I’m leveling the ground for a 15’ intex prism frame pool in Wisconsin. The ground was dug by hand and the base is clay, which is impossible to fine tune the bumpy surface or complete the leveling. Can stone dust be added as a means to level (it is within 4 inches of level) and provide a better base than clay?
Stone dust as leveling material on clay
- Thread starter MC pool
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- clay intex pool stone dust
pea gravel will work best for that. It contains nothing much bigger than a pea and compacts nicely but still drains.
Thanks! I want to use patio pavers for the pool legs. Does the following method/order of steps make sense? Place pea gravel; check level; place patio pavers for pool legs on top of pea gravel; run a vibratory plate compactor over entire surface (including pavers); recheck level; place pool tarp and Rhino pad and then pool.
Stone dust or base rock with fine material can be compacted as it is angular. Pea gravel cannot be compacted and could wash out easily. Think of compacting a bowl of ball bearings, it cannot be done. I would use stone dust/ base and compact it with a hand tamper or a vibratory plate compactor. You can get that spot on level, it’s easy to work with.
I’m having trouble finding stone dust in bags-sold by the pallet at Home Depot. Avoiding bulk delivery, due to lack of a place to dump a pile. Using a plate compactor, do you know roughly how much I could expect a 3 inch layer to compact? | ||||||||
I purchased mine from Menards. I see Paver Base by Pavestone available at my Home Depot. They call it Step 1 because it goes down first on compacted soil. If you use it to raise your low spots, I I wouldn’t go thicker than 3” after it’s compacted as the compactor may not compact it fully. But if you do it right and in 1-2” lifts each time you compact, the base will be flat and almost as hard as concrete. The prep is similar to installing the base for a paver patio. You can do a google search and find plenty of info.
If you do have a bulk pile of it delivered be sure to put a tarp down first, the fine dust will wash right out of it if it rains.
If you do have a bulk pile of it delivered be sure to put a tarp down first, the fine dust will wash right out of it if it rains.
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It may be just a regional misunderstanding of what pea gravel and stone dust is but the opposite was true in North Carolina. Pea Gravel (also called "Fines" in North Carolina) compacts perfectly and has enough dust in it to set up almost like cement when tamped and watered. It drains but does not erode.
Stone dust was not used because it was easily eroded......much like sand.