Above Ground Pool Base Material
Nov 28, 2018 - How to Prep Ground for an Above-Ground Pool. To level the pool base, you need to bring the yard to the same level.
We are building round retaining walls into the hill in our backyard for an Intex pool. We were going to install a permanent pool, so my landscape contractor (my wife's uncle) was going to put down 3-inches of sand on top of 6-inches of compacted gravel. Now that we are moving to the Intex, I'm thinking we should change the top layer material from sand to dirt or something else. I have not read much here but enough that installing on top of foam sounded interesting.What should we use for the top layer, just under the pool?If we go sand, should I install concrete patio blocks to support each vertical pool support?Advise please. I will post some more recent photos of our progress with the walls shortly.
Re: Intex Pool: Best Material For Base (Sand/Dirt/Foam/BlockSamantha, after seeing the date on your post - I'm assuming last summer (2012) was the first for you with your 22' intex pool. As I try to decide how to install mine, I'm wondering how using the screenings held up for you?
You put tarps down (but did not use the foam board insulation stuff), right? Did you experience any holes when putting your pool up for the 2013 season?
I have watched a few YouTube videos of someone who did use sand underneath his pool, and while it was Ok the first season, when going to put it up for the 2nd, he had over SIXTY pinholes in the liner, caused by the sand. Zulu mod mount and blade. So, I would assume the screenings work out better than that? Although the fact that they harden when wet almost like concrete does scare me a little.
We moved in this home 3 years ago, and I did not think we would have lived here that long. We have a 22 foot Intex pool and last year I put a load of red wood mulch around the pool.It seems like for whatever reason over the course of the last 2 years the area in front of the pool and to the right of it has shown in the pictures is very flood-prone. Maybe we just have more rain then I noticed in the first year.When I know I have found a lot of mulch in the yard and I think some of it has even washed all the way out to the street and probably in the storm drains.Everybody seems to have P gravel around their pool if not mulch. I'm not too good in the yard other than Mowing and trimming the weeds, what is the best material to put around a pool that would actually stay there? People joke that my yard looks like a stone yard - I have a number of different kinds of rock in different places.I have 3/4' clean (what everyone calls 'gravel' in some spots (mainly for drainage in areas you cannot see)I have 3/8' grey pea gravel in some areas - like under the swing set.I have 3/8' yellow pea gravel around some treesI have what is known around here as Eastern Surnise in some areasI have 2' egg rock around the pool.Pea gravel gets everywhere - it is too small, in my opinion, to put around the pool. It gets knocked out of wherever you put it too easily.
It works great under a swing set, because a good layer (I think I have 8') of pea gravel provides a cushioned surface for around swings and play structures.Eastern Sunrise is pretty, it is it like volcanic rock - I really have no idea where they source this stuff from. It is unstable to walk on, and the dog hates it (it hurts his paws). It is also a pain to weed in (because it is so sharp)Egg rock (or river rock) works great around the pool. It is large enough to stay in place, but it nests well. The rounded edges make it easy to pull any stray weeds that get into it.3/4' clean stone is just ugly - but if you are filling in a 2' deep drainage ditch behind a shed, it is the cheapest way to go.When buying stone, bulk is SO much cheaper than bags.
Above Ground Pool Base Material Cover
If you have a need for any sort of quantity of stone, look into bulk delivery. Or, even better, if you can get it yourself, its even cheaper. Just be careful, stone is heavy. I have a small trailer.
Above Ground Pool Base Material
It could hold, by volume, about 2 yards of material. I will only pick up a 1/2 yard at a time (there is a place around here that will sell in 1/2 yard quantities) because it is so heavy.
I picked up a full yard of 3/4' once, and the way that trailer was creaking, I was aftaid I was going to snap the axle on it.-dave.