What comes first? Coving or sand?

[Ninvenya]

We just got the wall up on our 18' Epic from Leslie's. The instructions (if you want to call it that) show to place the coving first because there is a notch that fits onto the bottom rail. But...all the youtube videos we have watched show everyone laying sand first, then the coving on top. Which is the correct or preferred way of doing it? Thank you so much!

 

[Teald024]

Hello and Welcome to TFP!!

I would put sand down and level it. Bring the sand up to the level of the bottom rail at least. Most AGP's need a couple (2-3") of inches of sand under the liner and the liner is sized assuming this. Obviously refer to the installation instructions for your pool Then add the foam cove on top of the sand. It is not critical that the notch in the cove matches the bottom rail exactly.

 

[ColdBeers]

When I did mine last year, did sand first then foam cove then a strip of duct-tape (gorilla tape) along the top of the foam cove securing it to the wall.

Then liner and water, haven’t had any issues with the cove moving since install.

 

[cj133]

I'm partially convinced those who make foam cove do not actually understand how the pool goes together.
From what I've seen all of the pools require the sand to be several inches deep inside of the wall. None of them want to sit on sand so none want sand below the wall because it can wash out.

This means the notch behind the foam on the peal and stick ones is pointless and the ones with the plastic that's meant to stick into the track will never work.

Am I missing something?

 

[spf30]

We did sand, then cove. BUT, I'd add extra tape to the cove along with what comes on it. Ours crept up along the side of the pool wall as we added water.

 

[daisiduk1]

Just changed our liner and did sand, liner pad, cove, wall foam...

We used the foam adhesive spray to stick the cove on...

 

[phonedave]

When I did my a number of years ago, I did:

Existing Sand
Wall foam
Cove
Taped the seam of the Cove to the Wall Foam (and all joints in the cove)

 

[phonedave]

I'm partially convinced those who make foam cove do not actually understand how the pool goes together.
From what I've seen all of the pools require the sand to be several inches deep inside of the wall. None of them want to sit on sand so none want sand below the wall because it can wash out.

This means the notch behind the foam on the peal and stick ones is pointless and the ones with the plastic that's meant to stick into the track will never work.

Am I missing something?

Those are my thoughts as well. I can see having a notch at the back, just in case you have some sand back there, but the track should be under the sand.