enclosed room evaporates continuously, and if that moisture is not removed it condenses on the coolest surfaces in the room — glazing, structure, ceiling voids — and destroys them. An indoor pool therefore needs a dedicated dehumidification and air-handling system that an outdoor pool never needs, plus a vapour-controlled enclosure to keep the moisture out of the fabric. Everything else about the pool itself is comparable.
How is the air designed for an indoor pool?
Air temperature, relative humidity, fresh-air ventilation and water temperature are balanced as one system, not four. The air is normally held a degree or two above the water temperature so the water evaporates more slowly, relative humidity is held in a controlled band, and air is delivered across the cold surfaces — the glazing above all — so condensation never gets a chance to form. Undersizing the air side is the single most common and most expensive indoor-pool mistake.
What has to be decided before an indoor pool is built?
Where the plant room goes and how big it is; the structural waterproofing and tanking; the glazing specification and whether it is thermally broken; the ventilation route and duct sizes; the drainage and backwash route; and the access route for equipment. All of these are cheap on a drawing and expensive on site, which is why we would rather be in the project at design stage than after the shell is poured.
Why do indoor pools suit the Gulf climate?
An indoor pool offers what an outdoor pool cannot in this region: full privacy and climate-controlled comfort all year, including the months when a 45 °C ambient makes an outdoor pool unusable in the middle of the day and the water itself needs chilling rather than heating. The trade-off is that all of that comfort is produced by plant, and the plant has to be sized, housed and serviced.
Do indoor pools need authority approval in the UAE?
Yes. An indoor pool involves structure, electrical works, water supply, drainage and mechanical ventilation, and the requirements differ between emirates and between a villa community and a hotel plot. We prepare and submit drawings and carry the approval process inside the scope rather than handing it back to the client. Approvals, not construction, are usually what sets the programme.
How long does an indoor pool take to build?
A villa indoor pool typically runs several months on site once approvals are in hand, and a hotel or commercial indoor pool considerably longer, because the mechanical plant, the enclosure and the pool structure all have to be coordinated rather than sequenced. Ground conditions and any structural work below the shell are the other variables that move the programme.
