1/2 inch off level, Ladder placement?

[jeninok]

I have been checking the water level in our newly set up intex 14x48 ultra frame pool, and it is staying within 1/2 inch of level on all sides. I was worried about major settling of the added paver area, but so far so good. If we have to drain for any reason I will likely pull it further onto the existing concrete, but for now I think we are fine.

Right now I have the ladder on the high side, which is the existing very well built concrete area. With 10/11 year olds getting in and out and using the ladder as a launch pad I just want to make sure I have it placed in the best area as to not make anything worse. This might not even matter, since the ladder isn't resting on the pool walls, but I was also thinking of the typical swooshing of the water as the splash in and out of the pool.

Also, is some creaking and slight movement normal with these pools? It is on a base of driveway/2 inch thick very well installed concrete pavers, with a 1 inch pink styrofoam pad and tarp.

It only creaks when he really gets the water moving, and the movement is slight, but I don't know if it is a built in tolerance to absorb energy of the water, or if we have a problem!

 

[mrodgers]

My 22' Ultra creaks. The metal frame pieces aren't exactly a tight fit. I would expect to hear it creaking with water movement.

 

[JasonLion]

1/2" off is fine, even 1" off would be fine.

 

[jeninok]

I am glad to know the creaking is normal, I think I am worrying too much about things like that, but between the cost of the pool, and the hugely larger cost of adding the 18x7 addition to the concrete, not to mention our blood sweat and tears (literally! ) that went into leveling the ground and laying down 128 pavers. We are about 300% over the original budget already! I have nightmares of the thing collapsing and flooding the yard and house, but I also had the same nightmares when we first set up my 55 gallon fish tank in the living room.

I am going to have to figure something out about the ladder, I am only about 5 feet tall and 120 lbs, and the thing is rickety and scares the heck out of me! I can't imagine my parents getting in and out using it, or small children!

 

[mrodgers]

I am going to have to figure something out about the ladder, I am only about 5 feet tall and 120 lbs, and the thing is rickety and scares the heck out of me! I can't imagine my parents getting in and out using it, or small children!

I personally know a guy that's got twice the pounds on you and he climbs up and down the Intex ladders

Yeah, they do feel rickety, but you get use to it. I don't think they're going to fall apart on you using them though.

 

[jrh1010]

I have been checking the water level in our newly set up intex 14x48 ultra frame pool, and it is staying within 1/2 inch of level on all sides. I was worried about major settling of the added paver area, but so far so good. If we have to drain for any reason I will likely pull it further onto the existing concrete, but for now I think we are fine.

Right now I have the ladder on the high side, which is the existing very well built concrete area. With 10/11 year olds getting in and out and using the ladder as a launch pad I just want to make sure I have it placed in the best area as to not make anything worse. This might not even matter, since the ladder isn't resting on the pool walls, but I was also thinking of the typical swooshing of the water as the splash in and out of the pool.

Also, is some creaking and slight movement normal with these pools? It is on a base of driveway/2 inch thick very well installed concrete pavers, with a 1 inch pink styrofoam pad and tarp.

It only creaks when he really gets the water moving, and the movement is slight, but I don't know if it is a built in tolerance to absorb energy of the water, or if we have a problem!

Ill tell you my first pool story, probably get some grief from some for my recklessness, but I didnt research or know any better

We have had an intex 16' for 4 years now. When we got it, I just picked a spot in the yard that I wanted to put it, and set it up. No leveling, no pavers nothing. The water was at least 2" off. At a minimum. Probably more like 3'. We swam in it the whole summer, every summer. Every year I took it down and then put it back up. Inevitably, year after year something broke. Some of the black round pieces that go on the legs came off, the rope pretty much disentigrated, some of the pins got missing, it was rusting on the T's. And every year I would just put it up. The legs would sink into the ground in some spots, it was not a pretty sight (no pun intended :lol: )

We would pack that pool up with kids and adults. The kids would jump off those blue ladders. Cannon balls, make as big a waves as they could, make the whirlpool, swim back and forth pushing off the walls. It would creek and flex and everything else, but it always held up. Those pools are as tough as they can be. It would get a hole and I wouldnt even patch it. I would weed eat up against it. Everything. I am going to miss that pool.

I would put the ladder over the grass and tell the kids to have a field day. Now I put up a 33' AGP that I got used, and I am scared for the kids to push off the walls. Sometimes I wish I would ahve went with an intex again so I wouldnt care so much about the pool, but I promise, we will see what the pool is made of. If you cant use them in the manner you want, it takes the fun out of it.

 

[jrh1010]

I am glad to know the creaking is normal, I think I am worrying too much about things like that, but between the cost of the pool, and the hugely larger cost of adding the 18x7 addition to the concrete, not to mention our blood sweat and tears (literally! ) that went into leveling the ground and laying down 128 pavers. We are about 300% over the original budget already! I have nightmares of the thing collapsing and flooding the yard and house, but I also had the same nightmares when we first set up my 55 gallon fish tank in the living room.

I am going to have to figure something out about the ladder, I am only about 5 feet tall and 120 lbs, and the thing is rickety and scares the heck out of me! I can't imagine my parents getting in and out using it, or small children![/quote]

Try to take that ladder apart and you will figure out how well it is put together. And I know I will get called out for this too, but I bought an extra ladder off craigslist and that was what the kids use to jump into the pool. I know it says dont use the ladders from jumping, but it also says dont cut the tags off your bed mattress. I guess I am a rebel

Disclaimer (and so the mods dont ban me): This by no means is implied that you should do all this with your pool. I just wanted to set your mind at ease a little bit. I THINK you are just fine and it sounds like you have set the pool up nicely. A little creaking is to be expected if you are using the pool like kids use a pool.

 

[Jamison04]

It definitely sounds like you guys worked hard to set the pool up on a good solid surface! The creaking is normal. As the water movement causes the frame to flex the liner is shifting on the metal poles and that is the majority of the cracking and creaking.

On the ladders, with our old pool that's all we had was the Intex ladder and let me tell you I have a few family members pushing 300lbs. They were in and out of the pool for 6yrs using that rickity Intex ladder and it held up just fine for all those years with them going up and down it. Yes they seem wobbly and flimsy but they do the job well.