how to level ground for intex rectangular pool

Its the moment youve been waiting for its time to install the pool! Ideally there should be no fill dirt at all, because it will compress under the weight of the pool and over time, can be pushed outside of the pool, resulting in the pool leaning toward that side. (Comparison), How To Prevent Your Pool Popping Out Of The Ground, Swimming Pool Coping: The Ultimate Guide for Pool Owners, How To Raise Alkalinity In Your Pool (2 Proven Methods). Go over the entire base for your pool, and pack it down flat. If your pool is 10 feet (3.0m) in diameter, you'll need about a ton of sand, which can cost between $25 and $40 (US). This is my very first pool. "mainEntityOfPage": "https://blog.intheswim.com/setting-up-an-intex-pool-for-summer/", First, cut the grass very short and rake it well, so youre not measuring over grass, sticks and rubble. Though these all seem like minor details, they can play a big role in the usability and overall safety of your pool. Time to do it right, lol. So, the best thing to do would be to have a delivery of crush-n-run, aka stone dust, or limestone dust, and lay it down in 3-4 layers, and then use a plate compactor or jumping jack (from the rental place nearby), to compact it, along with saturating good with a sprinkler, to further help it compact. I just filled our Intex metal frame pool. After youve let the sand come to rest, it needs to be compacted into a solid base for your pool. If the ground is more than 1 inch off level, youll need to remove the high spots. If there are any areas that you need to level, use crushed limestone instead of sand. Theres like a 2 inch grade where the pool will go. At a minimum, Id recommend laying out a sheet of tarp over the ground, just in case. Is there anyway to level without having to take it down? I put my pool down on carpet padding and a tarp, 2 weeks went by and I had weeds growing through the bottom of my pool. "contentUrl": "https://x1.adis.ws/v1/media/graphics/i/lesl/its-logo-wide", It may not display this or other websites correctly. Take the time to do it right, and your pool will last for season after season. Use a line level to measure at 12-36 points around the pool. Theres no barrier around the pool, and children can access it easily without supervision. There are very few yards that are perfectly flat and level and require no ground work. The easiest approach is to get a long, straight bit of board, and once youve placed it across the intended site for your pool, use a level to see how flat it is. Can we just set it up or do we still need dirt and sand? To level ground for a pool, dig away slopes and high spots to make them level with lower areas. "width": "611", The Right Way: Carefully read all instructions, and watch the instructional video (if available). For tougher jobs, rent a skid-steer loader to move a lot of dirt more efficiently. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If not, grab your shovel to level it out, then use the lawn roller to pack it down firm. So, Carlos I would recommend replacing the soil with stone dust from a local sand/stone/gravel place. Ive seen my share of uneven pools, and its immediately noticeable. Like a glass balancing off center, when the water is not close to being level in your pool its a real sorry sight. If a young tree's trunk is 6 inches (15cm) across, its roots could extend over 19 feet (5.8m). If you have no other option than the pea gravel area, place 1/2 cement boards, joined together on the bottom with brackets, to prevent their separation, for the entire 1224 area, with concrete pavers used for the side supports (kickers). When the water spills occasionally it goes towards the left more . If youve not got a bit of board thats long enough you could also use stakes and some string, stretching it out from the center while holding it tight. It can be very difficult to ascertain if the yard is level, when testing over grass. Dont just go around filling the low spots. Any tips? The best tool to get the job done is a lawn roller, which you can rent easily from most garden centers. No matter if you have an Easy Set pool with an inflatable top portion or one of their metal frame pools (Prism, Ultra, etc. One last question if you dont mind. You could also build in a planter box, maybe some lighting, and a walkway to the pool area. Id leave it overnight to flatten and dry out. We dont know what to do to fix this!!! If your pool is an oval or rectangle, add 2 feet to your length and width measurements before marking out the area. Tell them the size and depth that you are filling and they can estimate the amount needed, probably 1-2 yards, which should be a few hundred dollars including delivery. Except they did a terrible job. Roll out the pool material and spread it out, being careful not to snag it on stakes or sticks. If you have a round pool, you can mark the pool outline by putting a stake in the center of the pool area and tying a string