Concrete slab and travertine tile

[Aquaman7]

Hello all,
I going to be installing a vinyl liner pool with travertine coping and pool decking. If the backfill is 3/4” stone. Do I still have to put down a concrete slab for the travertine to lay on? Or can I backfill with dirt and have a lift every 12” then 4-6” of stone, then the slab topped off with the travertine?

So many decisions and I’m grateful to have a community like TFP.

Joe

 

[Texas Splash]

Hi Joe! One of our build experts like @bdavis466 or @jimmythegreek may be able to help you on that one. Good luck!

 

[bdavis466]

Its really hard to compact dirt around a liner pool. I would backfill completely with stone. A concrete slab can pretty much guarantee a settle free paver install but it isn't completely necessary.

I would pour a slab if it was my pool though.

Good luck!

 

[jimmythegreek]

I would do concrete too IF I was in Brian's zip code. Here in jersey its best to lay on QP ie road base. You want clean 3/4 stone for any backfill of overdig and it's a good idea to wrap in filter fabric from the collar up. If you have ground water at all throw a drain in or a sump pit for insurance. Dont skimp on base I do 8-10" minimum often end up with a foot plus. Geotextile fabric between native soil and base and 2" lifts after compacting native soil. You need a collar up top to mortar the coping to as well and the field is standard paver install. The pool is the easy part the coping and deck is the killer

 

[Aquaman7]

Thank you Texas, bd and jimmy.
Jimmy, you often end up with a foot of crushed stone as backfill? So the rest is dirt? Am
I understanding this right?

 

[jimmythegreek]

No that's the paver base. I only use 3/4 clean for the overdig and I lose any extra concrete from collar around the stairs for support. I wrap my clean stone in filter fabric I get 10' wide from a huge roll at the local septic supply house for cheap. I often put a drain on the collar to daylight if possible and if not at least a single sump pit I pipe it all underground electrical and discharge line buried. Only a lid shows when done. Most NJ soil is clay and not good. The more base you have the less chance of movement. Also depends on type of travertine. If its thin you may have to have a slab some of it is a veneer product if it's cheaper. I'm not a fan of it for our climate and it's often variable thickness and takes time to make it nice

 

[Aquaman7]

Wow that’s a lot of base. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[jimmythegreek]

Stone is cheap and the bobcat doesnt complain. Nothing worst than a winter or two and you have bird baths in the paver deck. Huge pain to take out sections, fix them, poly sand again, and hope it doesnt happen again. I never want to go back to an install except when invited for a party or to do more work lol

 

[Aquaman7]

Stone is cheap and the bobcat doesnt complain. Nothing worst than a winter or two and you have bird baths in the paver deck. Huge pain to take out sections, fix them, poly sand again, and hope it doesnt happen again. I never want to go back to an install except when invited for a party or to do more work lol

Jimmy, your so right.