Vermiculite base for AGP?

[gavp]

Hi,

I hope someone can help me with the below dilema:

Last year we were given an Intex 15' round (metal posts) as a gift. I did a quick rough leveling job by slicing out the grass manually(while in a bit of a rush). The pool stood well all summer, yet it was about 3" lower on one end due to my bad leveling job. For padding, I laid a gorilla pad over the dirt, then tarp, then boards of rigid wall insulation taped together with duct tape (1" Extruded Polystyrene from Lowes). Pretty ghetto, I know, but the insulation actually provided a nice cushion - but it really needed to be disposed of at the end of the year, so not a cost efficient item to replace each year!

We took the pool down and use that area of the yard to chill in fall/winter with a firepit so it is a good use of the space.

This year, I obviously need to level the ground better and I've been considering a vermiculite or vermiculite/portland mix. Part of the reason being that this would hopefully give us a nice surface to walk on when the pool is down (rather than getting shoes filthy with dirt). I am thinking a 2-3" base, which i'd likely level with a laser level.

The plan is to eventually get a good all-year AGP in a few years when I have extra cash, so maybe the vermiculite base could last through to that install also.

I've been searching online lately for some alternatives which would be good for the pool and also the winters, but not much luck yet. I was thinking that the pourable rubber compounds (used in playgrounds) would be perfect, but I think they may be quite expensive as you need to have it professionally installed.

If anyone can provide some relatively affordable options, or even good places to buy vermuculite (it seems pretty tough to find), that would be greatly appreciated.
Attached is a pic of the yard.

Thanks in advance,
Gavin
Long Island, NY

 

[jmhjgh]

What about laying a paver patio. Might be a little more cost, but you can do it yourself and it would be nice to use in the fall/winter.

 

[Patrick_B]

I just don't see how you will find it in bulk for that use.

 

[gavp]

thanks jm....unfortunately a paver patio would still need to be padded for the pool base, so although it would be perfect in the winter, it will not be worth the effort for the pool.

Has anyone here used Happy Bottom pad in conjunction with Gorilla Pad? I'm thinking that should suffice for the pool, and can be a fall back option for the summer while the pool is up if I can't figure out anything feasible and relatively cheap to suit 12 months use.

I can always fall back on more rigid foam insulation also, but would like something that can serve summer & winter once installed

 

[msgtdan]

I've heard of old carpet being used, though it smells bad at the end of the season. If it can be obtained free from a remodel job or craigslist then throwing away every year makes sense.

 

[jmhjgh]

What happened to the polystyrene? I would think with pavers and then 3/4"-1" pink foam board you would be set, and the foam board would be able to be used for several years.

 

[gavp]

i was wrong about the foam board thickness - looking back at lowe's website I realized I only bought 1/4" last year. When I took it up at the end of the summer, it was in bad shape.

Thanks for the feedback on the 1" pink foam. It might make sense now to spend the $120 on 1" foamboard!
I may end up not having time or finances to lay a proper paving patio in the next month, so maybe i'll pay them in the fall when I'm in no rush.

Has anyone else here laid a pool over pavers and only 1" foam board? Any thoughts on how it worked out?

thanks,

 

[jmhjgh]

When we had an Intex above ground pool, I made a large octagon (~22') out of treated landscape timbers and leveled the framing. I then filled the framing area with a few yards of sand. For the 18' pool, I put the metal legs on treated wood scraps of varying thickness since the pool legs would sink into the sand. The pool was then placed on only a thin tarp. Worked fine, and the framework and sand is still sitting there with a trampoline in place of the pool.

 

[darsj]

Last year I used a piece of carpet (as was mentioned above) under our 18' x 52" intex pool. Worked Great! No smell either BTW- but it is a synthetic type carpet. The trick is, carpet is usually 12' wide...since I didn't have enough to piece around it then, I used some foam type underlayment that is actually made for under laminate floors...not the really thin foamy stuff, but it's at least 1/4" thick and kind of a rubbery texture. This was all taken out of our former office that was over hardwood floors...so I had nothing to loose in trying it...will do it again this year!!! Worked fabulously! Kept us from feeling any stones that pushed up through the season & made a smooth bottom for the pool. The only difference is, I have some more salvaged carpet this year to use for "filling" around the original 12' piece of carpet. We do not have sand under ours..just dirt that we level better every year! LOL

 

[gavp]

What happened to the polystyrene? I would think with pavers and then 3/4"-1" pink foam board you would be set, and the foam board would be able to be used for several years.

I'm coming round to the idea of pavers...still not sure if I can set it all up in time for opening the pool, but one question/issue i have is: if laying pavers with the knowledge a 15' round pool will go on it, should I do anything extra on the footing? I believe 4" gravel & 1-2" sand is standard...but with the pool sitting on it, do I need to change this at all?

thanks,

 

[robben]

i used 1" polystyrene over concrete (was vracked but i patched). So far it has worked well. It has only been up for 2 weeks. I am happy with they way it feels while in the pool.

 

[gavp]

thanks Robben.

Does anyone have experience with putting a pool on top of pavers? I'm a little concerned that if i put the pool right over newly laid pavers, the weight might slightly sink down the pavers under the pool, whereas the pavers that are around the pool would stay flush with the lawn and therefore I'd have a dipped patio in the fall.

Thanks guys

 

[jmhjgh]

I think it is a valid concern. However, the beauty of the pavers is that you could fix them if needed.

 

[gavp]

good point JM. thx