Looks good so far. What's the plan for the tub amd the space in front of it? I would only use 3/4 clean in that area it's impossible to compact tight areas. Is the stone for backfill amd base for the deck?
New In Ground Pool - NJ, Closing Time - have some questions
- Thread starter jonnyd91
- Start date
Im doing all 3/4" stone. i didn't want to mess with compacting any base. I "Think" 75 tons will do the backfill and the 10-12 feet in the front and back of pool.
It will cost me about 2200 bucks delivered, plus the 1k the builder is charging me for labor since they normally don't do it. End of the day for a 70k project i cant really complain for an extra 3k to have "some" insurance and a fairly solid base for the decking. Im also making sure they shovel the gravel in the front of the spa so there will be no voids. When they poured the collar in addition to the spa sitting on gravel and blocks they poured cement around the spa too.
That fabric will help tremendously, However it is not a 'cure all'. The 3/4 stone on top of the collar will not settle at all where as the organics on the outside that will. So this creates a distinct line for settlement (almost like a weak spot or pivot point) the fabric will help with this However I would still recommend removing any sod or buried sod that will be under the patio. The sod will settle the most. It is very hard to tell from the pics but it looks like they might have removed too much material to be able to slope off the fills gradually. You can use that removed sod for fills in the lawn areas as long as they spread it evenly on the bottom of the fills. You will never notice if the lawn settles a bit (lawns will usually swell over time anyways).
Be sure they run the stone base a minimum of 6" beyond the edge of your deck to support the edge of deck. The deeper the fill the more you need to extend beyond edge of deck. Typically this is figured at 1 to 1 slope so if you are filling 3' you want to be 3' beyond edge of deck at the base.
I know you really do not need one more expense However I would not be putting that much stone in without drain on top of the collar. I know you have seen that there is good drainage there but the stone can act as a holding area for the water wich saturates the base material wich in turns adds to the settlement process. It looks like the is enough slope to be able to run it to daylight. You can use the cheap flex perf 4" pipe around the pool but use scdl 40 pipe to run it out to grade. The scdl 40 outfall does not need pitch you can run it level if you need too. It also does not need to be perferated however you do need to encase it in stone and filter fabric to help the water bleed out.
Be sure they run the stone base a minimum of 6" beyond the edge of your deck to support the edge of deck. The deeper the fill the more you need to extend beyond edge of deck. Typically this is figured at 1 to 1 slope so if you are filling 3' you want to be 3' beyond edge of deck at the base.
I know you really do not need one more expense However I would not be putting that much stone in without drain on top of the collar. I know you have seen that there is good drainage there but the stone can act as a holding area for the water wich saturates the base material wich in turns adds to the settlement process. It looks like the is enough slope to be able to run it to daylight. You can use the cheap flex perf 4" pipe around the pool but use scdl 40 pipe to run it out to grade. The scdl 40 outfall does not need pitch you can run it level if you need too. It also does not need to be perferated however you do need to encase it in stone and filter fabric to help the water bleed out.
@Rich D Dirt is not something i have a shortage of. After back fill they will move some of that around back to form a more gradual grade.
They will be scraping the sod layer anywhere decking will be and then i will cover it with the fabric.
re: collar drain, at this point the only thing i can do really is fill the pool trench above the collar with sand and then put the 3/4" gravel on top of everything.
Im not sure if that is a better solution than just backfilling with all gravel.
Id have to do the drain myself and truthfully I don't really know exactly how its supposed to be done.
I would think having the decking span 10ft in each direction over the pool excavation and sloping away from the pool it should mitigate the majority of any water pooling that could happen in the backfilled trench.
They will be scraping the sod layer anywhere decking will be and then i will cover it with the fabric.
re: collar drain, at this point the only thing i can do really is fill the pool trench above the collar with sand and then put the 3/4" gravel on top of everything.
Im not sure if that is a better solution than just backfilling with all gravel.
Id have to do the drain myself and truthfully I don't really know exactly how its supposed to be done.
I would think having the decking span 10ft in each direction over the pool excavation and sloping away from the pool it should mitigate the majority of any water pooling that could happen in the backfilled trench.
Backfill Complete - This took 95 tons of gravel @ 29.50/ton. Was hard to see that go.
