Best way to level a large area?

[JeepHead]

Disclaimer: Never did one.
I thought most above ground pools were built on a sand base. If that's the case, I'd make sure the remaining high point was at least an inch or two below the desired finished elevation. Then I'd set up screeds, bring in the sand and screed it off. With the screeds set parallel to the long side at 8' centers, you could get by with setting the first one so a 12' 2x4 would do the first 8' swath plus the part of the 2x4 that hangs beyond the first section could level the extra 3' beyond.

the legs sit directly on the earth, the sand base goes inside the walls under the liner. And the directions state to not build up to elevation, but to cut down to elevation so that you have firmly compacted earth under the legs. And a perfectly straight 2x4 is about all I could come up with for leveling such a wide area. I really do like the grade stakes to help with cutting. I am now looking into one of those aluminum 36" rakes to help moving material. I think I could wet the ground a bit to help in making it easier to cut.

 

[2manyrocks]

I don't know what stores you have in your area, but maybe search Ace Hardware. They apparently carry some aluminum landscape rakes up to about 5' wide.

 

[JeepHead]

I don't know what stores you have in your area, but maybe search Ace Hardware. They apparently carry some aluminum landscape rakes up to about 5' wide.

Thanks,, I have one just a couple miles down the road so I will check it out.

 

[paulsharvey]

Use your laser to set grade stakes about every 10 ft through the area, with a clear, dark line. Will help to see what needs done. It also makes it pretty easy to pull the string from stake to stake. My preference is put C-1 stakes; IE the line is 12" above the desired grade, and then you pull a string from C-1 to the other C-1, and measure down to grade. That way the string isn't riding the dirt.

Once you get it all within 3"; sprinkle dirt a bit at a time in low areas. To get +/- 1", you will need to do some rake and shovel work too,

 

[paulsharvey]

Thanks,, I have one just a couple miles down the road so I will check it out.

A Lute Rake, most often used for asphalt, works well. The proper name is "Lute" but its often said "loop" rake. Magnesium head, flat on back, small teeth on front, and you use both sides. Works well with asphalt and sand;

 

[paulsharvey]

On the rake; a proper asphalt Lute is pretty pricey. On the other hand, Vevor has this 36" aluminum landscape rake for pretty cheap.

 

[dodge man]

When we built our in ground pool a company came and did the final grading. I cut it down close with my BX with the FEL. They finished it mostly by hand. I’m a land surveyor and borrowed an optical level and as a recall just painted cuts on the dirt. Lath are good for it but don’t put in to many they get in the way.

With ours they put the liner on the dirt. They were very careful to get every little twig or lump picked up because you feel every defect through the liner. They didn’t want sand since it can contain rocks and poke holes. If you can get a very pure sugar sand that’s fine.

 

[Carl_NH]

I have had the "vevor" style landscape rake for 20 years - was $100 or so when I got it back then - still using today to level sand / topsoil etc.

To move dirt with this rake it needs to be loose soil before compaction - if you can get the area farily level, install the legs then rake and grade with the loose stuff, compact then raise the legs a bit as you need too.

 

[paulsharvey]

I went back and reread, and didn't see the answer. Are we talking a semi permanent, above ground pool, a non permanent above ground pool, a fiber glass precast inground, a partially inground semi permanent, or a full on concrete in ground pool?

Reason I ask; if we are grading to +/- 1"; that sounds like an above ground with a liner. For that, honestly, I would get everything close, and then use a sand or stone dust type material to get it "right". That red clay isn't going to rake well, and is going to be a beast to fine grade.

If it's even a partial UG pool; the deck area will be heavy disturbed in the process, and +/- 3" would be fine until it's time to form/pour the deck.

 

[paulsharvey]

If it's a semi permanent, metal wall style, aboveground... You're going to want/need atleast 5 sets of hands. Me and wife tried to install a 60"×24' round, and it about caused a divorce.... I think we ended up 6 people; the bottom channel, the wall (which isn't light, it's both heavy, and floppy), then liner and top channel, and then top "cooping".

The Oval ones are worse, as there are metal straps to keep it oval underneath.

If i do another, I have considered doing something like foam stall mats under the liner.