Please criticize the faults in my plan, Intex XTR 16 x 48 install

[Nitrojedi]

New member here, just purchased a Intex XTR 16' x 48" , wifey is very excited !

Anyways I would like to make a permanent sight for the pool with a border and gravel base , make it look nice an clean.. However I am not sure if I would want to dig down deeper lets say 10" , fill with gravel to make a base , lay down foam for pool to sit on, gorilla pad on top of foam.. pavers surface level with the top of the foam.. once pool is installed backfill with gravel to flush with paver surface and hide foam edge .. I want a gravel base for drainage, weather here is unpredictable and the ground has a high clay content. so lots of movement between wet and dry spells.

What I am not sure of

1. What pavers should I use for under the uprights ? can these rest on the gravel or should I try to have them on the levelled earth, of course if they are on the earth they will need to be much thicker , or do I even need pavers with a gravel base ? And if not pavers what else would look good and clean ?

2. How deep should we make the gravel base and what gravel is most recommended ?

Thank you in advance, I am so happy to have found this forum, its given me the confidence to order one of these pools.. I will be hiring someone to do my pool sight, I'm too old with too many back issues.

Here is a picture of a setup I like that I plan to try to emulate

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP!

1. What pavers should I use for under the uprights ?

Use pavers. Don't place supports directly on the ground. Check the size of your support bases. Some may try 12 x 12 pavers, but 16 x 16 are also common. Be sure to calculate depth required to set the paver in the ground so that the pavers are level with the liner/pad to ensure the liner can't roll outwards and become pinched by an exposed paver. If you have to leave a paver directly on top of the ground, ensure it can be positioned par enough away from the liner as to not touch the liner, or use something to guard the edge of the paver.

2. How deep should we make the gravel base and what gravel is most recommended ?

This can vary based on local soil conditions (stability, rocks, vegetation, etc). Anywhere from 1 - 2 inches is fairly common. Take into account what padding you may use as well.

Stick around. I'm sure others will reply with their thoughts and personal experiences of what worked well for them. Enjoy the forum.

 

[Newdude]

Hey Nitro and Welcome !!!

Use pavers

Note that you want the thick ones (4 inch / 3.5 inch actual). The stepping stone type ones that are 2 inch (1.5 actual) are prone to cracking.

 

[Texas Splash]

Speaking of that, be sure there is a good base under the paver itself. It may need to be slightly different that what you do under the pool for the pads/liner. It may be something more like small gravel or course stone. You don't want the pavers to shift or sink.

 

[duraleigh]

I posted before. Don't dig a hole in the dirt to create mud from splashout. Build your base above ground level so the splashout will run away from your pool........not under it.

 

[Nitrojedi]

I plan to make a border that is raised above ground level, inside the border I will remove the sod and level the dirt, then fill the border with gravel for drainage, then build the pool on top of the gravel , anyone know what type of gravel I should be using ?

 

[titleistseemore]

Here is my thread on my intex build from 2015, It has allot of pictures that may be helpful. I made the dirt very compact with water and a heavy roller, my pavers were place on top and the foam sheets which I absolutely loved (Very soft on younsters feet) were the same height. I had this pool up for over 3 years with 0 problems ...

New Pool Build Questions

Thanks for the reply about the pavers and foam sheets, When I get to that point of the install I am going to see how difficult it is for me to get the pavers leveled and then make a decision. If the ground ends up being very hard and tough to dig then I will probably do what you did...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[kstoutdog]

Sounds like a really nice permanent set up for a temporary pool... spend the few bucks extra a get a steel sided AGP. 5 years from now, you'll be glad you did.

 

[Nitrojedi]

Sounds like a really nice permanent set up for a temporary pool... spend the few bucks extra a get a steel sided AGP. 5 years from now, you'll be glad you did.

I got a quote for one already, it was $20,000 all said and done for a upper mid level 21'... Due to a bad back I have to hire most of it out... by contrast this Intex 16' will likely cost me $2500 all said and done.

