What is the best material to put around an above ground pool

[chayne]

"I cleaned out a 2' area from the pool wall. I placed black metal edging at the outside edge of the 2' space. I then put down a material weed block in the space between the metal edging and the edge of the pool. I then filled with white marble rocks/chips. Looks nice and clean and easy to weed eat around. I spray with roundup when needed."

pics please. i am wanting to do something like that also.

 

[Peter07]

I purchased noodle from the dollar store and used it as a barrier around my pool to protect it from pea pebbles getting under...worked awsome! I just slid them under the liner enough to hold them in place,put rock right up to them...i have an 18x9 inter pool

 

[johnnysnok]

I used small red lava rock around the pool I built at my parents house pool 30 years ago that is still there and still looks good. And also those Doughboy pools last!

I also use Lava Rock around my pool.

At least that's what the rocks in my photo are called at the garden center I bought them at in South Jersey.

What really got me was the weight.........they are very light for there size. Every spring I spray some weed killer on them and I'm all set.

 

[Catanzaro]

cfclay:

Welcome to the forum and sorry for your troubles. A couple to items:

1) Any downspouts from the home, as water comes down and onto your property should be rerouted away from the pool and if possible to the street. They make all kind of extensions to reroute water. I personally used hard pipe (PVC schedule 30 and 40 and yes a little overkill) and tucked them in the ground away from the home. Even in the winter with freezing, nothing has cracked. Water eventually comes out the other way.

2) If you have no control where this water is coming from. For example, your property is lower elevation from neighbors property and other areas. Then, what you would want to do is what has been advised in the previous posts. You could create a French drain with fabric, stones, landscape edging, catch basins and reroute water again away from the pool.

If this is something that can not be tackled, then you should hire a professional. Do you have any idea where all this water is coming from? Thanks!

 

[djorn2k]

I purchased noodle from the dollar store and used it as a barrier around my pool to protect it from pea pebbles getting under...worked awsome! I just slid them under the liner enough to hold them in place,put rock right up to them...i have an 18x9 inter pool

Can you share a picture? I'm also interested in doing some decorations around the pool.

Noodles???

 

[Wraenking]

I used 3/4 river rock and finally expanded it out more and added rr ties so Everytime I weed whacked I was not shooting rocks all over!

 

[Catanzaro]

I think any type of decoration around a pool is nice. I used landscape edging (black and rigid). After the pattern was designed, I edged down around 4". With a heat gun, I followed the pattern as it did not take much. It is a clean look and now rocks do not kick up like normally they would.

 

[ThunderDan]

Went with 1-3" river rock....nice clean look IMO

 

[Chasarms]

I have a deck all the way around my pool, but before I built it, I laid down builder grade plastic and covered it with washed stone very similar to @phonedave. Just make sure that to slope the grade very slightly away from the pool so water doesn't stand against the pool.

 

[kellyfair]

i have white beach pebbles around mine.

 

[Alicgmood10]

I used river pebbles over landscaping fabric (I had previously tried mulch, but it was bad decision). Guys, is anyone use pool heater. I need one and I even made some research (so here I found one of the cheapest), but i know nothing about it. Need advice.

 

[Rayala]

People joke that my yard looks like a stone yard - I have a number of different kinds of rock in different places.

I have 3/4" clean (what everyone calls "gravel" in some spots (mainly for drainage in areas you cannot see)
I have 3/8" grey pea gravel in some areas - like under the swing set.
I have 3/8" yellow pea gravel around some trees
I have what is known around here as Eastern Surnise in some areas
I have 2" egg rock around the pool.

Pea gravel gets everywhere - it is too small, in my opinion, to put around the pool. It gets knocked out of wherever you put it too easily. It works great under a swing set, because a good layer (I think I have 8") of pea gravel provides a cushioned surface for around swings and play structures.

Eastern Sunrise is pretty, it is it like volcanic rock - I really have no idea where they source this stuff from. It is unstable to walk on, and the dog hates it (it hurts his paws). It is also a pain to weed in (because it is so sharp)

Egg rock (or river rock) works great around the pool. It is large enough to stay in place, but it nests well. The rounded edges make it easy to pull any stray weeds that get into it.

3/4" clean stone is just ugly - but if you are filling in a 2' deep drainage ditch behind a shed, it is the cheapest way to go.


When buying stone, bulk is SO much cheaper than bags. If you have a need for any sort of quantity of stone, look into bulk delivery. Or, even better, if you can get it yourself, its even cheaper. Just be careful, stone is heavy. I have a small trailer. It could hold, by volume, about 2 yards of material. I will only pick up a 1/2 yard at a time (there is a place around here that will sell in 1/2 yard quantities) because it is so heavy. I picked up a full yard of 3/4" once, and the way that trailer was creaking, I was aftaid I was going to snap the axle on it.

-dave

Hi Dave,
I’d love to see a picture of your yard since I’m thinking about decorating my yard with different kinds of rocks.
Thanks,
Rosa

 

[phonedave]

Hi Dave,
I’d love to see a picture of your yard since I’m thinking about decorating my yard with different kinds of rocks.
Thanks,
Rosa

I will take a few and post them

Thanks