My first AG Pool Build

[Srswimsalot]

Taking the plunge.
I have decided to install an AG Pool. Its 21’ X 43’ 54” Pool.
When I get time, I’ll put the pool specs in my signature.
This is what I’ve done so far.

Day 1
Move all the bushes and relocate them to some other part of the yard.

Day 2
Start the general excavation. I wanted to get the ground level and find where the soft spots were so that I could tell how far down I would have to go to get to firm ground

Day 3
Get to approximate grade. All the dirt that I took out was used to extend the back yard further into the woods. Two birds, one stone.

I put a row of boards down each side of the site setting them level with the laser transit.

What I plan to do is pull a mason string from one side to the other. Start at one end of the site and do a final dig using flat shovels. Then move the string 1 foot at a time shoveling the ground to final grade as I go. This won’t be until the weekend after next. I have to go to Alabama for a wedding so the pool is going to have to wait.

After that I plan to put a layer of modified crush and run down and plat pack it. Once that is done. I will be digging footers for each support post setting them with the laser transit. I noticed in pool instructions that people install a masonry block under the support post to keep it from settling but I would rather have the post sitting on a good pier foundation so that there will be no movement.
Does anyone know if there is any deflection in the post when the pool is filled? I have a pool that uses the buttress free system. If so, I might set them at 2 deg so that the wall comes back into plumb when the pool is filled.

The bottom is going to be sand. I don’t plan on using foam.
Another interesting thing is that we have a lot of moles in our yard.
It would take an all out war to get rid of them so I guess were roommates for life.
I have some metal screen ( doors to HP server cabinets cut in half) that I’ll bury around the pool. It’s about a 16” deep so the moles can’t dig under it. Should help keep roots from growing under the pool.

More pics to come as I continue with the install.

 

[X-PertPool]

apply either a silicone spray or lithium grease to all the various screws that connect the pool walls together, you'll thank me when it comes time to replace the liner (hopefully years from now) and the screws are not all rusted frozen. :-D

 

[Srswimsalot]

Thanks Kevin,
My Pool comes with stainless steel screws but I'm going to follow your advice.
Good idea.

 

[Srswimsalot]

The Pool is a Diamond Star pool from Sun Enterprises.
Here are some pics of the pool wall along with some stats.

 

[Srswimsalot]

OOPS!! My pool is in and I have no place to store it . My garage is full of car parts and junk + two cars that are in various stages of being repaired or built. I was thinking it would come in next week when I get back from Alabama.
Looks like I'm gonna have to clean up the garage before I can get back to work on leveling the ground. Toooo many projects going on at the same time. Guess it's my self inflicting nature.
No matter, I'm not going to get in a rush. This site has to be dead level before I start putting up the pool.

 

[X-PertPool]

I've also read in a really old do-it-yourself home fix-it manual you should treat the ground with a non petroleum based insecticide to keep pests away from the pool. Good luck with your install.

 

[Srswimsalot]

My Wife and I were looking into having the ground treated by our pesticide company. I wasn’t thinking about the petroleum based issue. Thanks for that bit of info. I’ll be sure to ask our pesticide company about that.
Thanks.

 

[Srswimsalot]

Pool came in.

No, That is not a washing machine on top.
That's the stairs.
I wanted to get this thing in fast before the neighbors thought Jed Clampett was moving in.

Takes up an entire stall. Some of the boxes are so heavy, I had to slide them in with the help of another guy.

This will give me something to think about over the weekend while I'm in Alabama.

 

[Srswimsalot]

Well I’m back.
Did some digging into termite information since they have been known to attack pool liners to get at water in dry times.
It’s a good read for anyone who wants to know about termites and what they can do to your IG or AG pool.
http://www.bugspray.com/article/pooltermites.html
They sell the pesticide. It’s called Cyper TC. There are several variations of this pesticide. It depends if you want to just kill termites or termites and other types of bugs. If you just go with the termite pesticide it cost less.
Found a site that has the best price for Cyper TC . Same as the other site that has the article on termites. I checked the MSDS and Label information and they are the same.
This is the link to the company site
http://www.pestpoolandlawn.com/
This is the link to the termite insecticide.
http://www.pestpoolandlawn.com/catalog/ ... al-32.html
I ordered 2 gallons to do the entire site.