 

[kstoutdog]

I got a quote for one already, it was $20,000 all said and done for a upper mid level 21'... Due to a bad back I have to hire most of it out... by contrast this Intex 16' will likely cost me $2500 all said and done.

Dang, $20k for a 21' above ground? Seems crazy high.

 

[Newdude]

it was $20,000 all said and done for a upper mid level 21'...

What else was included in the 'all said and done' ? The pool itself couldn't possibly cost that much unless it was a flagship model such as radiant/optimum.

Now. When I was going to do it, the fence asd deck added up to a similar amount as yours, but that expense would have happened either way going above ground. It happened with the inground we went with too, just considerably more for a larger surface area.

 

[Nitrojedi]

Dang, $20k for a 21' above ground? Seems crazy high.

I know, I contacted 3 different companies too, its crazy expensive, one place wants $16,500 to do the install alone... other place is $6000 but I have to strip the sod myself and supply all the needed mortar sand ..the pools ranged from $10,000 to $14,000 depending how they were equipped.... I want a nice pad that drains good as we do have quite a bit of rain at times and the layout of my yard does get quite a bit over overland flooding during heavy downpours

 

[Nitrojedi]

What else was included in the 'all said and done' ? The pool itself couldn't possibly cost that much unless it was a flagship model such as radiant/optimum.

Now. When I was going to do it, the fence asd deck added up to a similar amount as yours, but that expense would have happened either way going above ground. It happened with the inground we went with too, just considerably more for a larger surface area.

Inground here is roughly $80,000 , Sadly our inflation is out of control here in Canada, a gallon of Messmers UV Plus deck stain is $120.00

 

[kstoutdog]

I know, I contacted 3 different companies too, its crazy expensive, one place wants $16,500 to do the install alone... other place is $6000 but I have to strip the sod myself and supply all the needed mortar sand ..the pools ranged from $10,000 to $14,000 depending how they were equipped.... I want a nice pad that drains good as we do have quite a bit of rain at times and the layout of my yard does get quite a bit over overland flooding during heavy downpours

just to give you some perspective... I have a 27' x 48" round.. installed (including quite a bit of excavation) for under $7k. (installed spring 2022)

 

[Nitrojedi]

just to give you some perspective... I have a 27' x 48" round.. installed (including quite a bit of excavation) for under $7k. (installed spring 2022)

Must be nice !!! anyways I will make the nicest pad I can for this little 16' tub I just bought, let me see if we even like having a pool. I am not sure I need to make such a deep base, I just wanted a nice border and a clean looking backfill to hide the nasty bits , spent a small fortune buying this house last spring and wat to make it as nice as possible

 

[Nitrojedi]

So building a 20' x 20' x 6" base is going to gobble up roughly 7 yards of crushed stone.. Hmmm maybe I am overthinking and over complicating this little temporary pool LOL.

 

[Nitrojedi]

Okay another option I have seen and I like the idea is to use 4x6 x3/4 rubber stall mats, they weigh 100 lbs each and I would need 15 of them to make a 18 x 20 pad... No need for blocks, just level the ground and lay the mats down and build the pool right on the mats , my cost would $1159 for the mats. and afterwards I can clean the mats and use them in my gym or sell them on Kijiji for a discount ..in terms of ease of pool assembly this would be nice, no need to cut a foam bottom, no sand,, clean and easy

 

[Schnozz]

Whatever you do, don't overthink. I put in a 12 x 24 Intex a while back. The whole shebang cost me less than $900.00. My upgrades due to "over thinking" has exceeded the original cost of the pool.... Doing it right is good, thinking too much is bad!!!..

Concrete Pad, PVC hard plumbing, Pentair Cartridge Filter, Power to the pump.....

The guys and gals have been very helpful. But on several occasions I got one of these

 

[Nitrojedi]

Whatever you do, don't overthink. I put in a 12 x 24 Intex several years ago. The whole shebang cost me less than $900.00 in 2016. My upgrades due to thinking has exceeded the original cost of the pool.... Doing it right is good, thinking too much is bad!!!..

Dam ! you hit the nail on the head LOL

 

[Newdude]

Whatever you do, don't overthink.

That's CLASSIC, from you.