Surface advice.

[lhu]

Hi all. I’m hoping I can get some opinions or advice. I’ve been working on the ground for a 24ft Intex Xtr for the last week around my work ( and weather ) I am using a ( near ) 13ft 2x6 on a 8ft rebar hammered into the ground using a old wheel rotor to pivot on, with a 3 ft level near the end. ( sounds really stupid now I’ve typed it out )
After digging by hand and tiller round in circles for what seems like forever, the bubble is slap bang center at any point I’ve checked. But I’m kind of paranoid that the soil/dirt on the right of the photo will sink as it seems much looser compared to the rest. The blue section in the photo appears to be dark soil as clay ish. The red section I’m told is chirt ? ( I’m English and getting used to USA terms for things ) which basically seems to be very hard red soil mixed with stones that think they are there purely to mess up my hands. Should I be ( I do hope not ) digging down again on the right and then leveling again fighting through chirt etc or will the pavers under the legs and this kind of surface be ok? I plan on getting some
Sand to fill holes etc and we have a gorilla pad here.
Thank you for any advice
Lee

 

[sammckin]

Welcome to TFP firstly. I'm sure the experts will weigh in shortly. Generally speaking you want to remove the topsoil and level by digging down and not building up. If you have loose soil the weight of the pool will sink. Best to get this part right the first time, the rest easy IMO.

 

[lhu]

Welcome to TFP firstly. I'm sure the experts will weigh in shortly. Generally speaking you want to remove the topsoil and level by digging down and not building up. If you have loose soil the weight of the pool will sink. Best to get this part right the first time, the rest easy IMO.

Thank you, ive tried to read and absorb as much as possible, and have dug down so far, i was really hoping to avoid having to dig more due to the chirt stuff. this is the only place we can put the pool, but wanted opinions on the dirt/stone on what i guess is just under 1/3rd of the circumference but only maybe 5ft deep. also not being a metal wall'd pool i was concerned about having the one end potentially 20-24 inches lower than the ground due to the slope. i guess i just have to keep that end well away from the pool wall.

 

[sammckin]

Thank you, ive tried to read and absorb as much as possible, and have dug down so far, i was really hoping to avoid having to dig more due to the chirt stuff. this is the only place we can put the pool, but wanted opinions on the dirt/stone on what i guess is just under 1/3rd of the circumference but only maybe 5ft deep. also not being a metal wall'd pool i was concerned about having the one end potentially 20-24 inches lower than the ground due to the slope. i guess i just have to keep that end well away from the pool wall.

Some more experienced folks will chime in I am sure. I have only build one pool but I read a lot here first. I paid a guy the same amount as the pool to excavate, level, spread choke and compact it and im glad I did. I see ground preparation as probably the single most important part of set up, the rest goes easy and fast once you have a good base. They say the actual pool is about one third of the total cost, you're going to pay with sweat equity or hiring pros, one way or the other. I sold my dirt bike to pay the excavators, the things we do for our kids eh

 

[lhu]

Some more experienced folks will chime in I am sure. I have only build one pool but I read a lot here first. I paid a guy the same amount as the pool to excavate, level, spread choke and compact it and im glad I did. I see ground preparation as probably the single most important part of set up, the rest goes easy and fast once you have a good base. They say the actual pool is about one third of the total cost, you're going to pay with sweat equity or hiring pros, one way or the other. I sold my dirt bike to pay the excavators, the things we do for our kids eh

Yeah i have read as much with installation costs
Sweat equity i have plenty of, and i guess i know where the low point is for sure now, i work from home so plan to take a LONG weekend to get the ground level sorted. Its especially important to keep going the way the world is, as we have no plans to go anywhere. i am looking forward to teaching my 5yr old to swim.

 

[Casey]

This looks pretty good to me Hfx. Looks like you did a very good job on leveling the foundation. I'd go ahead, if you're level, and proceed to the next step. You're not going to be able to change the texture of the dirt and to me, it looks like undisturbed earth that you dug into regardless if it's got loose stone or is solid clay.

I taught my granddaughter how to swim like a fish last year. She is turning 7 years old in a week. I've had her in water since she was 1 yr old. She really figured it out last summer and was so proud of herself. It's the best thing you could ever teach a child. Have fun n stay safe.

 

[lhu]

This looks pretty good to me Hfx. Looks like you did a very good job on leveling the foundation. I'd go ahead, if you're level, and proceed to the next step. You're not going to be able to change the texture of the dirt and to me, it looks like undisturbed earth that you dug into regardless if it's got loose stone or is solid clay.

