leveling ground for cheap pool

[Rosco]

I am waiting for delivery of a 18' round ez set pool for my daughter. My wife has wanted an in-ground pool (I do not) so this is a short term solution.

I have read several ways to level the ground, but am sure someone on here has experience. What is the best material to use......sand, dirt, mixture?

The ground is almost level, it will take about 6 inches at the deepest point to be level, but I do not want a leaning pool. I also ordered the small salt filtration system for it. Both are the Intex brand. Hell, for under $500 for all of it I really do not care how long it last.......just want it to be level..

Any suggestions?

 

[rburke65]

No experience here, but I believe that sand is the prefered material. Let me know where you live and I'll be over for a dip!

 

[v8muscle]

Sand is the best. When the "cheap" pool is gone, it is easy to till into the ground to resod or plant grass seed.

Bill

 

[Rosco]

I have read that sand is preferred, but also heard that it can shift.......but then I guess any material can shift some. I was thinking about cost/weight/future use and maybe cheap topsoil from big box stores might also work........

I could just do like my BIL.........put it down and fill it till it spills over.......when it turns green stock it with fish!

 

[toymn6366]

sand is the best way to go it will pack down tight

 

[smike]

When I put my pool (24' round) I leveled the ground then added 4" of sand. The sand will help protect the liner. I also put cement block under the upright supports. It has been up for 10 years now. After the 2nd year the sand that was level was bumpy.

 

[Kevin54]

Mark out the circle or oval where the pool will be sitting. Remove all sod. Dig down around 4-6". Level as best as you can using a long level and a long straight board or if you know someone with a transit, use that. Rake out all stones, hard clunks, etc. Spread sand evenly and screed it out. The sand will protect the liner from getting pierced by any stones or sticks. Start assembling the frame following the instructions and making sure your uprights are plumb and the top is level. Remember to get your liner in position before you start filling with water. Once you get an inch of water in, if you need to shift the liner, you are screwed. Get it right to begin with.

My neighbor put one up a few years back. The pool company told him that it would take two days to fill using a garden hose (24' round pool) He started that afternoon and by morning the pool was full and overflowing as the liner had shifted and pulled away from the top rail. The complete pool had to be drained to reposition the liner. That was a bunch of water in the yard.

 

[crook038]

I have the same pool with the salt/chlorene generator.....the only way to go. The pool comes with a ground cloth that you lay down over the ground before you set the pool up, it helps keep out sharp objects. I have mine set up in a play area with 6" of 3/8" riverstone, if I were placing it in my yard I would level the area with sandy mix and tamp it down. The filter system that comes with the pool is ok, I used it for a year but this year I upgraded to the intex sand filter.......I am glad I did. The salt/chlorene generator realy keeps my pool crystal clear. Enjoy!
Sean

 

[tcsalvage]

put a pool in about twenty years ago and used a stake at the center with a rope tied to a roto tiller to level the ground then filled and leveled it with sand. lasted about six years before the liner gave out. hope this helps

 

[Chris Adams]

I've put in three small pools for family members. Last one was about like the one you are getting.

I used a 'great rake' as the most used tool. It's a really wide 3-4 foot rake with a smooth back that you can use to level. Very handy.

Sand is pretty much a must, it's cheap enough. A couple inches deep does it, thicker would be better, but cost lots more.

A ground cover is pretty essential. That's a thick plastic sheeting that you can get at any pool supply store. It does not make up for an uneven or rocky surface, but it does make up for tiny rocks etc.

A rock the size of a pea will feel and tear like a wood screw. Seriously. We were sure we had a wood screw under the first pool I put in, when we drained it, and raised the liner it was smaller than a pea, just a tiny rectangular rock!

Keep it smooth and flat, that's the hard but essential part.

If you cover the pool with a 50-60 buck pool cover they are good for 3-5 seasons.

Use the filter a lot more than you think you need it...
Buy filters in bulk on e-bay, much, much cheaper.

 

[green.bubbly]

Years ago, in the middle of a hot Louisiana summer, the wife and I begin the installation of a 24' above ground pool. So we get out there every day after work with two shovels and two wheel barrels. Per the instructions, the center of the pool was to be 18" below level grade. For over two weeks we dug and hauled and dug and hauled until we had a nice beautiful sloping hole that measured 18" deep in the center. Keep in mind that we worked like little robots with barely a word spoken to each other. Exhausting hot back breaking work. But finally we were almost ready for the fruits of our labor.

THEN I took a long board with a level on it to find out that the back side was 12" lower than the front side. Back to digging we went. We laugh now but it was no laughing matter then. We figured if our marriage survived that, it would survive anything.


But to answer your question, as other suggested, get a nice long straight board and a level. We sunk a wood stick in the center of the pool and went around leveling the outer ring. Make sure you use fine clean fill sand which will pack and resist shifting better than coarse beach sand.

