Unlevel Pool (yes, another thread)

[vyper144]

Alright, I know this question has been asked hundreds of times on this site. And all of the guidance is to screw the $100s of water and just do it right...

I have a Intex Rectangle 118" x 78.75" x 29.5" (9.8' x 6.5' x 2.4', or 2m x 3m). It holds just over 1,100 gallons of water.

My pool is sitting on three 4x8 sheets of plywood. Underneath is mulch. The plywood is very sturdy. I have it semi-leveled with brick underneath the plywood, but it's very solid. All 10 feet (4 corners + 6 supports) are all sitting on the plywood firmly as well.

I measured the top flat piece of each corner to the water level and here are my variations:

9.5" Front-left
6.25" Front-right
7.5" Rear-left
4.5" Rear-right

As you can see, it has a max variance of 5". I already know the answer, I need to drain and properly level. And as much as I don't want to do that, I'm going to.

I am curious though... Being unlevel on *solid* "ground" (the plywood), am I any more or less safe than others that have theirs directly in grass?

That's really the only reason I'm asking the question, because either someone has a round pool or it's on actual ground/grass.

Your responses won't sway me one way or the other, I'm still going to level the pool. I am just curious, that's all.

I'm new to owning a pool, so I'm trying to understand the engineering and logistics of maintaining one.

 

[ajw22]

Plywood or grass make no difference in how unsafe the pool is. The loads are not evenly distributed across the supports with an unlevel pool.

How to level above ground pool - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[vyper144]

Plywood or grass make no difference in how unsafe the pool is. The loads are not evenly distributed across the supports with an unlevel pool.

How to level above ground pool - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

That post needs to be tagged so it shows up as a top result on Google. It explains very well the dangers, the hows, the whys of a level pool. Had I seen that post initially, I may not have asked the question...

If I can manage to get some bricks underneath the feet of the pool, on top of the plywood, is that even sufficient to level the pool?

Naturally, with the brick, I could be (let's say) just over 1" too low on a corner. Adding another brick could put me over 1" too high. I'd have to get something shorter than a brick and strong enough.

I can imagine trying to level 10 feet is going to be tough. I'll likely pull up the plywood (that stuff is freakin HEAVY though), rake the ground, and tamper everything down. Re-lay plywood, use a level on that, then throw the pool back on. If the dry pool remains level, fill it up halfway and check again. If I'm comfortable there, fill all the way and check again.

 

[ajw22]

Pool feet should go on undisturbed ground.

You cannot tamp down soil to hold the weight of water.

I do not know if your legs were not level to begin with or if your soil sank under the weight of the pool.

Dig down to level. Never build ground up.

 

[Mdragger88]

Please understand that those pools are designed so that the frame supports the liner & the liner supports the frame. They work together.
If things are askew you risk bending the frame or the liner ripping because the pressure is not all evenly distributed.

Where I live that’s about $10 worth of water- not worth risking bending or ripping a new pool over.