Pool base - Sand type

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cj133

Well-known member
May 6, 2018
701
NJ
Hi all,

I'm having trouble finding "masonry sand" or "mason's sand" near by and am wondering what my options are.
I'm installing a 15x24 54" above ground pool that has straps across the bottom.

I'll be using a floor pad as well as a foam cove.

Can I get away with concrete sand for the base? What other options do I have besides masonry sand?
The pool will be on level soil of course, no build up. But it says I need a good 3-4" of sand base to cover the straps etc.
 
I would not use sand at all for a base for an AGP. In a heavy rain, sand can wash out and flow out from under the pool.

Why not use pea gravel? It is very easy to work with (nothing in it exceeds 1/4" and has enough dust in it that it becomes somewhat rigid over time. It is FAR more resistant to erosion than sand.

Too rough you might think? Not at all. The foam pad completely eliminates any roughness.
 
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Lots of places sell bulk sand and will deliver it. For a 15x24 pool your are going to need about 2-3 yards of sand.

1 yard = 27 cu ft
Average bag of sand from home depot is 0.5-1 cuft and cost 2-4 dollars. Putting your cost per yard at $50 or more.
Average cost of sand delivered to your site is about $30 a yard for a small load. If you can transport the sand yourself it's about $13 per yard.
 
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duraleigh said:
I would not use sand at all for a base for an AGP. In a heavy rain, sand can wash out and flow out from under the pool.

Why not use pea gravel? It is very easy to work with (nothing in it exceeds 1/4" and has enough dust in it that it becomes somewhat rigid over time. It is FAR more resistant to erosion than sand.

Too rough you might think? Not at all. The foam pad completely eliminates any roughness.
Click to expand...

Hi Dave,
Thanks for commenting!

How will sand wash out if it's confined by the pool walls?
The pad I bought is a "Armor Shield" which I believe is a cloth like pad, not foam. Will this still work with pea gravel?

I would like to hear more about this because I have heard others mention sand washing out. It just seems like the wall should confine it as long as it's surrounded by firm soil, no?

I haven't bought anything except the floor pad and patio blocks and the foam cove so far, so anything is possible. at this point.


CJadamec said:
Lots of places sell bulk sand and will deliver it. For a 15x24 pool your are going to need about 2-3 yards of sand.

1 yard = 27 cu ft
Average bag of sand from home depot is 0.5-1 cuft and cost 2-4 dollars. Putting your cost per yard at $50 or more.
Average cost of sand delivered to your site is about $30 a yard for a small load. If you can transport the sand yourself it's about $13 per yard.
Click to expand...


Hi Chuck,

Thank you for responding.
I found a few places after looking longer, but most in my area seem to want around $100+- for 3 tons of mason sand here not including delivery.
Not bad, and certainly far better than what stores want for 50 pound bags. I think that came up around $550.
 
cj133 said:
I would like to hear more about this because I have heard others mention sand washing out. It just seems like the wall should confine it as long as it's surrounded by firm soil, no?
Click to expand...
You might think that anything under the pool is impervious to water, bit it's not. Heavy rains have a way of creating the smallest channel to flow through & under with an above ground pool. Once it gets going, it disrupts the base if it can. Do many AGP owners use sand? .... sure. Many have no issues, but some have. A bit of a coin toss, but Dave wanted to toss some knowledge your way for consideration, and to let you know that gravel won't be uncomfortable to the feet once a pad is used. As for the Armor Shield, I've not used that before so I couldn't tell you for sure how well it works.
 
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Texas Splash said:
You might think that anything under the pool is impervious to water, bit it's not. Heavy rains have a way of creating the smallest channel to flow through & under with an above ground pool. Once it gets going, it disrupts the base if it can. Do many AGP owners use sand? .... sure. Many have no issues, but some have. A bit of a coin toss, but Dave wanted to toss some knowledge your way for consideration, and to let you know that gravel won't be uncomfortable to the feet once a pad is used. As for the Armor Shield, I've not used that before so I couldn't tell you for sure how well it works.
Click to expand...


Oh I'm definitely considering it.
As long as it won't harm the liner etc.
 
cj133 said:
Oh I'm definitely considering it.
As long as it won't harm the liner etc.
Click to expand...

It's mostly about location (and common sense) ;)

If the pool is setup near a hillside, sand WILL get washed away... If it's a soft-sided frame pool, sand WILL get washed away... If the sand is more then 2" deep, it will get washed away, etc...
If the pool is setup in a level or even low-lying(ish) area, plus a hard-wall, the sand is more likely to remain contained "in place".
 
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