 

[premierplayer]

I am waiting for delivery of a 18' round ez set pool for my daughter. My wife has wanted an in-ground pool (I do not) so this is a short term solution.

I have read several ways to level the ground, but am sure someone on here has experience. What is the best material to use......sand, dirt, mixture?

The ground is almost level, it will take about 6 inches at the deepest point to be level, but I do not want a leaning pool. I also ordered the small salt filtration system for it. Both are the Intex brand. Hell, for under $500 for all of it I really do not care how long it last.......just want it to be level..

Any suggestions?

shave off 3" from the high side, place it on the low side. COMPACT, spread approx. 2" sand and level. Erect pool, fill pool with water and start having some fun. Your daughter will love it.
Be careful, pool safety is very important, espically with the little ones.

 

[wssix99]

If this is the short term solution, what is the long term solution???

Taking dirt away will give you a more stable base than adding dirt. (Because you have to compact fill so it doesn't move or compress under the weight of the pool.) If you add sand, you still need to compact it, but you can rent a vibrating compactor to do that fairly easily. (If you don't it will shift also.)

I just did a survey on a piece of land by mounting an inexpensive laser level on a tripod and then shooting it at a stick to measure levels of the ground. You could do the same to get close. Leveling sand is easier to do more precisely. Just level two boards on either side of the area you want to level and then run another board down them as a screed to level the sand. Compact and then repeat until the sand doesn't compact any more and is level.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

wet the sand down good, it really helps compacting it.

 

[robertlynk]

Is it metal sided or soft sided?
1. level with washed sand wet it compact and level again
2.if soft sided lay out liner in center with filter fitting as close to power supply as possible (NOTE: USE GFCI RECEPTACLE) and unfold, insert legs hook up filter fill with water have fun
2. if hard sided build sides with filter fitting as close to power supply as possible(NOTE: USE GFCI RECEPTACLE) don't put cap on yet
3. put liner in center and unfold centering as you go drape over sides now in the hole where the filter box goes or if no hole between the liner and the side insert the hose for your shop vac and turn it on this will pull the liner to the sides start filling when the water level is close to the filter /skimmer hole cut the liner and install skimmer and top cap and have fun

 

[1320stang]

Rent a plate compactor.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you do NOT compact the sand, the bottom will be bumpy, but acceptable.

 

[Rosco]

Alot of great info!

It is a soft sided pool with no frame (ez set). I am using dirt (leftover from garage build) for the rough grade and about 2 inches of sand for final level. I have a straight 18' board and 4' level to screege the sand. I have watered the dirt, raked out rocks, and will water the sand when laid down.

Since it is an easy set pool, if I need to adjust the bottom fill I will wait till winter and take it down.

My daughter is 8 and loves the water. The pool is 48" and she is 52" tall and can swim better than I. Still, she will never be left unsupervised as too many things can happen.

The long term solution to an inground pool will be decided after I see how much use this pool gets. I have 2 buddies who put $35,000 pools in and are now slaves to their back yards (chemicals, cleaning, landscaping, lighting etc.). One uses his regularly and the other is ready to fill his in with dirt. Everyone uses a pool differently so I am using this one as a test.

 

[wssix99]

I have watered the dirt, raked out rocks, and will water the sand when laid down.

FYI - Watering the sand will not help compact or level it. The ONLY way to compact coarse aggregates like gravel or sand (outside of heavy equipment) is to use a vibrating plate compactor.

See the "Materials" table here for compacting methods: http://www.concrete-catalog.com/soil_compaction.html

A little (very little) water may help compact the sand but if you water it well like a plant, you'll end up with a lake bubbling to the top as you compact it with a plate compactor.

Here's another good thread: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55123&page=2

 

[Dominico]

Good luck with your pool. I have owned two (2) pools over the last 30 years. I found that "mason sand" is the best for the base. There is no need to compact the sand the weight of the water will do that for you. After you remove the sod throw about 4" of sand down (more is better). Set the walls up. Then continue with more sand and bank the edge against the wall. While you are doing the final prep work it helps to have a watering can or hose handy to "lightly" mist the sand with water. Then take a trowel or block of wood to smooth the sand much like you would to finish trowel concrete. You will be amazed how well this works.

After you have completed this it is time to install the liner. Make sure you remove your shoes when you set the liner. Wait to install the skimmer basket until last. Another trick to set the liner is to take a shop vac and place the hose over the "eyelet" or outlet/exhaust hole on the pool. Cover any open areas with tape. Turn the vacuum on and it will **** the liner up to the wall and floor perfectly. Lastly install the skimmer basket and fill your pool with water.

If you call for a water truck make sure to "deflect" the stream of water flowing into your pool other wise it will cause a divot in the pool floor from the force of the water. Hope you enjoy your new pool!

 

[Zeke]

I had an ez set last year. Grass shoots grew right up through the base sheet and bottom of the pool even though I used Round Up and raked the area clean and put some sand down. I emptied the pool about 2 months in and put down sheets of paneling and thin sheets of plywood that I got cheap as damaged goods.

