Leveling already filled in inground pool for AGP install

[madii]

Hi,

I recently bought the 32x16 Intex above ground pool, and I'm installing it in the same spot where an inground pool once was (in which the filled in area is roughly 32x16). The inground pool has been filled with dirt for a number of years, and there are a few spots in the soil that are 5 inches off level from the concrete slab surrounding the inground pool. I've read that I should remove soil from the highest spot and not add to the soil when leveling. But if I do this, and place the legs onto the surrounding concrete slab, I fear that the liner will rupture because the soil will be 5 inches lower than the slab.

My question is, should I add more soil to the low spots to make it level with my concrete slab instead? I don't have any wiggle room for the legs to be on the surrounding soil within the slab.

 

[Teald024]

Hmmm, that’s unique! Putting an above ground pool on a buried inground.
This is a case where it may be better to add to the ground and compact the fill to get a level area. You definitely don’t want the liner 5 inches below the legs.
Compact the area first, add a couple inches of fill, compact, add, compact until it’s all level. Be sure to put pavers under the legs that aren’t on the concrete..

 

[Newdude]

The problem with leveling soil/sand up is that it shifts rather easily under the water weight under the pool. Lumber wouldn’t (whether it was 2X10s, plywood, or a combination of the 2) and if it was pressure treated it would last longer than you’d need for this pool.

Or you could level the area up with more concrete.

Either way if the ground isn’t fully settled you may need to take the pool down after a season or two and readjust if it sinks more, but after a bunch of years already, it’s probably mostly settled.

 

[cowboycasey]

If you use #57 gravel it will be 95% compacted out of the bucket... You could install after using a hand tamp and be good to go..

Gravel Around Pools - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I have to ask, did you fill in the pool?

 

[madii]

Hmmm, that’s unique! Putting an above ground pool on a buried inground.
This is a case where it may be better to add to the ground and compact the fill to get a level area. You definitely don’t want the liner 5 inches below the legs.
Compact the area first, add a couple inches of fill, compact, add, compact until it’s all level. Be sure to put pavers under the legs that aren’t on the concrete..

If you use #57 gravel it will be 95% compacted out of the bucket... You could install after using a hand tamp and be good to go..

Gravel Around Pools - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I have to ask, did you fill in the pool?

Hmmm, that’s unique! Putting an above ground pool on a buried inground.
This is a case where it may be better to add to the ground and compact the fill to get a level area. You definitely don’t want the liner 5 inches below the legs.
Compact the area first, add a couple inches of fill, compact, add, compact until it’s all level. Be sure to put pavers under the legs that aren’t on the concrete..

Thanks for the suggestion

Hmmm, that’s unique! Putting an above ground pool on a buried inground.
This is a case where it may be better to add to the ground and compact the fill to get a level area. You definitely don’t want the liner 5 inches below the legs.
Compact the area first, add a couple inches of fill, compact, add, compact until it’s all level. Be sure to put pavers under the legs that aren’t on the concrete..

Thanks for the suggestion!!

Hmmm, that’s unique! Putting an above ground pool on a buried inground.
This is a case where it may be better to add to the ground and compact the fill to get a level area. You definitely don’t want the liner 5 inches below the legs.
Compact the area first, add a couple inches of fill, compact, add, compact until it’s all level. Be sure to put pavers under the legs that aren’t on the concrete..

Thanks for the suggestion!!

 

[madii]

The problem with leveling soil/sand up is that it shifts rather easily under the water weight under the pool. Lumber wouldn’t (whether it was 2X10s, plywood, or a combination of the 2) and if it was pressure treated it would last longer than you’d need for this pool.

Or you could level the area up with more concrete.

Either way if the ground isn’t fully settled you may need to take the pool down after a season or two and readjust if it sinks more, but after a bunch of years already, it’s probably mostly settled.

Thanks for the suggestion!!

 

[madii]

If you use #57 gravel it will be 95% compacted out of the bucket... You could install after using a hand tamp and be good to go..

