Pavers or none? Foam board?

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brandon32689

0
Jul 12, 2015
58
midland tx
Pool Size
8000
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
I am setting up a intex 16x48 tomorrow hopefully. I have got the ground pretty level but will be working more on it tomorrow. I was curious what size pavers I should use? Also I was curious about the foam boards. All I could find at my local home depot is 1/2 rigid pink foam. How many 4x8 sheets should I use for a 16x48?

I fo not have a laser level but have been looking up stuff about a water level and it dont seem to hard. May give it a try . Any advise?
 
With the foam board, I needed 4 sheets for a 12 foot round intex. And with that I had to cut and piece some together to form the circle. I'd guess you'd probably need 6, but hopefully someone with a 16 foot will stop by and give you better advice.

When I was leveling, I did similar to this.... easy way to level the ground for a pool - YouTube
Then when I placed my pavers, I leveled from paver to paver side by side and then across.

Have fun! You'll be swimming in no time! For me, the leveling was the most time consuming of the whole process. The pool went up quick once the ground was ready.
 
scout123 said:
With the foam board, I needed 4 sheets for a 12 foot round intex. And with that I had to cut and piece some together to form the circle. I'd guess you'd probably need 6, but hopefully someone with a 16 foot will stop by and give you better advice.

When I was leveling, I did similar to this.... easy way to level the ground for a pool - YouTube
Then when I placed my pavers, I leveled from paver to paver side by side and then across.

Have fun! You'll be swimming in no time! For me, the leveling was the most time consuming of the whole process. The pool went up quick once the ground was ready.
Click to expand...
What size pavers did you use and did you out the foam over them and cut out holes for the pavers?
 
Get the 4x8x16 solid concrete blocks for your pavers. They are cheap and much stronger than the 2 inch thick blocks.

You don't "need" the foam but a lot of people really like the feel. I would start with 8 sheets for your pool, and a few rolls of duct tape. The foam needs to be fit very tightly and the seams taped together so that the pool doesn't push down thru the seams. Anti-fatigue mats from harbor freight are also a very popular choice.

You can always do the traditional 1-2inch thick layer of sand under the pool.


Using a water level is a great and inexpensive way to get your site and pavers level. If I didn't have my laser level that's what I would use.
 
I wish I had a laser level. I cant even find a place near me that has one for rent or in stock to even buy. Thank you for the info on the blocks. I have used foam before and the gorilla tape I just dont remember if 8 sheets would be enough. I know it would make a 16x16 square.
 
An extra sheet of foam is just a trip to home depot or lowes away.

I got this laser from home depot about 5 years ago when I built my house. I can't tell you how many times this thing has saved my butt. I had to have it to build the house and really didn't want to spend the money on it but man was it worth it. Its one of those tools once you have it you never want to be with out one ever again. Family members constantly want to borrow it.
 
CJadamec said:
An extra sheet of foam is just a trip to home depot or lowes away.

I got this laser from home depot about 5 years ago when I built my house. I can't tell you how many times this thing has saved my butt. I had to have it to build the house and really didn't want to spend the money on it but man was it worth it. Its one of those tools once you have it you never want to be with out one ever again. Family members constantly want to borrow it.
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If I could find one of those local I would grab it. Neither my homedepot or lowes sells them in store you have to order.
 
They are very easy to use. They are also extremely accurate.


The rotating head gives you a 360 degree line that is perfectly level and you use the story pole and laser detector to measure distances off of that line. That line and detector are accurate to 1/8" over 50ft.

For setting the level of the pool you mount the laser head to the tripod and turn it on .
go over to the spot that you want every thing to be level to and hold the story pole vertical. Take the laser sensor and run it up or down the pole until it starts to beep.
Find the spot where it goes from beep to a continuous tone and the green indicator light is on. Mount the laser sensor to the pole in that spot, it comes with a bracket for this.

Now go around and set your pavers. When you can set the story pole on top of the paver and get a solid tone from the laser detector that means your paver is set level.
 

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This is my latest project, the shed and overhang roof supports are set on 9 concrete sonotubes. I used my laser to set the liquid concrete height in each of the tubes. The end result is that front to back and side to side the top of all the concrete is perfectly level. I built the entire floor of the shed and laid the plywood down before checking for level and the bubble on a 4' level is dead center when you put it on the plywood.
 

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Now I want a laser level!

I didn’t use foam... I used sand, then the ground cloth Intex packs with the pool, then a gorilla pad. But my yard is a sand pit anyway, and not rocky at all, so foam wasn’t needed.
 
kellyfair said:
Now I want a laser level!

I didn’t use foam... I used sand, then the ground cloth Intex packs with the pool, then a gorilla pad. But my yard is a sand pit anyway, and not rocky at all, so foam wasn’t needed.
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I thought about just using sand but I thought I read that sand is a no go under the intex pool that it will wash out.
 
