Landscaping around base of Intex Ultra Frame pools

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Hi Smit, Thank you for the compliment! The pool area was never cleared of grass in the beginning because we have nut grass in our area. The first year we set it up (10 years ago) we just put out the tarp that came with the pool and hoped for the best in leveling. We had the dead grass underneath unfortunately to deal with, (the smell) the first year. Next year we saw where the posts had been and carefully laid down the pavers (dug down just until it was level with ground. Next we laid down the landscape fabric that you see and secured it to the ground with small hooks driven into the existing soil. I planted all that you see back then, and it has now matured. There is a small walkway all the way around that is just the landscape fabric. It is comfortable on the feet and the rain and splash will go right through it. The remaining mulch that you see is pinestraw, and we have an abundance here in NC, so that is easy to maintain and refresh every year. I hope this answers your questions! It took a long time for it to get this "lush" looking! I wish you well in your new pool adventure and landscape project. This place is the best for any and all questions for pools!
 
A major rain storm just blew threw with hail, so I came in from clearing roots and pebbles out of the pool site. Decided I'd look around on the web for what to do around the pool. When I saw your reply it made my day! Your answer was exactly what I needed to hear. I looked at landscape fabric and pavers last night at Lowes and Home Depot but just couldn't decide what to do. Knowing what you did gives me confidence to move on and use both.
Glad to hear that you used the small hooks with the landscape fabric and that they worked well and that you put the pavers in under the posts dug down level with the ground. That helps with planning. Do you remember what size your pavers were under the legs? I am really looking forward to getting ours set up to enjoy, and
looking at yours gives me so much motivation. Your picture convinces me that it can fit right in with our backyard. I've been so worried it would stick out and I'd hate it by Fall. Your explanations show me that it can even work if you have to take it
down in the winter, etc. Hoping to keep ours up though. Can't wait to work on the garden and make it look like what you've done with yours!
 
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Hey Smit, I'm in southern VA too. Virginia beach to be exact.
I have an 18x48 metal frame intex and I keep mine up year round now. The first few years I put it away in the winter but for the past 4 or so years it's been up year round. Only the past 2 years had that TFP sparkle though! I wish I had found TFP sooner. lol
 
That's really cool Bacon! Thanks for sharing! Hope you're enjoying the forum.
 
Dom, I like that!

Mine is similar but not as fancy. :( I finally added a small border like yours only mine has rubber mulch in it. I like the idea of putting the lights in there! I'm assuming those are solar powered? Of course we are approaching the time of year where I don't dare go in my yard after dark. There are evil spiders that put up their webs after dark and they love to go right across very large areas like Roof to pool, Gazebo to pool ladder, etc.

But I could look out my bedroom window to enjoy lights if I had them! :)
 

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Beens said:
Dom, I like that!

Mine is similar but not as fancy. :( I finally added a small border like yours only mine has rubber mulch in it. I like the idea of putting the lights in there! I'm assuming those are solar powered? Of course we are approaching the time of year where I don't dare go in my yard after dark. There are evil spiders that put up their webs after dark and they love to go right across very large areas like Roof to pool, Gazebo to pool ladder, etc.

But I could look out my bedroom window to enjoy lights if I had them! :)
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Thanks!

Those are low-voltage landscape lights with LED bulbs. Half my pool is in the shade in the afternoon, between that and the shade from the pool itself I didn't think solar would work out too good.

Dom
 
Thank you for this wonderful thread! You have given me so many ideas and now I know exactly how to backfill our new pool. Landscape barrier with some holes drilled into it, river rocks with smoothed edges, and then another landscape barrier keeping them in place. I might put bricks on the very outside at some point but this should do for now. What a relief.
 
Loved reading each and every post as this is where I'm at. Work in progress but oh that hideous Sandy muddy edge. Time to revive this as some of the 3rd party hosts weren't working. Ideas anybody? Sand and red clay. Just added a bag of pebbles to each side of ladder. Not sure if I'm happy. Gonna poke holes in the tarp so theres no muddy gucky guck. Mulch equals mess. Rocks just aren't doing it for me. Got lots of foliage to add, bromeliads, bananas, palms, and flowers.

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We replaced our intex 15' this year with a new pool. We used 3/4" limestone rock on top of sand for the new pool. It packs down great and I can walk around the whole perimeter of the pool for cleaning.


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That's really a pretty pool. I love the rail kit for them. I'm not a fan personally of rock. Just because I love barefootin' it and rocks, well they scatter, and then...ouch! . Which is why I'm vascillating between it and mulch. But this is just lovely. Oh wow! Is that led lighting around it?
 
Reddcurrlz said:
That's really a pretty pool. I love the rail kit for them. I'm not a fan personally of rock. Just because I love barefootin' it and rocks, well they scatter, and then...ouch! . Which is why I'm vascillating between it and mulch. But this is just lovely. Oh wow! Is that led lighting around it?
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Thanks! The rock stays put pretty well, but no walking without flip flops for sure. We have rope lighting attached to the outside underside of the rail with command strips for rope lighting. The link to the lights are in my build thread in my sig.
 
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Reddcurrlz said:
Loved reading each and every post as this is where I'm at. Work in progress but oh that hideous Sandy muddy edge. Time to revive this as some of the 3rd party hosts weren't working. Ideas anybody? Sand and red clay. Just added a bag of pebbles to each side of ladder. Not sure if I'm happy. Gonna poke holes in the tarp so theres no muddy gucky guck. Mulch equals mess. Rocks just aren't doing it for me. Got lots of foliage to add, bromeliads, bananas, palms, and flowers.

Could just be the pictures but sure looks like your uprights are not strait.. I would take a level and square them up..
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