Looking for advice on installing a pool on a concrete pad. The pool is a Sharkline Matrix 24' round. I have purchased padding and coving for the bottom. The concrete pad is level to 1/4 inch. Has anyone tried this?? Any reason it won't work? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Installing an above ground pool on a concrete pad
- Thread starter mizkt90
- Start date
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Touche my friend! Thanks for all the responses and warm welcome. We just moved in to our new house and have the back prepared for our pool (24' round). We've been married for 24 years and have had a pool at our two previous properties. Just didn't seem right not to have one at the new place! We live in Missouri, and it's been waaay too cold to think about installing the pool, plus I have about an acre of grass to put in before this thing goes up. But, I'll post pics with the progress if you guys are interested. I've lurked on this forum for a while and like looking at everyone's setups.
Our lot was well suited for a walk out/walk in above ground pool, so we decided to go ahead and get everything ready before putting in the landscaping. The pics show the suspended semi circle concrete pad along with the pad of smooth concrete below on which the pool will set. The semi circle was precisely measured, but I know that the bottom rail and post bases may move a little as the pool fills up. My concern is that the posts inside the semi circle deck may get too close to the suspended deck. I won't have to go through the trouble with installing and leveling any concrete pavers, but do you think it would be ok to fasten the bottom rail plates (just around the semi circle deck) to the concrete with tap con screws. The back side I would let "float" - if they move an inch or so, it wouldn't affect the deck. I hope this make sense to everyone out there - any advice would be appreciated. I installed the pool at our second property, so I am pretty confident I can handle this one (famous last words)
.BTW, I chose the Sharkline Matrix mainly because of the "snap together" feature. Also, the rails will rotate and flip up 90 degrees, so that you do not have to remove the railing to replace the liner. Anyone have a Matrix? How do you like it?
Thanks to all in advance
I accuse you of false advertising. That's just a wee bit more than a..........."concrete pad/slab"! Looks great.
Ok, we finally got the pool installed. I apologize for not snapping pics showing progress, but we literally installed this thing in one day dodging severe weather as we went. So here are some pics:
For anyone thinking about an above ground pool, I have to say this pool (Blue Wave - Sharkline - Matrix) was the easiest to install of the two previous pools we've installed. NO screws except for the skimmer install. Everything snapped together. All resin except for the wall. I was concerned about floor padding (Happy Bottom brand) not being enough to provide an adequate barrier between the liner and concrete, but it was more than enough.
I am glad we decided to spend the extra money to pour the concrete under the pool. The extra cost was approximately $1000. It really made the install go so much faster - no leveling and no sand. The only thing I am concerned about is the space between the concrete deck and the pool. It is about 3" wide - enough for a small foot to slip through. I'll post some more pics in another reply to this thread, as I am at the limit on this post.
I didn't get the filter hooked up until two days after the install, so my water was green when we started the filter. But a couple bags of shock took care of it so far.
For anyone thinking about an above ground pool, I have to say this pool (Blue Wave - Sharkline - Matrix) was the easiest to install of the two previous pools we've installed. NO screws except for the skimmer install. Everything snapped together. All resin except for the wall. I was concerned about floor padding (Happy Bottom brand) not being enough to provide an adequate barrier between the liner and concrete, but it was more than enough.
I am glad we decided to spend the extra money to pour the concrete under the pool. The extra cost was approximately $1000. It really made the install go so much faster - no leveling and no sand. The only thing I am concerned about is the space between the concrete deck and the pool. It is about 3" wide - enough for a small foot to slip through. I'll post some more pics in another reply to this thread, as I am at the limit on this post.
I didn't get the filter hooked up until two days after the install, so my water was green when we started the filter. But a couple bags of shock took care of it so far.
Got a photobucket account so I could show more pics, here they are:
Before:
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After:
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Before:
http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/thoenenag/media/100_1758_zpsbfc85611.jpg.html
http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/thoenenag/media/100_1755_zpse9078f90.jpg.html
After:
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http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/thoenenag/media/100_1760_zpsa321ef12.jpg.html
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Nice pool! LOVE the concrete pad/deck too! A few questions for you..what size and kind of pump are you using? And are you saltwater, BBB, etc? I am really curious because I am reading up on that line of pools since we want to DIY and you made that sound fairly easy as far as set up. Btw..what type of liner did you use? Regular pull over, Unibead? Wondering that too since I was looking.
Btw..what type of liner did you use? Regular pull over, Unibead? Wondering that too since I was looking.
Nice pool! LOVE the concrete pad/deck too! A few questions for you..what size and kind of pump are you using? And are you saltwater, BBB, etc? I am really curious because I am reading up on that line of pools since we want to DIY and you made that sound fairly easy as far as set up.
I am using a Hayward 21" pro series sand filter with a 1.5 HP power flo matrix pump. It is probably oversized for a 24' pool, but man, it keeps the water moving.
I am not saltwater and don't quite use the BBB method either. I'm not sure that I'm disciplined enough to check the pool often enough to get by with adding bleach in regular intervals without avoiding an algae bloom. So, I use an off-line automatic chlorinator (Rainbow Off-Line Chlorinator #300C R171022). I did a quickie filter hook up with flex hose to get it going, but I am going to hard plumb it with PVC this afternoon. I'll post a pic of my set up when I get finished.
I cannot reiterate how much easier this pool was to install than the previous two that I have installed. However, the instructional video that came with mine was worthless, and it did not come with an instruction manual either! I found this one on line that was as helpful as anything: http://sharkline.com/Matrix_Round_Instructions_PN_95-0431_Mar08.pdf. I did use a 25 gauge unibead liner and would highly recommend those also. The lip slips over the metal pool wall, install the coping strips over it and the top rim slips right over that to stabilize.
I use the Aqua Check test strips and that has worked well so far. But, I take care of about a half dozen pools in the neighborhood, so I do plan to purchase the Taylor 2006C kit. It gets real difficult to decipher what to do with someone else's water when you do not know the chemistry.
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Thanks, I hope it all works out like I thought it would! Its so easy to picture how you think it should work and then reality sinks in.