The momma is so glad the "general contractor" came to help. I have a new found respect for people who spread sand on a daily basis. My body hurts!
Our L.A. (Lower Arkansas) pool install.
- Thread starter mac.dblues
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The momma is so glad the "general contractor" came to help. I have a new found respect for people who spread sand on a daily basis. My body hurts!
So, Ms ProfessorDaisy, I'm going to assume you're with Mac and this is your pool too? If so, you will find a lot of good reading in Pool School. 
Welcome to TFP!
I gave myself blisters packing sand with a tamper! It was hard work!!!
Welcome to TFP! I gave myself blisters packing sand with a tamper! It was hard work!!!
Thanks for the welcome y'all! I am wife of Mac and mom of "general contractor." I was planning on just lurking in the shadows but this is a fun site!
You are more than welcome to join in and learn, read and enjoy TFP! Don't be shy!!! Read Pool School while you're here and most of all, enjoy yourself.
So, Ms ProfessorDaisy, I'm going to assume you're with Mac and this is your pool too? If so, you will find a lot of good reading in Pool School.
I gave myself blisters packing sand with a tamper! It was hard work!!!
Yep! She's with me. Wife of Mac, drinking buddy of Mac, Mac's baby mama, etc.
And let me tell ya, she is busting at the seams to get this pool set up. Unfortunately, we were unable to tamp last night because she was playing Mac's Mechanic Assistant while I changed the starter in our daughter's car. Now the forecast is calling for around 2" of rain from tomorrow night through Friday morning. That means all that red clay we drug up the hill will be too wet for the sand fairy to come back and leave the sand we will be needing to finish the pad this weekend.
The rain was a big issue for me as well. I was on my own for the end of our pool build but I got my Dad, son and friend to help. 
So glad you guys are making it a family project! Can't wait to see it completed and you guys enjoying it!!! 
So glad you guys are making it a family project! Can't wait to see it completed and you guys enjoying it!!!
Went home with a tamper Wednesday after work and the sand just poofed out around it. We had a family dinner to attend that night so I decided to wait. Last night, we got about an inch of rain that packed the sand down nicely. No tamping needed now!
Here's a picture of the area I tried tamping after the big rain last week. As you can see, it was nicely packed. The tamper really just smoothed the sand out.
We got outside this morning and rolled out the roofing material we are using for weed barrier.
Almost ran out of the roofing from last years pool but with some creative cutting, I was able to save my new pallet of roofing for other projects. Now for another couple of yards of sand, place the pavers and set up the pool!
We got outside this morning and rolled out the roofing material we are using for weed barrier.
Almost ran out of the roofing from last years pool but with some creative cutting, I was able to save my new pallet of roofing for other projects. Now for another couple of yards of sand, place the pavers and set up the pool!
Got our final load of sand in Monday afternoon. Worked our butts off getting it spread out, eyeball level and hand tamped. The "general contractor" came outside briefly and lit the tiki torches for us to help fend off the mosquitoes. Then the rains came... they finally let up today. Hopefully, the sand dried today and will be ready for the final leveling and placement of pavers. Then maybe we can get this pool set up and filled this weekend!
Leveled
Tamped
Leveled
Tamped
The weather FINALLY cooperated yesterday... kinda. If it weren't for the wind kicking up when we started spreading out the ground cover tarp, all would have been well.
The sand finally dried enough to do a final leveling, we chose to use the 2 X 6 method. I cut 1 foot off the end of a 12 footer and drilled a pivot hole to create a 10 foot radius. I drilled a hole in the center of the 1 foot piece and drove a bridge spike through it for our pivot. I couldn't drive a stake into the ground like most do because of the rolled roofing/weed barrier we put down.
I enlisted our daughter to hold the pivot in place while I made somewhere around 642,391 circles before we finally decided it was good enough.
Then we assembled the top frame to decide where to place the pavers.
We used a laser level to determine which paver was already the lowest and worked our way around lowering and leveling each paver.
We had all hands on deck while spreading out the ground cover and liner, and assembling the top frame in the liner so there are no pictures of those steps.
Installing the legs.
Pool up, tools and **** strewn every where.
Water going in. Wrinkles are giving us fits. Some of them may just have to stay. It seems the hardest ones are where the liner was folded. Stopped the water before bed last night at about 8" in the hopes we can work a few of them out this morning before continuing the fill.
The sand finally dried enough to do a final leveling, we chose to use the 2 X 6 method. I cut 1 foot off the end of a 12 footer and drilled a pivot hole to create a 10 foot radius. I drilled a hole in the center of the 1 foot piece and drove a bridge spike through it for our pivot. I couldn't drive a stake into the ground like most do because of the rolled roofing/weed barrier we put down.
I enlisted our daughter to hold the pivot in place while I made somewhere around 642,391 circles before we finally decided it was good enough.
Then we assembled the top frame to decide where to place the pavers.
We used a laser level to determine which paver was already the lowest and worked our way around lowering and leveling each paver.
We had all hands on deck while spreading out the ground cover and liner, and assembling the top frame in the liner so there are no pictures of those steps.
Installing the legs.
Pool up, tools and **** strewn every where.
Water going in. Wrinkles are giving us fits. Some of them may just have to stay. It seems the hardest ones are where the liner was folded. Stopped the water before bed last night at about 8" in the hopes we can work a few of them out this morning before continuing the fill.
Thanks Dave. We live on the side of a red clay hill. There isn't a flat spot 10' in diameter on our property, much less 20'! It was the only thing I could figure out to hold level.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
Finally got'er filled up and filter running today. Looks like we came out fairly level. It's so much better that last years floating ring pool, it's crazy. Now if the water temp will come on up we'll be good. When I started filling this morning water temp was 62 F and it is now at 66 F.
This picture really highlights the slope of the ground we live on. Between the truck and the hill side behind it you can really tell.
- - - Updated - - -
I almost forgot, I took this one yesterday...
The view from the pool.
This picture really highlights the slope of the ground we live on. Between the truck and the hill side behind it you can really tell.
- - - Updated - - -
I almost forgot, I took this one yesterday...
The view from the pool.
I think you did an awesome job ! ? Give yourself a pat on the back !
I'm sure it's going to get a lot of use.
I'm sure it's going to get a lot of use.
I dont see any wrinkles. What happen to 'em?
When I saw the pic you posted of em I figured you wouldnt have much of a problem.... Did you?
Now get some chlorine and stabilizer in there asap before it goes greener than the pasture on you.
And get yourself a good test kit.
When I saw the pic you posted of em I figured you wouldnt have much of a problem.... Did you?
Now get some chlorine and stabilizer in there asap before it goes greener than the pasture on you.
And get yourself a good test kit.