Hi and welcome to part 4 
Yet again, because I didn't really plan this out, we're gonna have 2 issues going on and I haven't done the other
What we'll discuss here is putting the panels together.
I'm talking steel panels here, I've done a few polymer panel pools, but don't feel comfortable enough to give advice on them.
You've shelved out the pool area and dug the deep end. You should still have the pins (A,B,C &D) still in place with strings betwixt them and the shelf is ~ close to level. Start at a corner in the deep end and bolt the panels together. Put a straight panel next to the corner one and line up the bolt holes. You need at least 2 people for this (3 makes it a little easier). 1 person will sight across the top of the panel and down the seam, the other will tighten the bolts when everything is level. You want to tighten 2 bolts per panel as a start. There are 7 holes on the sides of the panels and 1 more on the top and bottom flat sides. What you want to do is have the panels set so that the holes line up - it helps to have the person spotting across the top and wall seams use a screwdriver through a set of bolt holes to make any little adjustments. When the top is level and the wall seam is level at the top, tighten a bolt into the 2nd hole down on the wall. Then adjust the bottom to be level and tighten a bolt into the second hole up on the wall, this makes sure that the tops and walls of the panels are set. Then secure the top and bottom with a bolt (NOT the wall bolts, you'll need those holes later when the "A" braces go on). Proceed around the pool similarly until all the panels have those 4 bolts. As you go you’ll need to install an “A†brace every couple of panels to keep it from falling intro the pool (the “A†braces are in 3 parts, there should be instructions on putting them together, whet you’re looking to make is a 2 sided triangle with a ‘deadman’s’ plate where the 2 ‘arms’ meet) Put a large rock on the deadman’s plate to help keep the walls from falling into the pool.
You probably had steps included in your pool. When you get all the other panels installed it’s time to do the steps, if you go with the steel steps, you have to be sure that the treads are level and that the risers are what the liner will be cut to (ie, if you are supposed to have 10.5†risers – make sure that the risers are 10.5 before you bolt them together!) If you go with the fiberglass steps – you need to level up one side at a time, clamp the panel to the step (once you have the sides and top level {tip – put a pick or similar under the back of the stairs to keep the back in place while doing this}) and drill holes to match the panel’s holes, very similar to bolting the regular panels together – except you have to drill the bolt holes.
Once the pool walls are all up and the steps correctly bolted together, go back and put on all the “A†braces and fill in all the missing bolts (remember we’ve only put in 4 per panel).
Now we’re ready to square the pool.
Using a 4’ level go to the hose side corner in the shallow end and check that the panels are within ~ ¼ “ of being vertical. Now measure off the house to the level to insure that you are still 12’ off the house (I’m just using 12’ – make sure it’s whatever it’s supposed to be) On the bottom of the panels there are holes, drive a rebar rod into the side wall to secure it once it’s properly positioned. Now go do the same thing in the deep end corner. This establishes the house side wall where it needs to be. What you want to do next is pull a string down that wall, near the bottom, you will adjust the panels to this string. You may have to pull out a seam so that it doesn’t foul the string, but once the string is tight and off the panels, gently kick the seams into meet the string and pound rebars into both sides of each seam, working from 1 end to the other. When you’ve done this, the house side wall is parallel to the house, as it should be
Having established the house side side wall you can proceed to square the rest of the pool to it. What you want to do is measure the width first (let’s just go with an 18 X 36) measure 18’ across the shallow end at the corner seams, adjust the other wall out or in until it’s spot on and do the same in the deep end. Now it’s time to play the same game we played establishing points A, B, C and D for the dig, measure the diagonals from the corners and adjust just like in laying out the original 4 points. It’s a little more complicated this time ! if you have to move the non house side wall you first have to be sure that in moving the wall you didn’t move them in or out of the pool when you moved it – so you HAVE to measure and adjust the shallow and deep end widths again before pulling the diagonals again! This can take 4+ times of doing it (even if you’re a pro), but you always want to be sure the width is set before doing the diagonals. Once you’ve finally got the diagonals = pin the side wall corners and run the string, as you did on the house side and pin the seams 1 by 1.
OK now the side walls are square and all that needs be done is do the end walls. There should only be a few seams to do on them so it’s a little easier. Run a string from the seams where the corners meet the side walls and measure off of that to adjust these and pin them (with 2’ radius corners you’re looking for… 2’ from the string to the seams on the end walls) Sometimes, the corners just aren’t bent right and you may end up with ~1/4†slop – it’s OK as long as all the measurements are ~ the same. (* you may have a little extra trouble where the stairs are, if that’s the case I’ll deal with that when you’re situation arises – the fix is pretty simple but not for this post)
This is about all I can handle for 1 post – however, DO remember to wear gloves when handling the panels or moving them – the edges can be very sharp!
Also please realize that we haven’t, as yet, discussed the plumbing nor light panel lay out – that’s why I said there were 2 things to consider here, you’ve got to put the panels up correctly, with regards to where you want the lights, skimmers and returns.
Please bare with me as we work our way through this process – once we finally get it all done, it’ll be a great resource for folks who want to DIY an IG liner pool!
