Sand vs Foam pool set up question

[MidwestMama]

We are FINALLY getting ready to install our 25.5x13 Splash pool. We are going to excavate 1-2 feet of soil to get the height at the desired place & get a level ground. We were thinking of adding sand on top of the soil but have seen posts about using foam board. Is this done instead of sand? We will be putting down a tarp as recommended by the manufacturer. Just some background in case you aren't familiar with Splash, they are soft sided pools that don't require the berm around the bottom. In case it affects your answers, we live in Central Iowa & will leave it up year round with a deck built fully around it so visual isn't a concern.

We're digging into Saturday so I need to firm up my plans quickly.

 

[Samantha_in_AL]

Congrats on your new pool. The foam bottom is used instead of sand. We didn't know foam was an option when our pool was installed, I wish I had done more research. Now, 5 winters later, we can feel small rocks underneath our pool pushing on the liner. It wasn't like that the first few years. We can only assume it was caused by the ground freezing and pushing them to the top? When our liner needs replaced we will definitely install foam. If I were you I'd go with it now.

 

[MidwestMama]

I'm planning on going with 1" extruded styrofoam boards on a level soil that is cut down to level & tamped flat with a machine. I'm wondering if a tarp does any good at this point. I'm so so so excited!

 

[jetfan101]

Hi, Now after 5 years how is the foam board install? Thanks