You sir are talented that looks awesome man. I want a laser level now as well.

I do have a question on water level maybe you can help me. So I had all the supplies at work so it womt cost me anything. Is it the same weather you use 2 board and a hose filled with water and hose on each board with a marking and go from paver to paver vs filling a bucket with water and having one board with the hose on it?
 
CJadamec said:
This is my latest project, the shed and overhang roof supports are set on 9 concrete sonotubes. I used my laser to set the liquid concrete height in each of the tubes. The end result is that front to back and side to side the top of all the concrete is perfectly level. I built the entire floor of the shed and laid the plywood down before checking for level and the bubble on a 4' level is dead center when you put it on the plywood.
Click to expand...
CJadamec said:
Get the 4x8x16 solid concrete blocks for your pavers. They are cheap and much stronger than the 2 inch thick blocks.

You don't "need" the foam but a lot of people really like the feel. I would start with 8 sheets for your pool, and a few rolls of duct tape. The foam needs to be fit very tightly and the seams taped together so that the pool doesn't push down thru the seams. Anti-fatigue mats from harbor freight are also a very popular choice.

You can always do the traditional 1-2inch thick layer of sand under the pool.


Using a water level is a great and inexpensive way to get your site and pavers level. If I didn't have my laser level that's what I would use.
Click to expand...
So do you really need the 4 inch thick blocks you think ?
 
I prefer 4" block the other one is ok most of the time but it won't hold up to weak soil or any voids under the block.

You don't need a bucket with a water level. Just two boards and a lot of tubing.

Put both boards on a level table standing vertical.

Mark both boards identically.

Attach one end of the tubing to each board all the way to the top of the board.

Now you have two boards with tubing on them marked with a measurement scale with about 40 feet of tubing between the two.

Put a stake in the middle of your pool area and attach one board to it as vertical as possible with the bottom of the board touching the ground.

Stand the other board next to the staked board and fill the tubing with water until it is halfway up both boards.

Now mark each board where that water level is.

As you move the board not staked to the ground around the water in the tube will move up and down.

When you can stand the free board vertical with the bottom touching the ground and the water at the level match mark you know you are at the same level as the center of the pool.

If the water in the free board is higher than the match mark that spot is low.

If the water is lower that spot is high.
 
There's nothing wrong with sand under an intex pool so long as it's only an inch or two of sand. You should compact the sand with a tamper or roller. Make the sand is damp when you compact it. If you think it is going to wash out simple landscape edging will keep it in place.

Pea stone, gravel, or river rock around the perimeter of the pool will also keep the sand where it belongs.
 
CJadamec said:
I prefer 4" block the other one is ok most of the time but it won't hold up to weak soil or any voids under the block.

You don't need a bucket with a water level. Just two boards and a lot of tubing.

Put both boards on a level table standing vertical.

Mark both boards identically.

Attach one end of the tubing to each board all the way to the top of the board.

Now you have two boards with tubing on them marked with a measurement scale with about 40 feet of tubing between the two.

Put a stake in the middle of your pool area and attach one board to it as vertical as possible with the bottom of the board touching the ground.

Stand the other board next to the staked board and fill the tubing with water until it is halfway up both boards.

Now mark each board where that water level is.

As you move the board not staked to the ground around the water in the tube will move up and down.

When you can stand the free board vertical with the bottom touching the ground and the water at the level match mark you know you are at the same level as the center of the pool.

If the water in the free board is higher than the match mark that spot is low.

If the water is lower that spot is high.
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This is some extra stuff we had at work I thought about using. I also have a red dye i can use.
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CJadamec said:
There's nothing wrong with sand under an intex pool so long as it's only an inch or two of sand. You should compact the sand with a tamper or roller. Make the sand is damp when you compact it. If you think it is going to wash out simple landscape edging will keep it in place.

Pea stone, gravel, or river rock around the perimeter of the pool will also keep the sand where it belongs.
Click to expand...
Would you recommend sand base or foam board base?
 
Not sure why I didn't think to say yard stick.... Looks good tho and the dye will help. Mix the dye before adding it to the tube.

I don't have a preference between sand or foam. They both work and are both work to do right. A lot of times you will still have both sand and foam. The layer of sand under the pool does two things. First it gives you an easy way to smooth out you base and get it truly level with no pockets or voids from digging. Second it acts as a cushion for the liner and protects it from rocks.

One of the tricks with foam is to get all the joints as tight as possible so the liner doesn't push into them. If I was doing foam I would want to lay the foam down on a smooth sand base. But that would depend on the soil surface I had to work with. Where I am there is nothing but rock so getting anything smooth is stupid hard.

Oh and don't forget. The top of you blocks will be set even with the top of your foam if you use foam.
 

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