 

[Srswimsalot]

OMG, I just finished digging the final grade. I'm whipped.
Here is what it looks like.

This is a pic up close of the board used to set grade. It has a button cap nail every foot.

There is another row on the other side of the site. I ran a string from one side to the other.
This pic shows a grad stick I made. The black mark indicates the lowest point so everywhere else has to be lowered to that same mark.

The will give you the exact grade over the entire site.
It's a lot of setup but for a big site like this, I can't think of any other way to do it.
I dug the footers for the side supports. It's late so I'll have to get pics tomorrow.
Hope to pour the footings, set the blocks, platepack the crush and run rock dust, move the sand in and set the support post and lower tracks by the end of the weekend.
That's the plan anyway.

 

[Srswimsalot]

Well, another weekend goes by and still not ready for water.
But I have made some progress.

I Set each block with the transit and made sure the side support post were level and plum.

You can see the post line up ok here.

After that, I filled the gaps around the bottom supports with crush rock so that there are not gaps between the bottom rail and ground. Also made sure no gaps under the plates.

I hope to start on the bottom round ends at each end of the pool tomorrow after work.

 

[Casey]

It sure is a lot of work. I think it's well worth the blood, sweat and cuss words in the end though. Good job thus far!

 

[pool4me]

Great Work.

Looks kind of like my build (I'll be posting pics at the end of the season all at once). I began the site work last year so I got a bit of a jump on it (Used a Bobcat since I have an extremely rocky site and wanted everything to settle over the Winter).

I know those cuss words that's for sure!

I've had water in the pool for about 6 weeks now and I'm loving it. I'm building a deck around the entire pool. Because of the terrain of my yard, the entire pool will be at deck level so that's another project that's had me cussing....

But at least when I get hot / tired, I just hop into the pool and relax

Keep up the good work.

 

[Srswimsalot]

Thanks Guys for the support.

I applied the Cyper TC termite pesticide.
This pic shows all the sand placed in the center on top of landscape fabric. When the
walls go up, I'll put the rest of the landscape fabric down. I wanted the fabric to help keep any small rocks and pebbles from mixing with the sand when I grade the sand level.

I also hope it will last a long time and keep any plant life from coming up through the bottom
of the pool. I have a friend who had a single plant grow through his liner. He would trim the plant on occasion when it got tall. The pool wasn't loosing any water but the plant was the first thing everyone noticed. That's not something I want to add to my daily regiment of pool maintenance activities. I'll save mowing the grass for outside the pool.

pool4me,
I'm gonna do the same thing with the deck. I won't go all the way around but because the pool sits below grade, it will only be a couple of steps down from the existing deck.

 

[Srswimsalot]

Soooooo close.
I'm putting in the liner today.

 

[Buggsw]

You are really making progress. I love watching these pool builds.

 

[NWMNMom]

Wow it's like Dejevu for all those years back when we installed our oval. A different duck than installing a round, no doubt but we didn't know how different it would be from our round until we got to all those side supports. GREAT shots of the blocks buried and leveled. A lot of people just don't understand how important those steps are to be just right.

 

[crewchief47]

GREAT shots of the blocks buried and leveled. A lot of people just don't understand how important those steps are to be just right.

Boy, do I hear that!!! Wish the previous owner would have done his install better . Now I'm just waiting for it to fail so I can re-do it (liner is fubar as well, but it still holds water).

Pardon the hijack, back on topic.

 

[Srswimsalot]

crewchief47
Sorry to hear that.

Now that I have the liner in, my well has decided to go dry every hour.

I have to run the water at half its volume in order to keep the well from drying up.
I think I might have a bad pump but I'm not sure. Doing some research on how to test a well pump.

 

[Srswimsalot]

Well,
After 4 days here is how much my pool has filled.
Found a leak in the faucet.
That helped some but still taking a long time.
I still have to get the electrical and plumbing done this weekend.
That will give me something to do while the pool fills.

After that I have to start on the deck that will go out to the pool. By then if the pool is not full, I'm going to go next door and see if the neighbors will contribute to a good cause.