Interlocking Exercise Mats Under the Pool

[pphilipp]

I am in the process of setting up an above ground Coleman circular 22ft pool. I have seen on several forums that the two-foot square interlocking exercise mats are ideal to put under above ground pools and give a nice soft cushion to stand on. I have ordered some that are one inch thick. When they arrive I plan to start from the center and work my way outward, and then set-up the pool on top.

Ideally the simplest method would be to just put the pool legs on top of the sturdy 1” foam mat. So my question is will the mat offer enough strength or should I cut out sections of the mats and put a concrete/stone block in that section? Or would another alternative be to simply sink the blocks into the dirt below the mats where each pool leg will sit? Or should I not worry about it and simply place the pool on top of the mats?

See my illustration as what the interlocking mats will look like. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! One gallon of water weighs 8.345 pounds and your pool holds 22,000 gallons. That is a lot of downward forces focused on the small surface area of the pool feet. I'm pretty sure those legs will sink into the foam mats, probably before the pool is filled. That may prevent the legs from moving into the correct position as the pool fills. It would be best to level the pool site, put down the matts, and inset the pavers so they are flush with the surface of the mat. You may also have to dig down into the dirt beneath the mat so the paver can sit flush. Keep in mind that the pool legs will push out 2" or so as the pool fills. It may be best to position the pavers so the legs sit at the inside edge, giving the legs room to slide to the middle of the paver as the pool fills.