What To Put Under Above
One of the best materials to put under your new above-ground pool is a Gorilla Pad or an Armor shield because these products feature materials that are breathable enough to allow moisture through while being very tough. No matter if youre installing a pool on a sand base and cove, foam cove, liner floor pad, concrete, or more, all of them have benefits and drawbacks.
If youre wondering what to put under an above-ground pool because you dont want to sit it directly on the grass, this is for you.
Were going to outline several options you have available, and you can decide which ones work best for your situation.
Where To Put An Intex Pool
Before deciding on what to put under your above ground pool, you need to decide on where to put your Intex pool. Popular options are grass, concrete, pavers, gravel, dirt and on decks.Concrete is probably the best option since it is usually 100% level and smooth. Also, grass cant grow through concrete and animals and bugs cant damage or burrow through it either.
Grass or dirt is also another great option, as long as it has been properly leveled and youve killed off the grass first.
You could put your pool on pavers, however the weight of the pool may compress the pavers and move them out of shape. Which will mean youll need to fix them when you remove your pool.
What To Put Under An Above
Above we wrote that there should be an additional layer a substrate between a concrete base and the bottom of the pool. It prevents the bottom of the pool from rubbing off and wearing out.
You can put interlocking foam tiles or a pre-cut pad on the concrete so it wont get dusty, and your feet will feel soft. Also, children wont get hurt if they fall on the foam tiles.
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Can You Set Up An Intex Pool On Grass
Select the ideal location for an Intex pool installation: Select a grassy lawn space in your backyard that offers a flat, level surface and has excellent water drainage for when you need to drain your pool.
Inflatable pools may appear light compared to larger pools, but the weight of the pool isnt what kills the grass.
Pools deprive the grass of the oxygen, sunlight, and water it requires to thrive. When an inflatable pool is kept in one location, sunlight, air, and water cannot reach the grass beneath the pool.
Emptying the pool and hanging it to dry after each use will help your lawn last longer, but if thats too time-consuming, at least move it every 12 to 24 hours.
If youre using bleach to clean your above-ground pool, dilute it in a gallon of room-temperature water with 1/2 cup bleach. Allow to air dry after rinsing well with clean water.
Can You Put Pea Gravel Under A Pool
What is the best thing to put under a swimming pool?
Pool Floor Padding
By far the best material to place under a swimming pool liner is Armor Shield or Gorilla Pad. These materials are breathable allowing moisture to escape and are extremely tough, keeping insects and moles from coming through and piercing the vinyl pool liner.
Can I use gravel under my pool?
Gravel itself compacts really well, and it is far greater than sand or dirt that may be used in place of it. Gravel is a permeable material, so pretty much what you are doing by using gravel around a pool is installing a french drain system around your pool also.
What kind of gravel goes under pool?
Pea gravel is most often recommended for the base of fiberglass pools. Get a tamper in there on the base material, and compact in lifts. Pea gravel gets everywhere it is too small to put around the pool. It gets knocked out of wherever you put it too easily.
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Why Put Anything Under An Intex Pool
Whether you get an inflatable ring or metal frame Intex pool, these types of above-ground pools are all made from a thin sheet of vinyl thats easily susceptible to damage.
The most vulnerable part is almost always the vinyl floor of the pool, especially when the pool is placed on a poorly chosen foundation or simply put directly on the ground.
Not only can this lead to serious tears and leaks in your Intex pool, but placing it on uneven, lumpy, or hard surfaces can prove to be uncomfortable on the feet since the base makes direct contact with the vinyl material.
The bottom line is, while choosing and installing a suitable base can be a costly or time-consuming process, its very much worth the investment if you plan to keep your pool intact for the long term.
Why Do I Need To Put Something Under My Pool
Above ground pools require a stable base because they are generally made of flimsy vinyl material. A flat, durable surface ensures that your pool will not tip over and spill vast amounts of water. The natural ground can shift over time, so even if you believe your swimming pool has a stable base, it may not be very stable in a few years.
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Screen Enclose The Pool
Its rare to see an above-ground pool in a screen enclosure because of the cost, but they do exist.
Only areas of the country that dont get much snow or any can have a pool screen enclosure. Even though the screen is thin, it does a great job at keeping the sun from heating the water.
Warning with screen enclosures Most screen-enclosed pools stay too cold even in the summer months.
Sand Base Foam Cover And Liner Floor Pad
Lay down your three-inch thick layer of sand without any debris or rocks across the entire pool to form the base and lay the liner floor pad on top.
