Is our sand base too thick?

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DevBoston

New member
Apr 27, 2023
2
Boston, MA
Hiya! My husband and I just bought a Intex Ultra XTR 12'x24' x 52" pool and are looking to set it up in the next week or so.

We had a landscaper level and compact a 15'x30' space (remove sod, dig a bit down, compact and laser level check) and then apply a 3 to 4" pad of compacted sand. The sand will be basically level with our turf/grass. I chose the 15'x30' to give us a 1.5' margin all around + 4.5 feet at one end for ladder/pool floats and reduce the grass in the water.

Reviewing the forum, I'm now worried about the sand shifting/wash out - do I need to have them remove some sand and get down to just an inch or so? My husband is handy with woodwork he could put a frame around the pad, but he's not sure that would really do any good at this point.



 
You should also have a tarp/ground cover over the sand anyway which would help prevent that from normal pool use/splashing.
With the weight of the pool (61k + pounds when filled) it will compact the sand, it won’t remain 3”.
Be certain that any pavers or wood used to support the legs have their tops flush with the leveled virgin ground not the sand. I believe the instructions for that pool call for pressure treated wood. Many have had issues with pavers cracking.
Medium sized Rocks are my go to around the pool perimeter as they are heavy enough that they don’t stick to feet & get carried in the pool & they don’t wash away/float like mulch. With all my intex pools I used the ground cover/tarp as a weed barrier & added a little extra plastic/weed barrier where needed then added my gravel, pavers etc.
If you have any drainage issues around the pool already you should take care of that- no type of base will prevent washout if there’s not adequate drainage diverting water away from the pool area.
 
Mdragger88 said:
You should also have a tarp/ground cover over the sand anyway which would help prevent that from normal pool use/splashing.
With the weight of the pool (61k + pounds when filled) it will compact the sand, it won’t remain 3”.
Be certain that any pavers or wood used to support the legs have their tops flush with the leveled virgin ground not the sand. I believe the instructions for that pool call for pressure treated wood. Many have had issues with pavers cracking.
Medium sized Rocks are my go to around the pool perimeter as they are heavy enough that they don’t stick to feet & get carried in the pool & they don’t wash away/float like mulch. With all my intex pools I used the ground cover/tarp as a weed barrier & added a little extra plastic/weed barrier where needed then added my gravel, pavers etc.
If you have any drainage issues around the pool already you should take care of that- no type of base will prevent washout if there’s not adequate drainage diverting water away from the pool area.
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Thanks for the suggestion on the stone around the outside! We have a rhino pad coming for underneath the pool so that will take care of that

If the sand has been compacted would we have the leg supports level with the compacted sand or the ground well underneath the machine compacted sand? Seems like with the ground it would be too low even with a little more compacting from weight of pool?
We are planning to use pressure treated lumber.
 
DevBoston said:
Seems like with the ground it would be too low even with a little more compacting from weight of pool?
We are planning to use pressure treated lumber.
Click to expand...
The base supports require careful attention since so much weight is applied to that confined area. If you find that the support pavers or board may be too low, have some base rock available to place underneath and pack down tightly. Not tiny pea gravel, but something about 1/2 - 3/4 inch in size that is less likely to be washed out if you have heavy rains. That type of rock base should remain stable for the support boards you plan on using.
 
duraleigh said:
sand compacts very little. The supports should be even with the top of the sand. Tamp the sand down first and then it wont compact much if at all.
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Hello, I am new here but just purchased a 16x 48 Intex XTR... it seems Intex recommends against using sand but people are still using it... In my install I would love to dig down and then use a material like sand, mortar sand or 1/4 down to level, then use foam or anti fatigue on top.. Would this be a issue
 
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