Another lost newbie

[mikeems911]

Hello and thank you in advance to anyone thats going to give me advice, because I'm sure its like a broken record.
Installing a 24x12x52 intex AGP, landscaper suggested putting it one foot into the ground for stability and the wife bit.
My plan is to follow the 25'10"x13'10" dimensions and use a water level to set my 4" pavers, place gorilla pad (that I read everyone talking about) and get my pool standing.
1. Were do you set your pavers, assuming the are 12x12, to accommodate for the spreading of the braces when filling? Dead center at 13'10 and 25'10? And what type of paver should I get? I've been reading about different types of concrete pavers?
2. Whats the best type of foam installation?
3. Whats the best material to have the foam lie on? ie soil, sand, rock?
4. Gorrilla pad on top of foam, then liner, correct?
Thank you in advance
Mike

 

[scout123]

Are you going to put drainage in that hole? I'm wondering where the water will go from rain and splash out. Are you putting some kind of wall all around the dirt or is it not likely to erode into the hole?
1. I'll let someone with a rectangle pool answer this one. Most people advise 4" thick pavers to avoid cracking.
2. If you want to use foam under your pool (this is optional) get the xps (extruded) foam. You can get this from a hardware store like Lowe's or Home Depot.
3. I put the ground cover that came with the pool down, then foam, then tarp, then pool. With my last pool, I didn't get a ground cover with the pool, so I just put a tarp down, foam, tarp, pool.
4. If I had a gorilla pad, I'd probably put it on the ground. I'd then do foam, tarp, pool. But that's just me. I really don't think it matters. The gorilla pad, from what I understand, is to protect the liner from rocks, grass or whatever could come up through the ground. The foam does the same thing.
Good luck with your install!

 

[sammckin]

I have the same pool. I kind of like this approach. It looks like you have good solid ground there. I think i would place my pavers, 4 inch thick half blocks then put down the gorilla pad or some equivalent, as a weed barrier then fill in with sand to bring your base up flush with the top of the pavers. Using your measurements you would need about 4.5 cubic yards. You could use less sand and rigid foam if you wanted to, I like the foam under foot but thats personal preference really. I'd be interested to see what some more experienced folks here think about my suggestion as well.

 

[sammckin]

Here is the thread of my build, might give you some ideas.

New AGP build - Intex 12x24

Spent last week prepping a spot for my first pool. We got an Intex 12x24 on sale over the winter after reading up on them. Hired an excavator to get us down to the solid ground and haul in and compact the choke. Finished up leveling and smoothing out the sand late last night, so no pics of...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mikeems911]

Are you going to put drainage in that hole? I'm wondering where the water will go from rain and splash out. Are you putting some kind of wall all around the dirt or is it not likely to erode into the hole?
1. I'll let someone with a rectangle pool answer this one. Most people advise 4" thick pavers to avoid cracking.
2. If you want to use foam under your pool (this is optional) get the xps (extruded) foam. You can get this from a hardware store like Lowe's or Home Depot.
3. I put the ground cover that came with the pool down, then foam, then tarp, then pool. With my last pool, I didn't get a ground cover with the pool, so I just put a tarp down, foam, tarp, pool.
4. If I had a gorilla pad, I'd probably put it on the ground. I'd then do foam, tarp, pool. But that's just me. I really don't think it matters. The gorilla pad, from what I understand, is to protect the liner from rocks, grass or whatever could come up through the ground. The foam does the same thing.
Good luck with your install!

I didnt even think of that. The plan was to fill it with a appropriate gravel?
Thank you for the suggestions

 

[sammckin]

Maybe do a layer of compacted gravel and an inch o sand, that should drain well. I think you're of to a great start. Please post pics and updates of your build, this looks like fun to me.

 

[mikeems911]

Maybe do a layer of compacted gravel and an inch o sand, that should drain well. I think you're of to a great start. Please post pics and updates of your build, this looks like fun to me.

I was all over your link. Showed the wife how its supposed to be done! Going to get the pavers and insulation today.

 

[sammckin]

I was all over your link. Showed the wife how its supposed to be done! Going to get the pavers and insulation today.

Glad it helped. Hit me up with any questions

 

[mikeems911]

I have the same pool. I kind of like this approach. It looks like you have good solid ground there. I think i would place my pavers, 4 inch thick half blocks then put down the gorilla pad or some equivalent, as a weed barrier then fill in with sand to bring your base up flush with the top of the pavers. Using your measurements you would need about 4.5 cubic yards. You could use less sand and rigid foam if you wanted to, I like the foam under foot but thats personal preference really. I'd be interested to see what some more experienced folks here think about my suggestion as well.

i was planning on finding the lowest spot and digging the pavers into the ground, but that would mean i need to remove ground for the insulation and pad as well. That idea is scrapped. I guess i'm removing 4in of dirt, placing pavers.
The order of layers would be from ground up: Gorilla pad, insulation, tarp? I believe that's what @scout123 suggested.

Maybe do a layer of compacted gravel and an inch o sand, that should drain well. I think you're of to a great start. Please post pics and updates of your build, this looks like fun to me.

Can i do - from the ground up - sand then compacted gravel, since there is going to be a foot long "moat" around the pool because i am placing the pool 16inches in the ground. The wife wanted the aesthetics of the compacted gravel at grass level? If so how much of each?

 

[sammckin]

i was planning on finding the lowest spot and digging the pavers into the ground, but that would mean i need to remove ground for the insulation and pad as well. That idea is scrapped. I guess i'm removing 4in of dirt, placing pavers.
The order of layers would be from ground up: Gorilla pad, insulation, tarp? I believe that's what @scout123 suggested.

Can i do - from the ground up - sand then compacted gravel, since there is going to be a foot long "moat" around the pool because i am placing the pool 16inches in the ground. The wife wanted the aesthetics of the compacted gravel at grass level? If so how much of each?

I tgink you would want to lay down some heavy ground cloth of some sort first, maybe some typar if you can find a little sheet, just to keep from losing all your compactable material into the earth. I used choke, thats what we call it, just a crushed stone base and compact the heck out of it. That layer should make the bulk of your base. Then I used just a light layer of sand to fill in low spots, very minor ones. Then I used the layer of foam board to come flush with my pavers. Then used the tarp that came with the pool. I wish I hadn't bothered with the tarp, its shredded already and makes a mess as it disintegrates.