How to Level the Ground for an Inflatable Pool
Whether you are installing an inflatable or other type of above-ground pool, you will need to level the ground to prevent the possibility of damage to the pool. Leveling the ground under your inflatable swimming pool ensures that the pressure of the water in the pool will be evenly distributed all around, and provides a smooth surface with no rocks or plants that could puncture the pool and liner. While the steps shown here are for a pool 15 feet in diameter, they can be easily generalized for different diameters. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Level
- Filtered sand
- Two 8-foot long 2" by 4" boards
- Two 2-foot long 2" by 4" boards
- Eight 2 3/4 inch deck screws
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Hammer
- 3/8 inch iron rod
- Water hose
- Tamper
Instructions
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1
Construct a straight 2" by 4" assembly one foot longer than the diameter of the pool. For a 15 foot pool, butt two 8-foot long 2-inch by 4-inch boards together at their ends and place a 2-foot long board on them, overlapping each long board by 1 foot. Attach this 2-foot brace to the longer boards using four deck screws, spaced equally along the length of the brace. Flip the three boards over and attach the second 2-foot long piece in the same manner.
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2
Use the 16-foot 2" by 4" assembly to estimate the difference between the high point and the low point of the pool area. Place one end on what appears to be the high point of the area and point the assembly to go over the low point of the pool area. Place a level on the 2" by 4" and raise the low end of the assembly until it is level. Measure the distance the assembly is above the low point of the pool area.
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3
Mow the area on as low a setting as possible. Remove any large weeds from the area and apply grass killer to the area.
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4
Remove sod and soil from the high points of the pool area if they are more than 2 inches above the low points. Bring the high points down to no more than 2 inches above the low points.
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5
Place filtered sand that has had all rocks and twigs removed onto the pool area, extending out 6 inches all around so that the diameter of the area covered by sand is 1 foot more than the diameter of the pool. Apply approximately 2 inches of sand on the high areas. Apply more sand on the lower areas to bring them to approximately the same level as the high areas.
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6
Place the 2" by 4" assembly on its side and drill a 3/8 inch hole down through one of the braces exactly halfway between the ends of the assembly.
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7
Position the assembly so that the hole you drilled is at the exact center of the pool area. Hammer the 3/8" rod through the hole and into the ground. The rod will be the pivot point around which the assembly will rotate.
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8
Smooth and level the sand by rotating the assembly around the pivot point. Keep the level on top of the assembly and check it as you rotate the assembly.
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9
Pack the sand down. To do this, wet the sand with a garden hose and allow it to set overnight. Then pack the sand using a tamper or a similar heavy flat object (tampers can be rented from a hardware or gardening store). Check the sand the next day to see if it is level; if not apply more sand and repeat this step until the sand is level after wet packing and tamping.
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Tips & Warnings
To estimate the amount of sand needed in cubic feet, find the area of a circle with a diameter 1 foot greater than the diameter of the pool. Then multiply the area by the estimated average depth of the sand needed to level the ground, expressed in feet. Find the average depth in feet by adding 2 inches and 1/2 the difference between the high point and low point of the pool area, then converting to feet.
For example, for a pool 15 feet in diameter to be placed on an area where the difference between the high point and low point is 2 inches, the diameter used in the calculation is 16 feet. The average depth of the sand is 2 inches plus 1/2 of 2 inches, which is 3 inches, or 1/4 foot.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit colorful pool toy float in a blue water pool image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com
