Above Ground Pool Install

[Renob]

I am thinking about tackling an above ground pool installation and would appreciate any tips, warnings, recommended books, resources, links, etc.

Thanks

[wickedinhere]

I had one put up last year all i did was watch but the hardest part for them was getting the ground level. They used shovels and it took them a few hours. Make sure that you put down the hard plastic barrier between the ground and the liner. Dont use sand it will give you problems later down the road.

[EddieWalker]

I did one about five years ago. It wasn't very big, but sure allot of fun to float around in after work, or on the weekends.

It's costant maintenance and after selling the house, it's not something I want to deal with again. Keeping the water clean is a constant, never ending chore. It's not dificult, but with a full schedule, I could go many days at a time and not be there during daylight hours. Miss a few tests and let the water level get out of balance and you have a mess.

Either go real cheap and get something that won't hurt if you change your mind and want to get rid of, or spend allot and get a really good filter system. The actual pools themselves are pretty basic and depending on what style you buy, wont really matter too much. It's all in the filter and circulating the water.

Good luck,
Eddie

[Bird]

Very good advice, Eddie. Having had a steel wall, vinyl liner, in ground pool for several years before I retired and we sold that house, my first inclination when anyone asks about putting in a pool is DON'T DO IT! They are certainly fun for awhile. But as you said, "it's not something I want to deal with again."

[randy41]

leveling the ground is definetly the toughest part of putting it up. i had a lot of trouble getting water clean initially. i filled it with my well water and then it all turned brown when i put chlorine in and then i had to filter it for a few days to get it clear. i was happy when it came down for the final time and i sold it for $75 to someone.
but we had some fun in it and one of my kids learned to swim...the other still doesn't know how to.

[BTDT]

Lady I used to work with was going to put in a hot tub. I told her I thought they were a lot of trouble and maintenance (from what I've heard, I don't own one). She said they were getting the saltwater version. Special pump, but no chlorine or anything to mess with. Maybe they make a pool version that uses saltwater. Might be less problems. FYI

[HickoryNut]

My old one (22 years) rusted out around the skimmer and blew out last fall. I've worked the last three weekends putting up a new one. I went 3' bigger with a 27' round. I just finished french drain and landscaping around it today. I swear I won't touch another shovel the rest of the summer.

Agreed, unless you have perfectly flat ground by far most difficult part is getting it level, and it must be less than 1" off level or you will have ALL kinds of problems, and perfectly round/oval. Its much more difficult than it would seem. At least 3 people needed to handle the wall while installing and while laying in the liner.

The liner installation is sort of an art and there are many ideas on how to do it. A good hot sunny day is a must to get the plastic good and flexible. Here's what I do, install all the top rail assemblies and then duct tape all sharp edges. Get about 2 dozen of the big 4" clothespin type clamp with rubber tips and clamp the liner evenly all the way around so that just the center of the liner is touching the bottom of the pool. Then slowly start adding water and watching those clamps very closely. When they start stressing the liner, quickly go around and let the liner in evenly a little bit. Once the water has covered the bottom and is contacting the sides all around, take the top rails back off two at a time and tuck the liner under it and re-install rails. Comes out wrinkle-free but you really have to be on your toes or you'll tear a $300 liner.

I had a sand bottom for 22 years with no problems, a good 6" cove of sand around the edge is important. Also, my old pool was buried 1' deep so I got crazy and put my new one 2' deep in the ground. Now if it would just warm up so I could swim!

[Apples]

Why not try a no metal pool. We bought one of the larger ones from Walmart.It works for us.Very easy to install. I did buy a good sand filter for it off of Ebay. Like everyone says, level, or almost level ground is the key,or you might have a deep end,like we have.

[txdon]

Renob, I'm in the middle of installing my above ground pool.

A good book is "The Ultimate Guide to Above-Ground Pools" by Terry Tamminen.

I will be watching this thread closely for advice also.

To blend the pool into the countryside, and since I have the time for fun projects, I am putting the pool below ground level and will have a deck. I am designing it as I go along.

The pool company would charge $1,500 to install plus $500 for each foot lower than ground level. FYI

The advice given so far is good. A laser level is a good tool to have to get the bottom level. You cannot be more than an inch off.

I had to run a 20 amp outlet to the other side of the pool for the pump/filter With the southerly wind I put the skimmer on the north side.

My pool is oval, 18' by 34'.

Hickorynut, the way you described the installation of the liner is exactly how the instruction say to do it. When I asked the installers how they did it they said they just make sure wrinkles are out and fill it up.

Attached are few photos of my "FUN" project.

Picture 1 digging the hole.
Picture 2 smoothing the ground.
Picture 3 - Yesterday I did the final grade by hand and used some concrete tools to get the sand smooth. I got lucky on this site, I only hit rocks on 1/3 of the site.

[Harvey7]

I am thinking about tackling an above ground pool installation and would appreciate any tips, warnings, recommended books, resources, links, etc.

Thanks

Renob

Lots of good tips so far, and as said several times already, it has to be level. When I installed mine I used 1 1/2 inch styrofoam insulation on the bottom, rather than sand. Has worked well so far ( five years) and very nice to walk on. Good luck.