Intex 32x16 leveling question

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Affacat

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Jun 3, 2021
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Oregon
So we leveled (we thought) the ground for a 32x16 Intex pool last week. Towards the end it was blazing hot out, so it's possible (cough) we called it before being absolutely sure. We then assembled the pool (also in blazing hot weather).

I just went out and measured the water level because I noticed some legs were still prettty loose compared to others.

Approximate water depth in inches, hash marks represent legs... not to scale, but this should give a basic feel of the situation:

16227466212151936095559416297465.jpg

So... how to proceed? Can I get away with this for one season? Mainly 2 adults, 2-4 young kids (4-7).

If not, do we seriously need to dissemble, move entire pool, and dig out more?

Can I just maybe put two extra pavers under the 6 inch deep area legs to 'jack them up', or does that not work since i wouldn't be leveling the ground?

I don't need perfect, i need managable/safe for a season. Releveling is going to be confusing, because we honestly thought the 5-6 side was the lowest, and clearly it wasn't. And we dug from that high side (3 inch) to the point we thought we took out too much.

Thanks for any insights. Having researched, i keep seeing '2 inches is ugly, but 3 inches is a problem ' and we are basically at 3 inches (across 32 feet). But most of those sites are talking about round pools... i don't know if ours being rectangular and 32 long makes the problem more or less important.
 
Being a rectangular pool actually makes it worse to be out of level. The round pools have much better weight distribution on the frames and are more evenly supported. Long strait walls and 90 degree corners are much harder to support and put much more stress on the corners.

The way I read it you are 3-4 inches out of level corner to corner. The standard response for Intex style pools is shoot for less than an 1 inch out of level less than 2 inches is ok but risky. Over 2 inches out the more risky it gets.

You can already tell some legs are looser than others. That disparity in weight distribution it gets worse with more water in the pool. Start adding wave action in the pool from people swimming and it gets worse still.

A 16x32 pool is no small amount of water. You are in the 15000 gallon range for that pool or in the neighborhood of 120,000lbs of water.

Will it make it thru the summer maybe. Would I bring my kids over to swim in a pool setup like that a second time after seeing it lopsided like that, I'm not sure. Id certainly have my doubts and safety concerns.

Maybe don't put anything on the low side of the pool you don't want flooded away. Like within 200 feet or so. My neighbor had a 24' pool (13000 gallons) let go in a rainstorm. The resulting wave from the pool made a4 yard pile of 3/4" gravel disappear into the woods, like he couldn't find one stone of it. That pile was about 200feet away from the pool.
 
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CJadamec said:
Being a rectangular pool actually makes it worse to be out of level. The round pools have much better weight distribution on the frames and are more evenly supported. Long strait walls and 90 degree corners are much harder to support and put much more stress on the corners.

The way I read it you are 3-4 inches out of level corner to corner. The standard response for Intex style pools is shoot for less than an 1 inch out of level less than 2 inches is ok but risky. Over 2 inches out the more risky it gets.

You can already tell some legs are looser than others. That disparity in weight distribution it gets worse with more water in the pool. Start adding wave action in the pool from people swimming and it gets worse still.

A 16x32 pool is no small amount of water. You are in the 15000 gallon range for that pool or in the neighborhood of 120,000lbs of water.

Will it make it thru the summer maybe. Would I bring my kids over to swim in a pool setup like that a second time after seeing it lopsided like that, I'm not sure. Id certainly have my doubts and safety concerns.

Maybe don't put anything on the low side of the pool you don't want flooded away. Like within 200 feet or so. My neighbor had a 24' pool (13000 gallons) let go in a rainstorm. The resulting wave from the pool made a4 yard pile of 3/4" gravel disappear into the woods, like he couldn't find one stone of it. That pile was about 200feet away from the pool.
Click to expand...

Yes, that one corner seems out of whack... the other 3 are, essentially, okay.

Can I raise the posts of the deep sides by adding a level of pavers? Or should I drain pool, do my best to partially dissemble that corner and 'peel it back', dig it out more, and rebuild? Or should i take apart entire thing and relevel?

I do not understand how that corner ended up so high. I was moving boards around with levels for ages. I knew it wasnt perfectly level... but it seemed very close, to the point it felt like any differential was potentially the board or a small dirt clump.
 
Also worth noting... the loose legs are all on the shallow side. It feels odd to dig that side out even more... it seems like that would make the legs even further from the ground. Like, it makes sense the heavy side would have tighter legs, I get that, but it seems strange the legs would be barely scraping the ground on the high (shallow water) side.
 
You can't just raise the pavers. The top of the pavers need to be level with the ground. If you raise them above ground you will be trying to lift that whole corner off the ground. The legs will not support that kind of weight.

If it were me I would take it down and work to level the site. You can't just dig the pavers down to level the whole area under the pool needs to be level.

It sound like there is more dirt to be moved. Adjustment of just the pavers isn't going to fix this problem.

The high side (low water level) legs feel light because the low side (high water level) is trying to lift them up off the ground. That's how much stress is being put on the frame.
 
Make yourself a water level if you haven’t already. (Search this site for links to videos on how to do it - sorry I’m on my phone and it’s a pain to find them).
That will massively help you level all the paving stones.
 
CJadamec said:
You can't just raise the pavers. The top of the pavers need to be level with the ground. If you raise them above ground you will be trying to lift that whole corner off the ground. The legs will not support that kind of weight.

If it were me I would take it down and work to level the site. You can't just dig the pavers down to level the whole area under the pool needs to be level.

It sound like there is more dirt to be moved. Adjustment of just the pavers isn't going to fix this problem.

The high side (low water level) legs feel light because the low side (high water level) is trying to lift them up off the ground. That's how much stress is being put on the frame.
Click to expand...

Ok, makes sense. I started draining water, though the drains are barely under the water so I'm going to have to figure something out. The instructions say 'lift the other side' to drain more out but there is no way to 'lift' the other side when the liner + water are so heavy. It was a challenge moving it once open while empty.

I'm also concerned getting the rest out by taking it apart and pushing the sides down will turn the entire work zone into a mud pit, but i think that is unavoidable. 32x16 technically puts together easier than the 12ft round we used to have, but the prep is proving far more brutal.

Live and learn, I guess?
 
BoringDamo said:
Make yourself a water level if you haven’t already. (Search this site for links to videos on how to do it - sorry I’m on my phone and it’s a pain to find them).
That will massively help you level all the paving stones.
Click to expand...

I should probably do this, you're right. I actually know how from previous research, though used a long board and regular levels. That's why I'm surprised it's so off in that one corner.
 
Use a water hose to siphon.

I’m glad you decided to drain and re-level. You were on shaky ground already (literally). Just imagine what could have happened if all that water started moving with swimmers in.
 
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BoringDamo said:
Make yourself a water level if you haven’t already. (Search this site for links to videos on how to do it - sorry I’m on my phone and it’s a pain to find them).
That will massively help you level all the paving stones.
Click to expand...
This, I did the level zip tied to a board then checked pavers w water level. All within 3/4” inch. Spent 3 weekends prepping tho
 

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