New DYI Pool Install - Backfill Question

[Purdueerik]

Hello all,

I am in about to start my 24’x44’ in ground vinyl pool project. I have been searching these forums, and can’t quite find an answer to one part of the build process.

I am using 2” sureflex PVC as that is what is been recommended by most people here in NorthWest Indiana that have had pools installed. Once I pour my concrete bond beam, should I put down a couple of inches of pea gravel, run all the plumbing, than cover the plumbing with pea gravel. Once the plumbing is covered, fill the balance with 3/4” clean gravel. I am using 16”x24” pavers for the deck.

There is a pretty good chance also that I will have to deal with a moderately high water table. I was planning on digging a dry well adjacent to the deep end and install a sump pump. In researching this, I have read a few people have poured the hopper floor in concrete in lieu of using pool base. Any comments on this would be much appreciated. Do to the location of my build, I have to use a pump truck for the concrete work, so pouring this at the same time as the bond beam wouldn’t be that hard.

Screen shot of my build model attached.

 

[PoolStored]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Flexible PVC is not as durable as rigid PVC. Long term you are more likely to have problems with it, based on the experience with it here on TFP.

Flexible PVC can also be chewed by termites. Use your favorite search engine with “flexible pvc termites” for more on that.

I would insist on rigid PVC.

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[Aquagenarian]

Hello all,

I am in about to start my 24’x44’ in ground vinyl pool project. I have been searching these forums, and can’t quite find an answer to one part of the build process.

I am using 2” sureflex PVC as that is what is been recommended by most people here in NorthWest Indiana that have had pools installed. Once I pour my concrete bond beam, should I put down a couple of inches of pea gravel, run all the plumbing, than cover the plumbing with pea gravel. Once the plumbing is covered, fill the balance with 3/4” clean gravel. I am using 16”x24” pavers for the deck.

There is a pretty good chance also that I will have to deal with a moderately high water table. I was planning on digging a dry well adjacent to the deep end and install a sump pump. In researching this, I have read a few people have poured the hopper floor in concrete in lieu of using pool base. Any comments on this would be much appreciated. Do to the location of my build, I have to use a pump truck for the concrete work, so pouring this at the same time as the bond beam wouldn’t be that hard.

Screen shot of my build model attached.

My friend who works for a water dept said all his pipes are backfilled with small rock and then sand and then dirt is watered in over that compacted more dirt and then compacted to 96%…that said a local pool builder told me to backfill with soil and compact it but I don’t live in an area with water table issues.. also I think the pool builder is super cheap

 

[wireform]

Flexible pvc, besides the termite issue also has chance to get crushed or pinched below surface rendering the pipe useless at that point. There was a member here on the forum last season that wasn't able to snake the flexible line and was forced to run a new rigid pvc line end to end. Do rigid pvc once and done.

 

[dleonard1122]

I second tl everyone else's suggestion to use rigid PVC if you can. As far as your plan for backfilling I think it sounds good to me. Good decision on using gravel and stone and not trying to back fill with dirt.