27' Round 52" Deep Above Ground Pool Build Thread

[Smiles79]

Just got the dirt work done for my 27' round 52" deep above ground pool yesterday. It pays to have a buddy with a skid loader! Attached are some pictures while we were working, didn't grab any after the day was done. Bonus, The dirt that was removed was used to make a parking spot next to the house for the camper!

I've got a few questions. When I assembled the track to mark the position of my pavers, the track didn't want to stay round and it got very difficult to pull it into a round shape. Is this normal? Will the wall of the pool help keep it round? Should the tracks but up against one another inside the foot that they attach to?

I know the pavers are critical to keep level, I'm going to build a water level to get those set. After that, how level does the dirt inside the pool need to be from spot to spot? I imagine that's not quite as critical, since there will be sand in there.

The manual says to use 2.5 cubic yards of sand inside the pool, which results in a thickness of about 1.5". Is this enough? And this will bring the bottom of the pool 1.5" higher than the pavers, correct?

Thanks in advance for all of the help!

 

[kimkats]

Let the mud/dirt begin! It will end soon though as it looks like you are rocking right on through this build!

Should the tracks but up against one another inside the foot that they attach to?

Nope- you have a bit of wiggle room to get it round and getting it round is very important. Move the "footers" the rails set in in or out a bit to help it get and keep round.

And this will bring the bottom of the pool 1.5" higher than the pavers, correct?

Not really. You can and should have the pavers level with the sand/dirt that is going under the pool. Everything should be flat and LEVEL within 1/4" from paver to paver going across the pool as well as side to side. THIS is the hardest BUT most important part of building this pool. There are many videos on putting up an aboveground pool. I will let you pick and chose which ones you watch. I do suggest watching many and picking what will work for you.

 

[Smiles79]

Hmm, that last bit seems to be conflicting with some other info I've seen and my instructions which say to level the pavers with the ground and then add sand.

 

[kimkats]

If you are using sand as the "cove" then that does over ride everything as it has to be higher to keep the liner inside the pool so there is that.

 

[Smiles79]

Got some more work done this weekend! Got the interior section leveled, and got all my sand. I wanted to see if I could get by without putting up a retaining wall on the back side. I knew all along I probably should put one up, but I figured the worst that would happen is the ground washes down next to the pool. I didn't really see that being an issue, but the wife wanted a wall so we are building a wall.


It took about 1 ton of 1" base rock under the first layer of blocks. Two pallets of blocks (36 blocks per pallet, weighs about 3000lb) did the first two layers with some leftover, not sure if I'll need more or not. One ton of 1" clean rock to fill the voids of the first layer blocks and to fill the space behind them. Didn't get it done, but from now on it's just stacking block.

 

[kimkats]

but the wife wanted a wall so we are building a wall.

Happy wife and all of that LOL

That looks great! What will you do with the extra dirt?

 

[Smiles79]

Happy wife and all of that LOL

That looks great! What will you do with the extra dirt?

Haha pretty much, but I think she was probably right on this one and I was just trying to cut corners.

When I got the sand, I was hauling about 8600 lb of sand in a 3320 lb trailer, so I was towing about 12,000 lb. The ground in the back yard was wet, so it rutted pretty bad and actually got stuck. I'll just some of the dirt to fill in those ruts, and the rest will be just piled up somewhere out of the way.

 

[Smiles79]

Other than the capstones, the wall is done! It looks like it's too short, that's just because there's a bunch of dirt piled on top of the ledge. After that's removed and the capstones are installed, I think it'll look really nice.

Next step is to verify the placement of my pavers for the pool legs, and install the pool!

 

[Smiles79]

Got some more work done on the pool yesterday. Between my schedule, my father-in-laws schedule, and the weather, this has been a very slow process.

Yesterday afternoon we adjusted the pavers that I didn't have set properly, and adjusted the track so that is round. When I hauled the sand (about 4 tons) in, I got the dump trailer stuck in the yard so I had to dump it all 100 feet or so away from the pool. So after about 25 wheelbarrow trips each, my father-in-law got the sand moved.

The rest of it will hopefully be up today!

 

[kimkats]

adjusted the pavers

Just be ready to adjust them again ask me how I know

adjusted the track so that is round.

Be ready to adjust again as well. Note how there is a bit of room in the bottom plates. That is so there can be some play in the bottom rails if needed.

Do you foam coves?

got the dump trailer stuck in the yard

OH NO!!! How did you get it out? Even after all the sand was out those bad boys are still heavy!!

after about 25 wheelbarrow trips each, my father-in-law got the sand moved.

SUPER MAN ala FIL to the rescue!!!

Be ready to have sting, clamps, and stakes ready to use to hold the walls up just in case you run out energy/time before you get the liner in and water up a bit. You should also have 2x4 ready to put inside to prop the walls up as well.

 

[Smiles79]

Do you foam coves?

Yup, we used foam. When I replaced the liner in the pool at the other house, I used them and really like them.

The dump trailer, we had to make a couple small piles of sand and get a truck that had grippier tires than mine.

 

[Smiles79]

Looks like we're golden! Got the rest of the pool up last night and everything is looking pretty good.

One question, the instructions really sucked and they had me screw the uprights to the bottom feet, and didn't say anything about the covers that go over the feet, which need to be screwed on along with the upright. I was planning on putting a little bit of rock all the way around the pool anyway, is there any problem with me just covering the feet up with rock and forgetting about it?

 

[kimkats]

So you mean the "boot" should have be screwed on with the same screw the used on the upright?? gurrrrrrrrr Really the boot is more like a finish piece for looks more than form so it can stay like it is.

 

[Smiles79]

So you mean the "boot" should have be screwed on with the same screw the used on the upright?? gurrrrrrrrr Really the boot is more like a finish piece for looks more than form so it can stay like it is.

Correct, and that is exactly what I was thinking. Thanks for confirming!

 

[Smiles79]

Well I don't have a good picture but the pool is full, pump and filter are hooked up (and a few minor leaks addressed, and I added some stabilizer and chlorine. Just gotta get the ladder cleaned off and put in and we're good to go!

 

[kimkats]

OH YEAH!!1

 

[Smiles79]

OH YEAH!!1

I had it full, noticed a skimmer leak. I was nervous to pull the skimmer off with water in the pool so I drained it a ways and tried to seal it with Lexel. Filled it up again, still leaked. Then I decided to fix it the right way with a new gasket and all is well so far.

 

[kimkats]

Good move on fixing it the right way! Well done!

Kim