So we’ve recently decided putting an above ground pool would be a grand idea. So we purchased an 24’ round 54” high resin top and bottom pool. The dilemma is that installation was out until August. So we’ve decide to tackle this along with a group of people who’ve put up pools in the past. My husband seems to think that when doing the ground work it is ok to “bring up” and area where the pool will be going with crushed stone and then put the normal 2” sand on top of it. Everything I’ve read frowns upon the building up of an area. He states with using the crushed stone and a tamper it will be fine. Will this be ok or we’ll we have an issue in the future?
Ground work
- Thread starter Cari416
- Start date
This is also his plan to dig all sod away dig down and then put crushed stone and and level the top with the 2” of sand
If he is using crushed stone and compacts the living jebebus out of it, it should be fine.
You want the sand inside the wall and track, not under the track. Are you using a foam cove or building one with sand?
You want the sand inside the wall and track, not under the track. Are you using a foam cove or building one with sand?
CJadamec
TFP Expert
What she said " the living jedebus". A hand tamper isn't going to cut in on an area as big as a 24 foot pool. You are going to need a plate compactor and need to compact is small lifts of 1-2 inches to get good compaction rates.
Yes using crushed stone can work as a fill but it needs to be used properly. Its also not with out risk. I'm a success story in that regard 5 years later as my pool hasn't shifted a bit and it is up on 6inches of fill on one full side. It was either that or blast rock to get deep enough.
I never would have dreamed of using fill if I could have dug down deeper to get level. Its a lot of complication and expenses that just aren't needed. That and I'm always worried about the fill being washed out on my down hill side of the pool.
Good to know! Yes that’s what we plan to use is a plate compactor and go slow and make sure it’s pressed completely before adding the sand on top. Did you use 2” or 3” we plan on doing a sand cove instead of foam.
CJadamec
TFP Expert
As was mentioned the sand, about 3-5 yards worth, gets put inside the wall of the pool after the wall bottom track is laid out and uprights are on their pavers. All of the sand is spread out and contained inside the walls of the pool.
Unless there is some obstruction in the yard you really should be digging down to level and not trying to make a raised base.
Compactable fill isn't free and your going to need a lot of it. Just a 1 inch lift around the installation foot print of your pool is like 10 yards of material. The machine you need to haul in and spread the fill is the same machine you would be using to dig down.
I used quarry process material, aka road base, aka 2" minus. A good 20 or 30 yards of the stuff in my case.
You need a proper organic free compactable material and it needs to be compacted with a proper amount of moisture in it. Some sort of retaining boarder on the raised edge should be used.
Its a lot more work to use fill than it is just to dig down.
Unless there is some obstruction in the yard you really should be digging down to level and not trying to make a raised base.
Compactable fill isn't free and your going to need a lot of it. Just a 1 inch lift around the installation foot print of your pool is like 10 yards of material. The machine you need to haul in and spread the fill is the same machine you would be using to dig down.
I used quarry process material, aka road base, aka 2" minus. A good 20 or 30 yards of the stuff in my case.
You need a proper organic free compactable material and it needs to be compacted with a proper amount of moisture in it. Some sort of retaining boarder on the raised edge should be used.
Its a lot more work to use fill than it is just to dig down.
How are you going to make sure it is "pressed completely". Are you going to use a sand cone or rubber balloon, or do you somehow have access to a nuclear soil density gauge?
All sarcasm aside, you do not, and can not know that it has been sufficiently compacted unless you test it, and you cannot test it unless you know the specific proctor curves of the soil you are compacting.
You stated you are going to put "crushed stone", which I assume is 3/4" clean, and then put sand on top. All of that sand is going wash into the void spaces of that 3/4" stone. 3/4' is a very poorly graded aggregate and has lots of interstitial void space.
You could use QP, crusher run, 2" minus, DGA, road base, whatever it is called in your neck of the woods and would be much better off. QP has a very flat (forgiving) proctor curve and therefor you at least have a fighting chance of getting the compaction right. Without knowing the results of a Proctor test and then an in-place density test though you are still trying to hit the bullseye blindfolded and in the dark - at least with QP the dart board is larger.
Here is the tricky thing. Soils can be compacted to a maximum density only at a specific moisture content. Any more or less water in the soil and you can compact it all day long, and it will still settle once it either dries out or gets wet and gets to the optimal moisture content.
Yes, things can be built on fill. It is done all of the time. I have built public buildings on 10 feet of fill. But it has to be done right. Somebody playing around with a Home Depot rental plate compactor and guessing at if they have compacted the fill enough is not doing it right. The other thing is pools are heavy - very heavy. And unlike a garden shed, are quite unstable. A pool is a big, heavy, bag of water, and the only thing that is keeping it in place is the fact that it is level so that the forces around it are consistent on the frame. Let the ground settle under your shed and your doors may be sticky to open. Let the ground settle under your pool and in your case upwards of 40 tons of waters goes crashing through your backyard. That is why it is recommended not to fill under a pool. The base has to be level and the potential for damages, injury, and even death if a pool lets go are serious.
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I did the math once. My 8,000 gallon pool weighs as much as a semi truck.
Your pool is substantially larger than mine.
Think about what that does to property, or worse anyone who happens to be standing there when it lets go.
Your pool is substantially larger than mine.
Think about what that does to property, or worse anyone who happens to be standing there when it lets go.