For the last two years my husband and I put up a inflatable ring intex pool. Our yard is sloping and we had tons of problems even after leveling the yard with soil washing away when it rained thus causing the pool to lean. So this winter he built a retaining wall to contain the soil and releveled my "pool circle." This year we are starting fresh with a Metal Frame Intex pool, 15x48. The ground has been leveled and our kit comes with a ground cloth.

My question is in addition to the ground cloth should I also use the foam insulation boards?

I have read several places that people use them for other types of AGPs but haven't found anyone who has used the foam boards with this particular style of pool. I know I would need to duct tape them together and cut them to fit. Also do the boards need to under the frame poles? I was intending to place wood squares beneath the pole feet for stability, but would I need to do that with the foam board?

Thanks so much for any help!

I quick search of the site revealed the majority of folk sprayed weed killer to kill the grass, then laid down the ground cloth, a few used foam but the majority did not. If you do use it I would agree taping the seams will prevent them from separating which will cause a crevice to form in the liner where the dirt/dust will always settle...perhaps small brick pavers would work better under the pole supports? Then you could leave them in place year round and one less thing to do next season?

DDStein,
I have been using 2" foam insulation boards under my pools for about 5 years now. Will never be without! Keeps pool warmer, nice soft feel to pool bottom and cleaner. Until last year, I have taken up and put back down the same boards and stored them for the winter covered with a tarp. This past year I actually setup a perm. place for the pool and patio. My setup went like this:
1. Landscaper preped the area and leveled the area with up to 16" of crushed stone/gravel tamping down every 4" with a "thumper" or "Jumping Jack" then smoothed out with a plated compactor. (overkill but he is a perfectionist)
2. Entire pool/patio area treated with vegitation killer.
3. Landscaper did all the paver work, used polymer sand for joints. (glad he did the work, as my pool is round there were hundereds of cuts)
4. Covered entire pool area with the best quality thickest landscape fabric I could find.
5. 6" square pavers for the pool legs to rest on placed ontop of the fabric.
6. 2" foam board cut and triple "gorilla" taped. (be carefull with this tape, very very sticky)
7. High quality silver tarp placed over the foam. (and under the 1/2" gravel surrounding the pool)
8. Pool placed ontop of the tarp.
Looks wonderfull, had many compliments on the looks of the area, and the feel of the pool bottom.
Took pool up in fall, everything looks great. Boat and tarp house sitting ontop of pool area for winter (boat wheels and tounge sitting on 2X4' plywood panels).
Here is a link to my build: http://www.troublefreepool.com/planning-piping-and-questions-now-with-pics-t12625.html
Good Luck!
Mike

Very helpful Mike, thanks for chiming in!

Thanks so much for all the suggestions!!

Putting mine up tomorrow, and want to try using foam this year. Can you be a little more specific on how to do the foam? Do I cut it so it is the full size of the outside of the pool, slightly smaller so it is "inside" the legs, or have an outer rim sticking out all the way around? My guess is to cut it just slightly bigger tha the 18' pool ( say 18.5') and then cut out where each leg would be? Isnthat right, or would it work to cut it more like 17 or 17.5 feet so the legs just go around it?

Thanks.

Put the board down, then the tarp, pool ontop,fill 1/3 full to expand the legs out. The rest is your choice, do you want the pavers exposed or under the tarp. (I have my pavers exposed.) Then cut out the foam where the pavers are to go. and trim the rest of the board either inside the circle of pavers or outside the circle of pavers.