Coleman AGP mid setup top rail movement

[Doodls]

Hi everyone, I’ve been waiting until we were all done to show our pictures of our little project. However we’ve run into something we’re not sure and hoping someone may have some insight.
We partially built our deck already and just setup the Coleman pool. We’re not sure if we should be butting the pool edges up to the edge of the deck or if we need to allow space for expansion? Here’s some pics. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

[splashpad]

Tiny Expansion Space! You don't want the pool rubbing on the deck (causing premature failure) but the space should be too small to cause entrapment/injury (a bigger concern)

 

[Casey]

It's hard to say how much the pool will need once it's starts filling. Give it a go and see how the top bar pushes out. If it looks like it's going to need more room, You may have to modify the set up. It's always best to fill and then build but hindsight is 2020.

 

[Brett S]

Those rectangular pools can actually move quite a lot. Not only as they are being filled, but also while in use. I know with mine the rails can easily move in and out by a good two or three inches as the pool is in use and people are swimming. Yours might not move quite that much since it’s a smaller pool, but you definitely want some space between the pool and the deck. In my case I assembled and filled the pool first, then built the deck around the pool. I also built the top of the deck over the pool rail and gave it some space so the pool rail could move as much as it needed to without hitting the deck.

 

[Brett S]

Here are a couple of pictures of my pool and deck.

 

[Doodls]

Tiny Expansion Space! You don't want the pool rubbing on the deck (causing premature failure) but the space should be too small to cause entrapment/injury (a bigger concern)

Thanks so much. We’re prepared to extend the deck if need be. Just trying to figure out, as the pool fills, how much will the top rail move outwards.

Here are a couple of pictures of my pool and deck.

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Great pics thank you! That was our intention but unfortunately a couple of hinderances....rock retaining wall that we had to build the deck off of prior to install and we built the deck according to pool specs .... that weren’t to spec. Built the deck 54” high to accommodate a 52” pool but apparently not a true 52”. Ideally we would have done as most do and build the deck after the pool but that Wasn’t feasible with our available space.

 

[Brett S]

Thanks so much. We’re prepared to extend the deck if need be. Just trying to figure out, as the pool fills, how much will the top rail move outwards.

Unfortunately I can’t really tell you how much the rail moved while filling because I didn’t have the deck next to it at that time, but I can say that it definitely moves quite a lot... first it bends way inwards, then it comes back out. But like I said, I didn’t really have anything near the pool at the time I was filling to compare it with.

I will say that the sides of the pool did lower a bit as it was filled. Initially when it was empty I put the ladder that came with the pool over the wall and the top of the pool was touching the top step on the ladder. After the pool was filled there was a bit of space between the top of the pool and the top step of the ladder.

 

[kellyfair]

Here are a couple of pictures of my pool and deck.

Beautiful job on that deck!

 

[Doodls]

Beautiful job on that deck!

Thanks so much Kellyfair!