Site Leveling

[John Blackout]

Hello, I have arrived at this forum because my family has finally broken me down and gotten me to agree to get a pool. At first we were looking at a package at Costco, but it seemed to small to really be enjoyable, so we have decided to get an Intex 12x24x52" Ultra Frame (I think). Roughly 8500 gallons.

My first question is on where this thing will eventually live. It's marked and I will be applying grass killer so I won't have to dig up the sod. After that I will be getting some type of medium delivered and will level it and rent a compactor to tamp it down.

What would be the best thing to use to build up the area? By my eye there might be six to eight inches of difference between the highest and lowest spot on the area (which I'm figuring will be 14X25 feet). I was thinking fill dirt would work but didn't know if any of you would use pea gravel. I'll be putting a gorilla mat under the pool.

Thanks for reading!

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP

We always recommend digging down and not building up... building up can be done but it is a process and requires many layers and there is still no promise it will not compact with the weight of these pools...

I dug down and then used crushed rock and sand under my install, check it out in my sig below

 

[PAGirl]

You'll want to get rid of the sod. It makes an awful stink as it rots under the pool. (Found that out with our first easyset.)

 

[duraleigh]

To do this job correctly, I would remove the sod completely.

You can then level the entire pad or put a layer of pea gravel on top. That'll give you a nice base.

Do not use the dirt you dig up as fill. It will settle too much.