What to use to backfill around a steel wall vinyl liner inground pool?

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Caro325

Caro325

Well-known member
Feb 10, 2023
162
Frisco, texas
Pool Size
19000
Surface
Vinyl
SWG Type
Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Hello everyone. I got it in my head to put an inground pool in my house, and I was lucky to find this group....I am hoping someone can guide me on what to use to backfill around the walls (I purchased a steel wall vinyl liner inground pool) . I am attempting to price out the installation cost , and I think I have a handle on the other areas, but I am struggling to figure the material to backfill behind the walls. I know that I CAN'T use the dirt that I excavated, but some people say gravel, others sand, others big rocks............ what is the best to use????? thank you in advance :)
 
BACKFILLING

DO NOT USE EXPANSIVE SOIL TO BACKFILL SWIMMING POOLS.

Materials such as sand, bank run gravel and pea or #1-2 stone are ideal for backfilling.

Before beginning this phase of the job, be certain all work related to WATER MANAGEMENT has been completed.

Polymer wall systems should not be exposed to direct sun light for more than two weeks.

Ultraviolet rays can cause crazing of the panel skin.

The recommended method for backfilling a swimming pool is to elevate the level of the material being used at the same rate as the water level inside the pool.

Deviations from this recommendation should always include measures that guarantee the structural integrity of the pool wall system.

Use equipment such as a skid-steer to carefully place the material into the overdig.

Compact it in layers to avoid settling after a deck is installed.

Upon reaching the top of the wall system, leave the brace tops exposed to allow concrete (if that is what is chosen) from the deck to encompass the upper brace rail.
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Backfilling behind the pool panels then takes place using clean, porous soils, free of roots and debris, installed and carefully tamped in layers not to exceed 12 inches (305 mm) in thickness to eliminate voids.

The backfill placement and filling of the pool with water are to be accomplished concurrently in order to prevent uneven loading on the pool panels and avoid the potential collapse of the pool wall.
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JamesW said:

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JamesW said:
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I’m not really a vinyl IG pool guy (we do shotcrete/plaster pools here in the southwest) so I’d have to defer to some one else that’s more experienced … @Newdude , thoughts?
 
All the steel wall builds I've seen here use gravel (#57?) over the base collar. By me most liner pools have concrete walls and the fill doesn't matter except for the patio.

I'll see if I can dig up some threads later.

@dleonard1122 and @wgipe have build threads.
 
Newdude said:
…. By me most liner pools have concrete walls and the fill doesn't matter except for the patio.
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The consequence of living on what amounts to a giant sandbar pushed up and away from the continent during the last ice age. But I have fond memories of it’s many beautiful beaches …
 
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Newdude said:
All the steel wall builds I've seen here use gravel (#57?) over the base collar. By me most liner pools have concrete walls and the fill doesn't matter except for the patio.

I'll see if I can dig up some threads later.

@dleonard1122 and @wgipe have build threads.
Click to expand...
Thank you. What I was double checking if all I use is the gravel (besides the collar and the coping)????
 
Steel was cheaper than concrete for decades so there was no need to overbuild vinyl pools. I priced both out 2 years ago for my build and there was no savings by building a 30-40 year shell versus a forever shell.
 
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You don't want to backfill when the pool is empty and you don't want to over compact the backfill as it can push the walls out of alignment.

Did you get steel walls or polymer walls?

What pool kit did you get?
 
Post 29 starts the backfill for wgipe. The after pic further down seems like it's all the same gravel.

Pool Build in SW Ohio - Almost there!

Finally! I get to start my build thread. I've waited a year for this day, and we've finally broken ground. Our project was initially slated to start last summer, and due to supply chains being all jacked up, we weren't able to get the panels and liner we wanted until December. All's well...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

It looks like dleonard did stone first then gravel but I just skim scrolled through.

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After seeing the great work that @duckcmmndr and @jastudee did and are doing with their DIY pool installs, I figured it might be helpful for me to make a post of my own to track my progress and ask any questions as we go through this process. On April 15th, 2022 we ordered a 16'x30' Flat Kidney...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

@duckcmmndr has a fantastic build that will also give you plenty of pointers.

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JamesW said:
The installation instructions should have backfilling instructions.

If not, contact the manufacturer and ask them.

Some types of dirt are ok to use and some types are not ok to use.

What type of dirt do you have?
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I bought a Hydra pool 42" steel wall vinyl liner 16x32 rectangular pool with polymer steps. To be honest, my plan was to handle the excavation (I work for a home builder when I asked him to give me an idea of how much excavation cost (I was trying to figure out how much the installation would cost), he immediately said that our company would handle the excavation), and to hire a professional to do the rest of the work............. BUT installers in my area are really full of themselves or think I have never been around a construction site and think I am going to pay them tens of thousands of dollars to put the pool together, SOOOOOO I am going to have to breakdown the work, do what ever I can myself, then reach out to our license electrician and plumbers to handle that part of the installation and then try to find a pool professional to do the liner............ If I know what material I need to use to backfill, I can figure out the amount and the cost, so contractors can not make a fool out of me :-(
 
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Newdude said:
Post 29 starts the backfill for wgipe. The after pic further down seems like it's all the same gravel.

Pool Build in SW Ohio - Almost there!

Finally! I get to start my build thread. I've waited a year for this day, and we've finally broken ground. Our project was initially slated to start last summer, and due to supply chains being all jacked up, we weren't able to get the panels and liner we wanted until December. All's well...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

It looks like dleonard did stone first then gravel but I just skim scrolled through.

16' x 30' Flat Kidney Owner Build

After seeing the great work that @duckcmmndr and @jastudee did and are doing with their DIY pool installs, I figured it might be helpful for me to make a post of my own to track my progress and ask any questions as we go through this process. On April 15th, 2022 we ordered a 16'x30' Flat Kidney...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

@duckcmmndr has a fantastic build that will also give you plenty of pointers.

New DIY Inground pool build - Arkansas (Picture Heavy) - Outdoor Kitchen Complete!!!

Ok...well I am a little late starting this thread. We decided last spring it was time to take down the above ground pool and put one in the ground. I had been planning to do an IG pool for 5 or 6 years. I had a local pool company give me a bid even though I was 90% sure I was going to do it...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Click to expand...
Thank you. I will go through this links when I get home
 
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Our area does almost exclusively block walls, and then the cement bedding over them. Most certainly because block fencing is so common here too.

My exposure to steel walled pools is limited, but I've seen done with concrete footing poured around the base and then a fill with sand and some sort of roadbase/crusher run mix done in lifts.

I don't know if this is correct though. We only have a handful of vinyl pools at all, and fewer have I seen done any way other than the concrete block method.


20230210_174613.jpg
 
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Many will say type 57 because it drains well and takes little effort to compact. There are other non expansive materials that can be used, but they won't drain as well and will be more work to compact, but they are likely less expensive as well. A lot depends on what is available in your area as well.
 

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