to it. As you can see, theres a right way and a wrong way to set up your Intex pool for the summer. This can lead to uneven floors and a blowout if erosion occurs. I found a nifty tool mentioned in a past TFP post about using a water level. One side the water is up to the rim, the other side its about a foot below rim. We have a 15 ft right now so we know the ground is completely level. Grass, rocks and other debris underneath can damage the liner, perhaps even destroying your pool. Not sure about the conveyor belt, but probably not. I didnt do that because Davy, man dirt,you go 3inches and you hit rock, so which is why I used soil bags from Lowes. Your goal here is to ensure nothing has changed and youve still got everything completely flat. Lay it flat on the ground, right up against the center stake (if you used one to mark out your circular pool. The Wrong Way: After quickly skimming through the instructions, you try to do everything by yourself. Using sand to fill in low spots is not advised because it results in uneven weight distribution on the pool floor. Finally, you need to lay out your base layer. Rob Litman is a Landscaper, General Contractor, and the CEO of Vitoli Inc., a landscaping, hardscaping, ecoscaping, and swimming pool design company in Los Angeles, California. Your water level, maybe it is too high? Dirt is better than sand, because it will compress better. Because if you happen to puncture your liner, it can be a nightmare even to find the hole to patch up once your pool is filled. We intend to leave it up all year. Empty the entire thing? Carlos Cortez. Once the weight of the pool crushes the grass, you may discover it was not so level after all. There is also a very good booklet included in the test kit that would be good to read. Id recommend digging into the ground to get it level, its actually better to remove the bumps in the dirt as opposed to adding more, as it helps create a more stable base. Hi Bob, it could be, if the frame can contain the weight of the pool. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. "description": "How do you set up an Intex pool? }, We filled the pool up and its TERRIBLE!! A 4000 gallon pool can weigh over 30,000 lbs when filled. Once a pool is set up its almost impossible to move without draining it and disassembling it completely, so its essential to choose the right spot before you start. The sand creates a base, protecting not only the liner of your pool but to provide a buffer against grass and weeds, or any other sharp objects you may have missed in the dirt. Is a 3.5-inch difference in the water level from one side of the pool to the other a problem? I have a 1 inch hole in the top ring of my 1848 easy set pool. Now before installing a pool, its essential to clear the site first. You may not need dirt or sand, and if you use sand, 1/2 is about the maximum, just to smooth out the bumps in the ground, more than that will push out the sides, unless you dig a hole of the right size for the pool, so the sand is not the above ground level surrounding the pool. That said, theres a right way and a wrong way to set up your Intex pool. Check to see if a ground cloth is included with your kit, and if not, purchase one to place between the ground and pool. Safety fencing or barriers prevent unwanted access to the pool. Leveling a particular area of your yard in order to install a pool isnt particularly tricky, but its a job made far easier with the right tools to hand. To learn how to clear sod before leveling your ground, keep reading! Contact your local recorder's or assessor's office if you need to find your property lines. We have a large area of pea gravel that we would like to put it on. Any new postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. Walk in a large circle, holding the string taut, and spraying the paint close to the ground. It seems like it would stabilize it. If you have substantial grading to do, look into renting a skid steer loader or sod cutter. "@type": "ImageObject", Just finished filling the pool. You can do it with just a level. By now, it should be clear where any leveling problems lie. By using our site, you agree to our. Any stones, roots or anything that could damage the liner needs to be removed. A bit of shade is nice, but large trees above will drop leaves and other debris in your pool, making it harder to maintain and keep your pool clean. If you used a power cutter and your rolls of sod are in good shape, you could lay it down on a bare patch elsewhere in your yard. Setting your pool beyond a tree's farthest branches should be a far enough distance if the tree is established. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/Level-Ground-for-a-Pool-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Level-Ground-for-a-Pool-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/Level-Ground-for-a-Pool-Step-1.jpg\/aid9389969-v4-728px-Level-Ground-for-a-Pool-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"