New pool, going insane, please help

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nksprts

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Aug 10, 2016
199
NE Pennsylvania
First off I would like to say this was kind of an impulse buy. They had pulls on sale half off and my family talked me into it. Ins an Intex Above ground 17 feet by 52 inches pool. I am very naive to pools and never have taken care of them. We start by getting home excited and set the pool on a very bad angle (like 10 inches) and we joked about thinking it was ok we could have a"shallow end" and "deep end". Never ever in my life did I realize what a pain this would be. First off, I guess it was my mistake that I never knew how important it was to have a level pool. I figured a little off who cares. The box says up and ready in 45 minutes.....LIES. lol. I noticed how bad the "deep end" legs were suffering so we drained the whole pool, and moved it back to a flatter area. so we move it back to a flatter area of yard and think that's almost level, and we build the high end up with some pavers and wood. Get this filled and see its off about 5 inches too. I then was paying attention and realized how much the high end legs were moving and were scared they would fall off the pavers. Then I found this site and read how important it really is to have this level. I definitely do not want my kids getting hurt so much to my disgust I drained the pool AGAIN. So as I said its about 5 inches off and read i want to tear down high side and not add to low side, so we moved pool again and started this. Borrowed a small rototillers from a friends and started digging up grass and trying to work down the high end. I bought pavers to put under each leg and am just going crazy. Did the board with the level attached to it and spinging around, and its just not working. I put the first paver in ( dug it into the ground and got it level on the low end) and figured I could go from there. I cant even get the second paver level with it? Is this not how do do it? I have a 4 foot level and putting it on my level paver then other half where the next leg is supposed to go on that paver, and just this work alone took about 5 hours. Basically all i got done is the grass torn up and one paver in. Got me and the wife bickering over this, and pulling our hair out, please help me with anything, I thought a pool was supposed to be fun and relaxing. haha

Thanks in advance
 
Welcome to the forum. :wave:.

I would suggest you hire someone to do it. There are no "tips and tricks", you simply have to have it level within 1" all around.

It doesn't sound like you have the equipment to do that so stop beating your head against the wall.
 
Hello and welcome to TFP! :wave: You could also do some searches at the top of the web page for something like "base prep" or "above ground install". You'll see many examples of what others have done and some tricks to get those bases level and secure for the posts/legs. That certainly is important, along with the rest of the base material. Better to take your time and get it right now before filling just to drain it and fix something. For large areas that require a good level, some folks use a water level or perhaps a laser level if they can get their hands on one. The right tool makes all the difference on a job like this. In the end though, as Dave noted, if it gets overwhelming, hire some young backs to do all the heavy work while you and the wife sip cold drinks and watch from in the house. :cheers:

Good luck and great to have you with us.
 
Thank you both for the welcome! I mean that has definitely been an idea. Just sucks because we only bought it because it was so cheap, and thought it was like the box said, up in 45 minutes...now hear I am several weeks later all this time and energy into it, and now may be paying someone to do it. And I live in PA, now after all this messing around for 3+ weeks of draining and emptying, I am basically through swim season. Do I even bother for the range to swim is now somewhere between the next 2-8 weeks? with 8 weeks really pushing it.
 
Bother. It'll be worth it!

All the digging, leveling and hauling will end, and the pool will just keep on going... Going into next year knowing the real work is already done and you just have to throw the pool up is going to be great.

We were in the same boat you're in: friends of ours upgraded their pool and asked us if we wanted their old 20' Intex for $150 and we said yes without thinking. We set it up two or three times that summer. :( Boy was it worth it, though.

Welcome to TFP.
 
4 years on and I still get a sore back thinking about building my own. But it was still less work than digging out the entire area up to 8" deep.

BTW, it's still holding up strong and perfectly level.
 
nksprts said:
Yeah, I know it will be. The kids (And me) will have fun, I just don't know if I am outmatched with my tools and not knowing how to do it....
Click to expand...

A sod cutter, a few shovels and a laser transit. You can use just about anything for stakes, and a string tied to the stake in the center can mark your outer circle very easily. Last summer we replaced it with a 21' pool, but other than that we haven't had to touch the shovels and won't have to again.

Yes, it's brutal, but only level is level. Doing it right is easier than pretending you can do it halfway: the only way to convince the water that things are level is for them to actually be level.
 

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I decided to take everyone's advice and just to get it done right. Like you said if I get it done right then next year I can basically just enjoy all year. Got a friend who is a contractor come and help me out who is taking care of it for me for real cheap. Especially how much work he is done. Getting the ground level then putting a 14x6 paver under each leg which is dug into the ground. Does this sound right. Here are a couple pics so far, the beginning after getting the grass removed, and the back aching pic after alot of wheelbarrows. View attachment 53240View attachment 53241
 
Still going it at guys, while I knew there was a slant had no idea how much had to take like 17 inches out of one side..... Had to have the big boy aka skid steer, came in after I tapped out of digging everyday. My new question is we finally have the ground fairly level, still have some raking to do. I was going to put sand down instead of just tarp so I'm doing it all right way. So 3 questions. 1. Should I lay a tarp down on the dirt then lay the sand on top of the tarp or just lay sand right down on the dirt. 2. How much do I need? I figured 2 yards? 3. Next year when I set it up will I need to do anything besides a little raking etc? And do I do anything over winter? Try to cover the sand with something?

Thank you so much
 
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