2 pavers broke after pool is full

[DebbievdH]

Moved from here.

Hello. We set up our Intex 12x24 rectangular pool over the weekend. My husband did a lot of ground prep and leveling beforehand, and actually the whole set up went smoothly (glad we knew about the bowed sides during filling). He set 12x12x1.5 concrete ? pavers for each leg, leveled and tamped, but after filling 2 have cracked so far. The pool is completely full and the salt water system running. We are wondering if we truly have to drain the pool and replace these two pavers. I will post pictures, especially note the bit of curving on the upper rail where the break is. Do you think it will damage the pool to leave it until the fall when we would be winterizing it anyway? Would you leave for now? Or fix?

 

[Wobblerlorri]

With these rectangular pools, it's preferred practice to use 2x6 or 2x12 pressure treated lumber under the legs. I personally would replace the pavers with PT lumber.

 

[southernblessings]

I was told if I was going to use pavers that they have to be 4 inches thick to withstand the weight of the pool.

 

[Wobblerlorri]

Might be an obvious question, but did you use 4" pavers?

 

[NJSwimmom]

I have your exact pool and originally had 2 inch thick pavers that cracked. I ended up replacing with 4 inch thick solid concrete Cinderblocks without the holes- 16” x 8” and put two side-by-side under each U-shaped support leg. I’ve had all kinds of heavy rain since setting up the cinderblocks and they’ve held up beautifully.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I think the direction you placed the pavers encouraged the breaks. I bet if you'd placed them horizontally it would have helped spread the force of the weight over a larger surface.

Just my two cents and guesses

maddie

 

[duraleigh]

No really effective way to save that. Start over and use 2x6x12 pressure treated or even 2x8x12. Place the leg in the center of the board.

 

[Nikole]

I have your exact pool and originally had 2 inch thick pavers that cracked. I ended up replacing with 4 inch thick solid concrete Cinderblocks without the holes- 16” x 8” and put two side-by-side under each U-shaped support leg. I’ve had all kinds of heavy rain since setting up the cinderblocks and they’ve held up beautifully.

Hello, have you had any issues with the pavers shifting?

 

[zea3]

Moved from here.

Hello. We set up our Intex 12x24 rectangular pool over the weekend. My husband did a lot of ground prep and leveling beforehand, and actually the whole set up went smoothly (glad we knew about the bowed sides during filling). He set 12x12x1.5 concrete ? pavers for each leg, leveled and tamped, but after filling 2 have cracked so far. The pool is completely full and the salt water system running. We are wondering if we truly have to drain the pool and replace these two pavers. I will post pictures, especially note the bit of curving on the upper rail where the break is. Do you think it will damage the pool to leave it until the fall when we would be winterizing it anyway? Would you leave for now? Or fix?

All of your pavers need to be replaced. You are actually very lucky since the pavers are not as wide as the legs. The legs are several inches wider than the pavers and often when that is the case the legs are destroyed when they bend around the paver surface. Take down the pool, and either use a thicker, wider paver or correctly sized pressure treated lumber under the legs.

 

[NJSwimmom]

Hello, have you had any issues with the pavers shifting?

Nope the solid cinderblocks have not budged. There’s no way 2 inch pavers would have withstood the elements and weight of the pool.

 

[Nikole]

Nope the solid cinderblocks have not budged. There’s no way 2 inch pavers would have withstood the elements and weight of the pool.

Great, I'm going to use those. I don't plan on taking the pool down for the winter, and I really don't want to use wood. I"m trying to figure out placement for the pavers; did you go by the picture that is listed on this site? Or did you set the pool up and figure it out that way?

 

[NJSwimmom]

Great, I'm going to use those. I don't plan on taking the pool down for the winter, and I really don't want to use wood. I"m trying to figure out placement for the pavers; did you go by the picture that is listed on this site? Or did you set the pool up and figure it out that way?

I set up the entire pool and had the pool standing upright with no water, and then I dug the pavers right after that. I have nine 1/2 inch thick pieces of the triple taped 4 x 8 foam insulation, and I ended up putting the cinderblocks right up against the edge of the foam all the way around. I dug them myself and it took me probably 12 hours over two days because I was trying to get them as level as possible and they’re all pretty heavy.

 

[Nikole]

I set up the entire pool and had the pool standing upright with no water, and then I dug the pavers right after that. I have nine 1/2 inch thick pieces of the triple taped 4 x 8 foam insulation, and I ended up putting the cinderblocks right up against the edge of the foam all the way around. I dug them myself and it took me probably 12 hours over two days because I was trying to get them as level as possible and they’re all pretty heavy.

It’s a lot of work!! I didn’t realize when I purchase the pool that so much preparation had to take place before putting it up. My ground is clay, so I made a wood frame and we are filling in the area with 3/4 process gravel. I’m hoping this weekend we can get the area all compacted. So far this is the site.

 

[Momofthreema]

We have the exact same pool...it’s been up and running for about a month with one cracked paver without issue. We paid someone to professionally level and set the pavers and we still had an issue, which is super annoying, but the pool is fine. Our water is level and we haven’t had any issues, so we are leaving it alone. We will take it down seasonally, so next year I may use a thicker paver.

 

[Baumeister]

I have that same pool, first AND second time set-up failed on 15" square 2" pavers. I bought two 4'x8' 3/4" thick sheets of pressure-treated, outdoor plywood and cut 18" squares out of that, using 2 under each leg. Also used a transit to countersink each and get every one within 1/4", wasn't gonna take any chances...