Renob
Gold Member
I am thinking about tackling an above ground pool installation and would appreciate any tips, warnings, recommended books, resources, links, etc.
Thanks
Thanks
Above Ground Pool Install
- Thread starter Renob
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wickedinhere
Silver Member
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
Epic Contributor
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
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
Rest in Peace
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."
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.
but we had some fun in it and one of my kids learned to swim...the other still doesn't know how to.
BTDT
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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
Silver Member
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!
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!
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
Super Star Member
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.
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.
Attachments
Harvey7
Silver Member
Renob said:
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.
BrianW
Silver Member
Having had an above ground pool, I am with Eddie and Bird. One thing I found out was the more you use it, the easier it is to keep clean. Maybe all that swimming keeps the chemicals mixed or maybe because your using it a lot you notice the subtle changes in water quality and keep on top of it. On my pool we used rice hulls instead of sand (Northern CA) and on top of that I had a thick white closed cell foam pad. It made a great feeling bottom. We also had a triangular shaped closed cell foam that ran around the outer wall. It held up real well. The pool was fun, but after the newness wore off we didn't use it enough and I was always fighting algae.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Don,
Looks like a fun project!!! I was a little worried about opening your links, but I'm glad I did.
Where is the pool at in relation to your cabin?
Please keep us updated on your progress.
Eddie
Looks like a fun project!!! I was a little worried about opening your links, but I'm glad I did.
Where is the pool at in relation to your cabin?
Please keep us updated on your progress.
Eddie
Bird
Rest in Peace
That's quite a project, Don. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out. Of course, having seen some of your work in the past, I expect it'll be very nice.
OP
Renob
Gold Member
Thanks for all the advice so far! Pics of any project are great. Keep them coming.
Don, Your pool install is an inspiration. Nice work!
I enjoy tackling new projects. I like a challenge and I am not usually satisfied with the work of others. Another reason is that I'm cheap. I figure what I save on installation will go along ways toward the cost of the new deck.
Don, Your pool install is an inspiration. Nice work!
I enjoy tackling new projects. I like a challenge and I am not usually satisfied with the work of others. Another reason is that I'm cheap. I figure what I save on installation will go along ways toward the cost of the new deck.
txdon
Super Star Member
Renob, I promise I will not steal your thread I'll start another after I get it up and am working on the deck.
Bird I have been thinking of your advice "Don't do it" from the beginning that is why this is a "temporary pool". I'll be able to undo it all very easily and the deck will look over a field of flowers after I tire of the pool. You CAN expect it to be very nice because my quality control adviser (wife) is on the job.
Eddie if you would drive right through the TBN carport, over three trees, about 120 feet you would be in the pool. The carport, cabin, pool make a triangle, or in the backyard northwest side of the cabin. The morning I find a snake in it.....watch out!
The solid foam under the liner sounds better than the "Harborlite" the pool co. gave me. Harborlite is like Styrofoam dust to be used at about 2" on the bottom under the liner. I was thinking of putting landscape fabric down before the harborlite to discourage gophers. I have not had any in the dug out pool area but they are coming close. They seem to stop when they come the the sudden drop off.
Has anyone else used Harborlite?
Bird I have been thinking of your advice "Don't do it" from the beginning that is why this is a "temporary pool". I'll be able to undo it all very easily and the deck will look over a field of flowers after I tire of the pool. You CAN expect it to be very nice because my quality control adviser (wife) is on the job.
Eddie if you would drive right through the TBN carport, over three trees, about 120 feet you would be in the pool. The carport, cabin, pool make a triangle, or in the backyard northwest side of the cabin. The morning I find a snake in it.....watch out!
The solid foam under the liner sounds better than the "Harborlite" the pool co. gave me. Harborlite is like Styrofoam dust to be used at about 2" on the bottom under the liner. I was thinking of putting landscape fabric down before the harborlite to discourage gophers. I have not had any in the dug out pool area but they are coming close. They seem to stop when they come the the sudden drop off.
Has anyone else used Harborlite?
mudcat
Platinum Member
Don, I don't think you will tire of your pool anytime soon. I recall your posts on your carport and how hot it was. Please do post the complete project. Can't wait.
HickoryNut
Silver Member
Leveling - transits are fun to play with but it takes 2 people, easier way is to get some clear plastic tubing a several feet longer than half the width of your pool, tape one end a couple feet up on a stake in the center of your pool, then make a T-shaped 2x4 reference board and tape the other end of the tube a couple feet up on it, fill almost with water and mark your water level on the reference board at the height you want to level to, then just go around and make that water mark hit the mark all the way around the perimeter... cheap and dead accurate
Scrounger
Platinum Member
I installed pools every summer in college and swore I would never have on. BUT wife and kids wore me down and I finally put in a 43,000 gallon in ground last year. The key to a clean pool, ie water, is to run the filter 8 to 10 hours a day and keep the bottom clean with a good auto cleaner or a willing family member. Cleaning is a PITA so it never gets done unless you have an automatic cleaner like Blue Diamond or a Dolphin.
The cheaper above grounds have crappy filters and that is the worse place to skimp on the pool. The cartridge filters that look like giant oil filter elements are the best since the maintenance is the least. A DE is the technical best cleaner but a real pain to clean and keep up on. The salt pools are pretty nice, the water feels killer, but you still can have algae and other issues. Good ole fashion chlorine still rules and is the easiest to keep clean.