Gravel Around Pools - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I have to ask, did you fill in the pool?

Thanks for the suggestion!!! And when I bought the house back in 2016 the pool was already filled in by the prior homeowner. I kinda wish they wouldn’t have! But I’m not sure if it was in bad shape beforehand.

 

[Newdude]

Thanks for the suggestion!!

Lumber would be harder to shim right to keep it level-ish but could easily be removed down the road. Concrete would be easiest to level but you’d be looking at the patch job forever if you went without a pool one day.

Gravel is kinda the best of both worlds but isn’t smooth so you’d need gorilla padding also to protect the pool.

 

[cowboycasey]

There are many a thread where they are brought back from filled in...

I will give you something to look over

OB Northern California (Roseville) Rehab / buried

Good Evening, I would love to start by thanking everyone who has taken the time to contribute and share their lessons learned. There is so much useful information on this site. This community has inspired me to take this project on. Here is a little background; My family and I moved into this...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Casey]

I'd be digging that inground pool out and bringing it back to life. It's a lot of work but I'd be up for the challenge!

 

[madii]

Lumber would be harder to shim right to keep it level-ish but could easily be removed down the road. Concrete would be easiest to level but you’d be looking at the patch job forever if you went without a pool one day.

Gravel is kinda the best of both worlds but isn’t smooth so you’d need gorilla padding also to protect the pool.

Yeah now I'm definitely thinking about laying gravel down. That would seem like the easiest option too! And I didn't even think about lumber, but like you said it can be removed with ease, so I'm liking that too. Great options to consider!

 

[madii]

There are many a thread where they are brought back from filled in...

I will give you something to look over

OB Northern California (Roseville) Rehab / buried

Good Evening, I would love to start by thanking everyone who has taken the time to contribute and share their lessons learned. There is so much useful information on this site. This community has inspired me to take this project on. Here is a little background; My family and I moved into this...

www.troublefreepool.com

Wow that is amazing!!!!! I would love to do something like that and definitely thought about it several times over. The only thing that stopped me was that I don't believe I will be living at my current house too much longer (a few more years) and I didn't want to put alot of money into this home. But if I found my dream home, and a filled in pool was the case, oh I would have definitely tried to fix it!!

 

[madii]

Hmmm, that’s unique! Putting an above ground pool on a buried inground.
This is a case where it may be better to add to the ground and compact the fill to get a level area. You definitely don’t want the liner 5 inches below the legs.
Compact the area first, add a couple inches of fill, compact, add, compact until it’s all level. Be sure to put pavers under the legs that aren’t on the concrete..

Do you suggest I fill with gravel? Or how about filling with soil since the legs of the pool will be on the concrete slab? Would I still have to be concerned with settling?

 

[Teald024]

I’m going to assume that only some of the legs will be on the concrete slab. I’d go with gravel that you compact. Gravel is typically crushed rock and is pretty stable. Soil typically has organic matter and water which can compress and not hold as well.
you can put a mat over the rock to provide a smoother surface under the liner

 

[cowboycasey]

You can use this under the pool, works great.. I have had mine under it going on 8 years

Use 3 inch gorrila tape to tape together

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-0-5-in-x-8-ft-x-4-ft-Actual-0-437-in-x-7-937-ft-x-3-875-ft-1-R-3-Unfaced-Polystyrene-Foam-Board-Insulation/3014183

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gorilla-Tough-and-Wide-2-88-in-x-90-ft-Black-Heavy-Duty-Duct-Tape/3391254

 

[madii]

Thanks for all the help!!!! I have one last question. Could I use mason sand to level out the pool as well? Since the AGP will be sitting on a contained area where the filled-in pool once was, the sand won't be able to move away from the weight of the pool because it's contained. Does this sound about right?

I couldn't see this working if I had my pool sitting on a regular spot on my land. But I think my scenario is slightly different than normal.