Last edited:
The electrician still has to come back and install the bonding grid. They told me that they did 900 pools this year and im the only one that did a gravel backfill and that they were going to have to charge me more to install the bonging grid wire around the pool.
I think that sounds like a money grab to me. Either way the pool builder said dont worry about it, if it has to be paid we will take care of it.
I dont know whats entailed with doing the bonding grid but i would think it would be easier with gravel. They are also telling me we have to wait 2 weeks cause its getting too cold at night. It all sounds a little strange to me but whatever, as long as it gets done before March im all good.
Now im trying to figure out how to add remote valves for the pool and sap, I will do this on m own after they complete their work.
I guess i first need to see how the plumber configured the valves to see how to instal the remote valves on?
I think that sounds like a money grab to me. Either way the pool builder said dont worry about it, if it has to be paid we will take care of it.
I dont know whats entailed with doing the bonding grid but i would think it would be easier with gravel. They are also telling me we have to wait 2 weeks cause its getting too cold at night. It all sounds a little strange to me but whatever, as long as it gets done before March im all good.
Now im trying to figure out how to add remote valves for the pool and sap, I will do this on m own after they complete their work.
I guess i first need to see how the plumber configured the valves to see how to instal the remote valves on?
The valves are easy. Just order Hayward 24s you need 2 of them. Hopefully the plumber set it up so its just spa in and out on a single valve for each. Looks good the one thing I didn't see is a compactor in any of the pics. Good to see geotextile that's the right way to do it
I used all 3/4 stone, I was under the impression that it doesn’t need to be compacted? That it’s pretty much compact when the fill it.
I do know the concrete guy will be going over it with a compactor before they pour.
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
You got a beauty of a backfill and if it costs extra it will be well worth it when you deck does not crack and fall in 2 to 4 years.. 
Your right it needs very little compaction amd really only where it's over the dirt. They did need to compact the dirt before the fabric and stone went in. The longer it sits like this the better amd have the mason compact the snot out of it in the areas away from the pool
yeah, I see. The guy did a really good scrape with the bobcat though. I’ll make sure the concrete guy compacts it well.
Re: valves, here is what I believe the valves go to. Should this be easy enough to upgrade to remote valves?
Those are the spots keep the manual or download it online fornthe pool/spa setup. Theres different ways to automate if you want spa spillover or not
Spa stone complete, pool equipment started up. Concrete should be going in soon.
Looking great! By the time summer is here, you'll be all set!
Will you be adding landscaping? Privacy hedge?
Will you be adding landscaping? Privacy hedge?
Be really careful doing the deck. Ideally the stone work would have went in after the deck, so the stone isnt boxed in by the concrete, and an expansion joint could be hidden under the stone. Tape amd plastic off the whole spa and be prepared to have guys jump into the spa to reach over to make a nice edge against the stone, I've seen similar come out horrible at that intersection. Looks great overall stone base looks tight amd clean too
Yeah, they have all that figured out. They drained the spa already to do the front of the stone. Only issue is the top grout already cracked, it was fairly sunny and hot, but he said it may crack right away and they would come back with something else. Looks like it just shrunk. Any recommendation on a brands of maybe some sanded calk? I assume in general the fiberglass will expand and contract against the stone.
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
they should not have used grout.. It should be something like deck o seal for expansion joints as the fiberglass and rock will expand and contract at different rates..
Or a 100% silicone product for pools
Amazon.com : Deck O Seal Gray Deck-O-Seal 4701032 : Swimming Pool Deck Paint : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Amazon.com : Deck O Seal Gray Deck-O-Seal 4701032 : Swimming Pool Deck Paint : Patio, Lawn & Garden
smile.amazon.com
Or a 100% silicone product for pools
LATICRETE LATASIL SMOKE GREY - - Amazon.com
LATICRETE LATASIL SMOKE GREY - - Amazon.com
smile.amazon.com
Yeah, he said something about that but that he did not have it with him that day. I think he wanted to just give me the finished look. He said he would come back with it. I’ll touch base with him tomorrow, they still have work to do anyway. I know they pay attention to detail because one side of the rock wall was not as level as they wanted it when they went to put the top on and they redid that whole side with new blocks.
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
make sure they are careful getting all that grout out as you have a very easy chance of damaging your fiberglass shell...