That was the best base. I saved the sheets for this year. I'll re level, spread a bit of fill and lay out the sheets. I used a knife to scribe the circle and snapped the excess off.

Having had 3 pools at houses I lived in, I would not want a permanent pool. Remember that even a plastic pool is an insurance gamble and codes need to be met AFA gates and fencing.

 

[theroyz71]

We had one of those pools from Wal-Mart last year. It's the one where you inflate the top ring and it raises as you fill the pool. We didn't do anything to level it other that put it in the flattest part of our yard. We put down the tarp but we didn't remove the sod or put down any sand. It wasn't perfectly level but it was close enough for government work. Actually, it wasn't really close at all but it was never an issue. The kids loved it. The bad part was when I took it down. My yard smelled rotten for months.

 

[PassnThru]

We have the 12' one. Put it up last year and just set it up again last Friday. If you read their (Intex) instructions, they say not to use sand because it can shift. I would assume that it is ok if you dig further than you need to and then add sand back to level it up. But I wouldn't just dump sand on the ground and expect it to stay in place long term. I had a fairly level spot but I still took dirt off the high side. I also built a framework of PT 2X4s to go around the pool. I leveled it and then leveled the ground within it. It still slopes a little and you can tell that the pool leans slightly downhill. I put roofing felt on the ground and then I put 4X8 foam insulation sheets (1.5" thick I think) on top of the felt. Put a tarp on that and then the pool. The insulation gives a softer base for the pool. We did discover this year though that the heavily used areas of the pool will have depressions in the foam. I'm not sure if I would do it again or not. It makes the bottom of the pool feel really nice but at the current rate it might not be usable for more than a few more years and will be expensive to replace.

 

[rieferman]

We're considering one of these pools to tide us over until we install a true 24' out of ground next year. We are considering using foam puzzle mats underneath, our spot is already graded level in preparation for next year. This is a $200 pool we're talking about, so I'm not sure I'd want to spend much more time and effort on it. The puzzle mats could be used afterwards in my shop.

 

[theroyz71]

My wife got our 18' pool on clearance for $75.

 

[Rosco]

I have thought about the puzzle mats also.......have some in the garage and would need to buy a few extra, but I think they would make a hell of a base on top of the sand/dirt. I did not kill the grass so I am going to use some round up and 6 mil plastic over the sand just for precaution.

 

[Falcon67]

What you use for the foliage kill under more permanent above ground pools is "ground sterilizer" - get it at a feed store or farm supply. Round Up doesn't do it. You want everything under the sand dead and to stay dead. Nut grass and other stuff around here will punch holes in 2" of asphalt so vinyl pool liner is no big deal.

We had an EZ set (air ring top, fill with water) a while back. It's OK and if you work it well it'll last a couple of seasons. But let it get away and you'll never get it back. They are extremely hard to clean because of the bell shape. Ours lasted as long as it did because I hooked up our giant 1 HP sand filter (left over from a 24x4') to it. Made that 15' rounder work like a whirlpool. And no filters to change. I killed it off when a storm partially pulled the cover off and dumped a ton of leaves and dirty rain water into the thing. After chasing the chemical content around for a week, I called "screw it". One good slice with a sharp box cutter and 1/2 the back yard was green for two months.

 

[Rosco]

Thanks for the tip on the sterilizer.......I remember the nut grass when I lived in Abilene awhile back (stationed at Dyess). Still remember Perini Ranch, Joe Allens, dirt track, rattlesnake round-up etc. I do not think the drag strip was built when I left in 2000.

I actually laid the dirt/sand on nicely landscaped centipede grass. If it is covered for any length of time it will die, but will still use the sterilizer for good measure........thank goodness the pool is still in transit!

 

[DHS]

I put up a metal framed intex pool a couple of years ago an a little bit of a slope (1.5" in 12') and it started walking on its self kinda rolling down the hill. It was ugly but worked. For weed and grass protection I laid down many layers of newspaper and then put the little tarp that came with the pool on top and have yet to have a problem with anything growing tru it. It need re-leveled now because we got to splashing too much and the legs quit touching the ground on the high end.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The long term solution to an inground pool will be decided after I see how much use this pool gets.

I live in MI, so a pool typically is only used 3 months a year. Even with gas fired heater, maybe 5 months. In my neighborhood there are 4 or 5 in ground pools !

In ground pools are a liability when selling your house. Few buyers really want one (unless you live in the South).

We had a 24'x4' pool when I was a kid. Loved it !

 

[scott37300]

About ten years ago my step dad at the time, who isn't very smart when it comes to these kind of things, set one up. The yard wasn't level and it was enough that the pool gave out and flooded the whole yard. He called me to come over and help set up the pool right. Had some sand dropped off and used my topcon laser to level it all out. Was good to go from there. It was a funny story I still laugh about.