Self Build - 18 x 36 Vinyl - Tallahassee Florida

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chris_corzine

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May 1, 2017
34
Tallahassee, Florida
I have lurked on this excellent forum for long enough. After about a year of planning, researching, and general second-guessing, I started my 18x36 steel pool build about two week ago. I am doing as much of the project myself as I can including excavation. Here are some picture of the excavation. Of course, a multi-month drought ended promptly after the rental backhoe arrived. I've started setting the walls, my deep end washed out pretty bad in the rain, so I'm a little concerned about the space that has opened beneath the deep-end center wall section (it is not fully set in place yet with stakes or fully bolted. I'm also wondering for a couple of areas where my walls are low, what do people use to get them back up to level? I've seen some photos where it looks like wooden wedges are inserted. I'm low less than 1/2" in just one two section area of wall.

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Wow, that's a big project! We just finished an on-ground build that was dug into a slope and had a similar issue - lots of rain washed out our hopper and created some voids underneath the walls. We mixed up some concrete and packed it into the voids, which helped some, but hard rains still managed to get underneath and create new voids. We added a french drain around the perimeter (which you may already be planning), and also dug a narrow channel around our walls and installed 12" aluminum flashing underground, vertically against the wall. This stopped all of the erosion. We also threw a cover pump into the hopper to keep it mostly dry - one with an automatic switch that turns itself off when there's no water left to draw. Best of luck - I know how frustrating it is to be constantly correcting your site due to weather.
 
Wow, nice work. You will want to get the walls level, plumb and straight, then brace it good when you pour the concrete around the base. That should lock it in good for you. Once you have the bottom finished, liner and water in, it should be pretty well set.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. It has rained pretty much everyday since I posted these photos. I'll post some updates. I've been content to work just a little at a time on whatever I can. When it's too muddy I focus on plumbing and equipment pad. I haven't poured my collar yet, just need a couple of dry days to recheck my walls and make sure everything is true and level. Because the backyard is a slope I'll be doing some serious grade work and a couple of smaller retaining walls (less than 24") we've also got two very large decks planned that will provide access from the house to the pool patio.

I'm doing vermiculite on the floor (if I ever get that far)

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I've got the walls all the way around, just not the steps yet. I'll try to get an updated picture later.

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Plumbing trench to equipment pad. 24" below grade.

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Equipment pad. Going to start out with the sand filter that came with the pool kit. I upgraded to a hayward 1.5 pump, and bought a Circupool salt chlorinator.
 
I'm satisfied with the walls and ready to do the collar pour on Friday morning. I'm within 3/4" of square and 1/4 of level. I see the main concern during the pour as being to keep the walls from moving inward (or at all) I was going to place some 2x6 bracing across the pool to aid in this. I'm open to any other advice on this. Updated photos attached.

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Sseaman said:
Seems like there were holes in the bottom flange to drive rebar through to hold them in place, also on the braces and that should do it
Click to expand...

Mine had rebar hammered down 2 rebar in each panel on the ends where the panels joined. Also looks like you have an 'A' Frame support, mine had stakes in the back, I drove those down and bolted them. Once I had done the above I was surprised at how sturdy my walls were, they didn't move when I poured my concrete collar.

Good Luck!
 
Been working on plumbing and starting to backfill with fill sand. passed inspection on the concrete collar, next inspection is the plumbing pressure test. It's been slow going for the last few weeks with work schedule and weather, but getting their inch by inch. I'll update with more pictures soon.
 
I'm working on plumbing my skimmers, which are Aquagenie. They feature integrated returns and have a 2" glue connection for intake and return, included was a glue to thread adapter for each. I'm assuming some put a thread adapter for their connection to the bottom of the skimmers so that it could be more easily taken apart if leaking later, but it also seems to add a few solvent welds to the equation, for space and simplicity sake I'm thinking I'll just go straight into the bottom of the skimmer with my pvc to avoid the extra connections / adapters. Any thoughts on this?

Also, to anyone who has installed aqua genie skimmers on a steel wall pool, should the front of the skimmer be flush with the pool wall? Mine stands proud about 1/2 an inch and my instructions mention (in only one spot) abs spacers for use with steel wall, these weren't included and aren't on the parts list.
 
chris_corzine said:
I'm working on plumbing my skimmers, which are Aquagenie. They feature integrated returns and have a 2" glue connection for intake and return, included was a glue to thread adapter for each. I'm assuming some put a thread adapter for their connection to the bottom of the skimmers so that it could be more easily taken apart if leaking later, but it also seems to add a few solvent welds to the equation, for space and simplicity sake I'm thinking I'll just go straight into the bottom of the skimmer with my pvc to avoid the extra connections / adapters. Any thoughts on this?

Also, to anyone who has installed aqua genie skimmers on a steel wall pool, should the front of the skimmer be flush with the pool wall? Mine stands proud about 1/2 an inch and my instructions mention (in only one spot) abs spacers for use with steel wall, these weren't included and aren't on the parts list.
Click to expand...
I put aqua genie on my pool, steel walls as well. I glued the PVC right into the skimmer. You should have some spacers that you will want to use in the back of the steel wall when attaching the skimmer. It should look like the back of this picture.
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