Yet again, because I didn't really plan this out, we're gonna have 2 issues going on and I haven't done the other
What we'll discuss here is putting the panels together.
I'm talking steel panels here, I've done a few polymer panel pools, but don't feel comfortable enough to give advice on them.
You've shelved out the pool area and dug the deep end. You should still have the pins (A,B,C &D) still in place with strings betwixt them and the shelf is ~ close to level. Start at a corner in the deep end and bolt the panels together. Put a straight panel next to the corner one and line up the bolt holes. You need at least 2 people for this (3 makes it a little easier). 1 person will sight across the top of the panel and down the seam, the other will tighten the bolts when everything is level. You want to tighten 2 bolts per panel as a start. There are 7 holes on the sides of the panels and 1 more on the top and bottom flat sides. What you want to do is have the panels set so that the holes line up - it helps to have the person spotting across the top and wall seams use a screwdriver through a set of bolt holes to make any little adjustments. When the top is level and the wall seam is level at the top, tighten a bolt into the 2nd hole down on the wall. Then adjust the bottom to be level and tighten a bolt into the second hole up on the wall, this makes sure that the tops and walls of the panels are set. Then secure the top and bottom with a bolt (NOT the wall bolts, you'll need those holes later when the "A" braces go on). Proceed around the pool similarly until all the panels have those 4 bolts. As you go you’ll need to install an “A†brace every couple of panels to keep it from falling intro the pool (the “A†braces are in 3 parts, there should be instructions on putting them together, whet you’re looking to make is a 2 sided triangle with a ‘deadman’s’ plate where the 2 ‘arms’ meet) Put a large rock on the deadman’s plate to help keep the walls from falling into the pool.
You probably had steps included in your pool. When you get all the other panels installed it’s time to do the steps, if you go with the steel steps, you have to be sure that the treads are level and that the risers are what the liner will be cut to (ie, if you are supposed to have 10.5†risers – make sure that the risers are 10.5 before you bolt them together!) If you go with the fiberglass steps – you need to level up one side at a time, clamp the panel to the step (once you have the sides and top level {tip – put a pick or similar under the back of the stairs to keep the back in place while doing this}) and drill holes to match the panel’s holes, very similar to bolting the regular panels together – except you have to drill the bolt holes.
Once the pool walls are all up and the steps correctly bolted together, go back and put on all the “A†braces and fill in all the missing bolts (remember we’ve only put in 4 per panel).
Now we’re ready to square the pool.
Using a 4’ level go to the hose side corner in the shallow end and check that the panels are within ~ ¼ “ of being vertical. Now measure off the house to the level to insure that you are still 12’ off the house (I’m just using 12’ – make sure it’s whatever it’s supposed to be) On the bottom of the panels there are holes, drive a rebar rod into the side wall to secure it once it’s properly positioned. Now go do the same thing in the deep end corner. This establishes the house side wall where it needs to be. What you want to do next is pull a string down that wall, near the bottom, you will adjust the panels to this string. You may have to pull out a seam so that it doesn’t foul the string, but once the string is tight and off the panels, gently kick the seams into meet the string and pound rebars into both sides of each seam, working from 1 end to the other. When you’ve done this, the house side wall is parallel to the house, as it should be
Having established the house side side wall you can proceed to square the rest of the pool to it. What you want to do is measure the width first (let’s just go with an 18 X 36) measure 18’ across the shallow end at the corner seams, adjust the other wall out or in until it’s spot on and do the same in the deep end. Now it’s time to play the same game we played establishing points A, B, C and D for the dig, measure the diagonals from the corners and adjust just like in laying out the original 4 points. It’s a little more complicated this time ! if you have to move the non house side wall you first have to be sure that in moving the wall you didn’t move them in or out of the pool when you moved it – so you HAVE to measure and adjust the shallow and deep end widths again before pulling the diagonals again! This can take 4+ times of doing it (even if you’re a pro), but you always want to be sure the width is set before doing the diagonals. Once you’ve finally got the diagonals = pin the side wall corners and run the string, as you did on the house side and pin the seams 1 by 1.
OK now the side walls are square and all that needs be done is do the end walls. There should only be a few seams to do on them so it’s a little easier. Run a string from the seams where the corners meet the side walls and measure off of that to adjust these and pin them (with 2’ radius corners you’re looking for… 2’ from the string to the seams on the end walls) Sometimes, the corners just aren’t bent right and you may end up with ~1/4†slop – it’s OK as long as all the measurements are ~ the same. (* you may have a little extra trouble where the stairs are, if that’s the case I’ll deal with that when you’re situation arises – the fix is pretty simple but not for this post)
This is about all I can handle for 1 post – however, DO remember to wear gloves when handling the panels or moving them – the edges can be very sharp!
Also please realize that we haven’t, as yet, discussed the plumbing nor light panel lay out – that’s why I said there were 2 things to consider here, you’ve got to put the panels up correctly, with regards to where you want the lights, skimmers and returns.
Please bare with me as we work our way through this process – once we finally get it all done, it’ll be a great resource for folks who want to DIY an IG liner pool!
