Wanted to share my build process of my 18x33ft above ground pool.
Started with taking down my 12'x18' AGP, then a buddy was able to clear the ground space for the new footprint, did this last fall (2023).
Starting this spring I began leveling the area and digging trenches for the uprights, my ground is extremely rocky which made this process a huge pain. I ended up need to use a few inches of stone dust over the area of the old pool. The previous owners had a DEEEEEP layer of sand and 1-3" river stone, early on, I dug a hole down at least 8" to find soil and it was still sand, so I just left it and went with stone dust on top. Compacted the heck out of it, it was rained on numerous times, and felt like solid concrete, so I'm fairly confident I won't have issues. Since my ground was so rocky, I opted for a 2" layer of 2A crushed stone then layer of stone dust 2ft wide around the radiuses, instead of using pavers, it felt as solid as concrete.
Doing this project solo, my biggest struggle was the uprights, specifically getting them square, one side to the other. Thankfully my wife was able to help me do some measuring many many times after adjusting the uprights, etc. A laser level is a must!! Getting the pool parallel to the house was difficult also being 20+ft from the house and sloped ground between, plus a half tore apart deck. Getting the uprights just right took days and was the most frustrating part of the build. (I will NEVER build an oval pool ever again.....lol)
Finally, the space was ready to start building the remainder of the frame, then more measuring.....again needed a second person for this. Once I was satisfied with the frame, everything was level with the laser level, I moved in about a ton of sand to roughly level the base area, specifically around the uprights and pressure plates. Then put down the gorilla pad, I decided to put this UNDER the main sand bed that liner will rest on. I attempted a gorilla pad directly under the liner in my older smaller pool and I struggled to keep it wrinkle-free and fit properly. My purpose for the gorilla pad was more of just a weed barrier, so that went down first, then moved in the remaining 4 tons of sand.
With the sand in the center, the wall went up fairly easily, my wife helped set it in track while I unrolled. Next was wall foam and foam cover, duct tape all the seams well, then spent an entire day spreading, compacting, and leveling the sand base. This was extremely difficult to get perfectly level and smooth, without any knee divots or heel divots. One end is at least 3/4" lower than the other end as far as the sand depth goes, which is not a big deal.
Now I was ready for the liner, an overlap liner. I opted to get some help for this part, but it did not go smoothly at all...after about 3" of water, liner was clearly too crooked and there was no way of stretching it over the wall in one corner. We didn't hang the liner the entire way around, my one buddy had done a few of these and was going with his method, which seemed more appropriate for ROUND pools, so it ended poorly. So I used a small cover pump, let it drain over night, still had about 3/4" of water at the one end (where sand was lower) and I start scooping it out with a flexible bucket. Got enough water out that I could shift the liner on the floor, I pulled down the liner at one end, shifted and recentered it and hung back over the wall, then did the same of the other end. But to get the bottom shifted and wrinkle free, I had to be on hands and knees sliding the liner around to get it into place, unfortunately this created many new small divots all throughout the sand, I don't think any are major enough to cause issues for cleaning or debris to settle, just annoying. I started the water again and continued smoothing out the bottom and to the cove. I was able to get a picture perfect smooth bottom, not a single wrinkle in liner.
The only thing I'm unsure about is the top seat rails, I do have to pull the last 2 together about 1/2-3/4" to get them to connect, I suppose I could space them evenly a bit more, but they are resin and no pre-drilled holes. So I don't think that will be a simple thing if I will have to create new holes close to the old ones in the connection plate of the uprights
I'm filling from well hose and the creek behind my house with a gas power pump, using a 1micon filter on the output into the pool. Will be cutting in the skimmer and jet this evening!!!
I still need to finish the new electrical for the pump, run the bonding wire, and temporarily modify the deck to use my pool ladder that attaches to deck.
Started with taking down my 12'x18' AGP, then a buddy was able to clear the ground space for the new footprint, did this last fall (2023).
Starting this spring I began leveling the area and digging trenches for the uprights, my ground is extremely rocky which made this process a huge pain. I ended up need to use a few inches of stone dust over the area of the old pool. The previous owners had a DEEEEEP layer of sand and 1-3" river stone, early on, I dug a hole down at least 8" to find soil and it was still sand, so I just left it and went with stone dust on top. Compacted the heck out of it, it was rained on numerous times, and felt like solid concrete, so I'm fairly confident I won't have issues. Since my ground was so rocky, I opted for a 2" layer of 2A crushed stone then layer of stone dust 2ft wide around the radiuses, instead of using pavers, it felt as solid as concrete.
Doing this project solo, my biggest struggle was the uprights, specifically getting them square, one side to the other. Thankfully my wife was able to help me do some measuring many many times after adjusting the uprights, etc. A laser level is a must!! Getting the pool parallel to the house was difficult also being 20+ft from the house and sloped ground between, plus a half tore apart deck. Getting the uprights just right took days and was the most frustrating part of the build. (I will NEVER build an oval pool ever again.....lol)
Finally, the space was ready to start building the remainder of the frame, then more measuring.....again needed a second person for this. Once I was satisfied with the frame, everything was level with the laser level, I moved in about a ton of sand to roughly level the base area, specifically around the uprights and pressure plates. Then put down the gorilla pad, I decided to put this UNDER the main sand bed that liner will rest on. I attempted a gorilla pad directly under the liner in my older smaller pool and I struggled to keep it wrinkle-free and fit properly. My purpose for the gorilla pad was more of just a weed barrier, so that went down first, then moved in the remaining 4 tons of sand.
With the sand in the center, the wall went up fairly easily, my wife helped set it in track while I unrolled. Next was wall foam and foam cover, duct tape all the seams well, then spent an entire day spreading, compacting, and leveling the sand base. This was extremely difficult to get perfectly level and smooth, without any knee divots or heel divots. One end is at least 3/4" lower than the other end as far as the sand depth goes, which is not a big deal.
Now I was ready for the liner, an overlap liner. I opted to get some help for this part, but it did not go smoothly at all...after about 3" of water, liner was clearly too crooked and there was no way of stretching it over the wall in one corner. We didn't hang the liner the entire way around, my one buddy had done a few of these and was going with his method, which seemed more appropriate for ROUND pools, so it ended poorly. So I used a small cover pump, let it drain over night, still had about 3/4" of water at the one end (where sand was lower) and I start scooping it out with a flexible bucket. Got enough water out that I could shift the liner on the floor, I pulled down the liner at one end, shifted and recentered it and hung back over the wall, then did the same of the other end. But to get the bottom shifted and wrinkle free, I had to be on hands and knees sliding the liner around to get it into place, unfortunately this created many new small divots all throughout the sand, I don't think any are major enough to cause issues for cleaning or debris to settle, just annoying. I started the water again and continued smoothing out the bottom and to the cove. I was able to get a picture perfect smooth bottom, not a single wrinkle in liner.
The only thing I'm unsure about is the top seat rails, I do have to pull the last 2 together about 1/2-3/4" to get them to connect, I suppose I could space them evenly a bit more, but they are resin and no pre-drilled holes. So I don't think that will be a simple thing if I will have to create new holes close to the old ones in the connection plate of the uprights
I'm filling from well hose and the creek behind my house with a gas power pump, using a 1micon filter on the output into the pool. Will be cutting in the skimmer and jet this evening!!!
I still need to finish the new electrical for the pump, run the bonding wire, and temporarily modify the deck to use my pool ladder that attaches to deck.
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Hopefully you'll be able to keep a low iron content by filling with the creek as well. Iron can be such a pain. Enjoy! 