I taught my granddaughter how to swim like a fish last year. She is turning 7 years old in a week. I've had her in water since she was 1 yr old. She really figured it out last summer and was so proud of herself. It's the best thing you could ever teach a child. Have fun n stay safe.

I now do not think my OCD will let me , i can easily shovel the right hand side away down to around 4 inches before i hit anything hard, the rest of the area is pretty solid, so i kind of answered my own question ha. I am ahead on work commissions so i intend on starting to dig up the rest of the hard stuff starting this afternoon.
i also have to find out if i need planning or a permit to put a small deck up, apparently our town has a bad record for making rules up as they go to make money, just another headache to deal with i guess.
yeah our little boy has to learn to swim asap, my sister drowned when i was 1 and she was 6, so water worries me, which is kind of why we didnt save for a in ground, as i felt comfier with this, but either way hes learning to swim immediately.
thank you,

 

[sammckin]

That is tragic, sorry to hear that. Keep posting pics of the build progress, everyone loves a build thread.

 

[lhu]

Well many hours and blisters later I’ve dug to solid ground all around. Although levels at both ends have the bubble slap in the center, my eyes tell me it’s all over the place sigh.
I guess I can now get sand and pavers for the feet. Am I right in thinking I can put a level between the pavers as I go and that will give me a good chance of being level?
Again thank you for any input.

 

[Casey]

Start leveling the first pad to the second n you should hit level by the time you get back around to the first.

 

[lhu]

Start leveling the first pad to the second n you should hit level by the time you get back around to the first.

Pad you mean paver?

 

[lhu]

currently trying to source sand, places are wanting $100 just to delivery before the sand costs. seems extremely high if im honest.

 

[RonsPlc]

What part of Alabama are you in?
I had 1/2 of a dump truck of sand brought to me for $250 a couple of years ago.

 

[sammckin]

Well many hours and blisters later I’ve dug to solid ground all around. Although levels at both ends have the bubble slap in the center, my eyes tell me it’s all over the place sigh.
I guess I can now get sand and pavers for the feet. Am I right in thinking I can put a level between the pavers as I go and that will give me a good chance of being level?
Again thank you for any input.

You could put that level on top of the board you have in the picture now couldn't you? I have not done a round pool yet but seems like that would be easier than going pad to pad.

 

[lhu]

What part of Alabama are you in?
I had 1/2 of a dump truck of sand brought to me for $250 a couple of years ago.

Were in Shelby county like a hr south of Birmingham, Local builders yard has it at $69 per yard but i need to get a trailer.

You could put that level on top of the board you have in the picture now couldn't you? I have not done a round pool yet but seems like that would be easier than going pad to pad.

I have 2 levels, one either end and rotated and check pretty much every ft as i went. im sure theres some variance but hoping what i am doing is ok/makes sense.

 

[sammckin]

Were in Shelby county like a hr south of Birmingham, Local builders yard has it at $69 per yard but i need to get a trailer.

I have 2 levels, one either end and rotated and check pretty much every ft as i went. im sure theres some variance but hoping what i am doing is ok/makes sense.

I was thinking to set a temporary paver in the middle then level using your level and the long board from that pave out to every leg paver.

 

[lhu]

$228 for sand itll be here later. i will try to get that put in today and then pick up my pavers tomorrow. No idea where i am going to put the solar panels as yet for the pump. i just want to get wet haha.

 

[Casey]

Pad you mean paver?

Definitely meant paver but you knew what I meant.

 

[lhu]

The sand is all in there 3 yards. should i be concerned the pool will sit a couple of inches lower than the lowest point of the hole? i mean when we get torrential rain will it flood, should i dig a channel at the lowest point, or am i worrying over nothing?
Also collected 10 bags of salt and 30 pavers this morning, giving my hands a rest today then i guess i have to figure out how to compress then level the sand? i keep telling myself the worst is nearly over, the worst is nearly over........

 

[sammckin]

The sand is all in there 3 yards. should i be concerned the pool will sit a couple of inches lower than the lowest point of the hole? i mean when we get torrential rain will it flood, should i dig a channel at the lowest point, or am i worrying over nothing?
Also collected 10 bags of salt and 30 pavers this morning, giving my hands a rest today then i guess i have to figure out how to compress then level the sand? i keep telling myself the worst is nearly over, the worst is nearly over........

Should be able to use your board to smooth out the sand and fill any low spots i would think. Pin it in the middle somehow and work it around your circle like hands on a clock maybe. As for the sand washing out, you might dig a channel or use some type of border or edging to hold your sand it.