The walls on an above ground are always the first thing to die by the way. Some higher end pools now come with polymer walls over the tin/galvanized stuff. My in ground is a vinyl pool but I have all polymer construction so nothing can rust anywhere.
Keep in mind when you set your pool that you can pretty much bury an end of the pool as long as you excavate enough so you build it like a 100% above ground pool and then backfill later. We routinely buried up to 50% of the pool in banks and slopes.
Oh, did I tell you that level level level is the most important. With more than one skimmer you want them to be balanced and work the best. If you are in a windy area and one end of the pool is downwind, consider putting BOTH skimmer in that end since one will undoubtedly be overworked and clogged as all the leaves and 'stuff' gets blown to that end of the pool.
Ping me off line if you have any install questions.
The cheaper above grounds have crappy filters and that is the worse place to skimp on the pool. The cartridge filters that look like giant oil filter elements are the best since the maintenance is the least. A DE is the technical best cleaner but a real pain to clean and keep up on. The salt pools are pretty nice, the water feels killer, but you still can have algae and other issues. Good ole fashion chlorine still rules and is the easiest to keep clean.
The walls on an above ground are always the first thing to die by the way. Some higher end pools now come with polymer walls over the tin/galvanized stuff. My in ground is a vinyl pool but I have all polymer construction so nothing can rust anywhere.
Keep in mind when you set your pool that you can pretty much bury an end of the pool as long as you excavate enough so you build it like a 100% above ground pool and then backfill later. We routinely buried up to 50% of the pool in banks and slopes.
Oh, did I tell you that level level level is the most important. With more than one skimmer you want them to be balanced and work the best. If you are in a windy area and one end of the pool is downwind, consider putting BOTH skimmer in that end since one will undoubtedly be overworked and clogged as all the leaves and 'stuff' gets blown to that end of the pool.
Ping me off line if you have any install questions.
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Put it on level, unexcavated soil.
Put a pad under the liner.
KILL ALL MOLES!!!
Put a pad under the liner.
KILL ALL MOLES!!!
KubotaSteve
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Growing up my parents had an above ground pool for about 20 years and once all of us kids got our own place they got rid of the pool. I helped my brother put his up then put up my own a couple of years ago. The biggest thing I noticed with keeping the pool clean is the area around the pool. My parents lived at the intersection of two dirt roads and they had constantly vacuum because of the dust. I live several hundred feet off a paved road and I keep the trees cut back away from the pool and only have to vacuum my pool about 4 or 5 times a summer (end of May through middle of Sept.). As far as the chemicals, I tried using the stupid test kits but we were constantly adding this type of chemical or that type of chemical, so now I just go by looks and water feel and it stays crystal clear. The more people are in it and keep it stirred up the easier it is to keep looking good. I run my pump filter (sand filter) 24 hours a day for the first couple of days after opening it then I turn it on of a morning and off of a night.
As far as the installation, where I put mine in, there was a two foot or better difference. I cut down the one side a foot and added it to the other side, then rolled it after a couple of nice rains. Some will say not to do this but as long as it is tamped and rolled good there won't be any problems as mine hasn't moved at all in the last 3 years. I put the solid cinder blocks the whole way around my pool so the metal track wasn't on the ground. Past experience shows the first place for wall failure is near the track at the bottom and around the skimmer. I figure if I can keep mud away from the track it wil be better. The most important is getting your blocks level so the pool will be level. I've got mine slope into the middle about 6 inches or so. The bottom doesn't have to be exact if you are using sand as you can level the sand and just make sure to tamp the sand. I used the foam cove around the edges at the bottom of the track, but don't like how they fit together and will use sand in the future. My cousin (installed pools for several years) showed me a trick for wrinkles. He hooked a shop vac (has to be a bigger one 16 gallon) where the skimmer goes and put card board around the rest of the skimmer then turned it on. It didn't work as well on mine because of the foam cove but if using all sand it will suck the air out and help for a wrinkle free pool. I also recommend having the water hauled in especially if you live in a really hot area as the vinyl liners will stretch quite a bit in the hot sun and the quicker you can get it filled, the better.
As far as the installation, where I put mine in, there was a two foot or better difference. I cut down the one side a foot and added it to the other side, then rolled it after a couple of nice rains. Some will say not to do this but as long as it is tamped and rolled good there won't be any problems as mine hasn't moved at all in the last 3 years. I put the solid cinder blocks the whole way around my pool so the metal track wasn't on the ground. Past experience shows the first place for wall failure is near the track at the bottom and around the skimmer. I figure if I can keep mud away from the track it wil be better. The most important is getting your blocks level so the pool will be level. I've got mine slope into the middle about 6 inches or so. The bottom doesn't have to be exact if you are using sand as you can level the sand and just make sure to tamp the sand. I used the foam cove around the edges at the bottom of the track, but don't like how they fit together and will use sand in the future. My cousin (installed pools for several years) showed me a trick for wrinkles. He hooked a shop vac (has to be a bigger one 16 gallon) where the skimmer goes and put card board around the rest of the skimmer then turned it on. It didn't work as well on mine because of the foam cove but if using all sand it will suck the air out and help for a wrinkle free pool. I also recommend having the water hauled in especially if you live in a really hot area as the vinyl liners will stretch quite a bit in the hot sun and the quicker you can get it filled, the better.