The liner floor pad will come cut to fit your pools dimensions, and you want to attach the foam pool cove directly on top of your liner floor pad by pulling the adhesive off and sticking it to your metal pool wall.
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Here Are 4 Ideas Of What To Put Under Intex Above Ground Pools
There are a handful of things you can put under your Intex pool to make sure that it lasts longer, but we only recommend the following materials to put under your Intex pool. Keep in mind that Intex pools vary in size. See our article on Intex Pool Sizes to learn about all the different pools available.
The Intex Ground Cloth
The Intex Ground Cloth is included with most Intex Pool sets. It provides added protection for the pool bottom from rocks, twigs, or other items that could potentially puncture the liner. However, even though Intex Pools, in general, receive good reviews from the owners, the Ground Cloth is generally described as a sub-standard item and is too thin to provide much real protection. This is why many Intex Pool owners decide to opt for another option.
- Durable ground cover sheet for above-ground pools
- Provide added protection for pool bottom
- Measures 15.5-foot square fits 8-foot,10-foot, 12-foot,and 15-foot pools use with Easy Set or frame pools
Third-Party Pool Pads
There are many companies that manufacture alternatives to the Intex Ground Cloth that provide more thickness and therefore more protection for your liner. Make sure you choose the right size for your pool. If your pool is 15 diameter, then choose the 15 diameter pad. There is no benefit to having a larger pad than the pool, and in fact, the excess can be cumbersome to manage and you will just have to cut it off anyway.
Landscaping Around An Above Ground Pool
Landscape rocks or crushed stones are most common around a pool after its installed.
They serve two purposes. One is they keep moisture from staying near the pool wall.
Moisture against the pool wall can cause it to rust faster. Second, when spread around the pool perimeter it creates a strong base. Pool and base become one solid structure.
The most used rocks are 3/4 crushed stones. It can be anything you like. What you dont want around an above-ground pool is mulch!
The mulch keeps moisture against the wall. It will cause the pool wall to rust quicker.
Do not place Mulch around your above ground pool!
Another material to not use is acid-washed stones. The acid can attack the wall finish and cause rust to develop quicker.
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Use A Pool Pad Or Risk Doing It Again
If your still on the fence about investing in a pool floor pad think of the cost to buy another liner, install it, buy water again and still have to buy the pool floor pad anyway if you have a critter problem. Everyone with an above ground pool that lives in Florida should seriously consider this product. It does go under the pool liner so it can only be added during the liner install or during the pool build. But its important you do this right and do not buy some knock-off pool floor pad or worse yet, plastic sheeting, weed barrier or Styro-foam from Home Depot, this is a waste of money. The cost of Armor Shield pool floor pad varies by size and shape of your pool so there is a button below to show you prices of the different size liner pads.
What Makes Swimming Pool Water Get Too Hot
As a general rule, the water temperature of a swimming pool is in relation to what the outside temperature is. In the winter, the water is very cold, and in the summer, the water gets warm.
As another general rule, the water temperature will be warmer the closer the pool is to the equator. This means that pools in Florida and Texas will have warmer water than pools in New York and Michigan.
There are other factors too, but thats for another article written for a weather site or something.
Now, regardless of where you live and what your summer pool temperature is, the water can get too hot from one main factor Too much direct sunlight.
Swimming pools that are in open yards and exposed to direct sunlight all day long can be as much as 15-20 degrees warmer than the same sized pool next door that is under a full canopy of trees.
This is a huge difference! Here in Central Florida, I have seen pools with too much shade with a mid-summer pool temperature of 75 degrees while their neighbors pool with no shade has water temps at 90 plus degrees. For me, one is too cold and the other too hot.
So, swimming pool water temperature is all about shade versus direct sunlight.
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What To Put Under Paddling Pools
Paddling pools and kiddie pools can be treated the same as other pools. Choose a material that feels nice under your feet and protects the bottom of the pool such as carpet or foam. A thicker material may minimize injuries if your child slips over.
Having a breathable material isnt so important for paddling and kiddie pools since they are often only temporary.
Installing A Pool With A Sand Base And Sand Cove
Step 1
Using fine sand , lay a 3 thick bed of sand across the entire inside of the pool this will form your base.
Step 2
Build a sand cove against the pool wall by creating a 4 angle of sand sand base giving you a total sand cove height of 7 inches where the base meets the metal pool wall.
Step 3
This is the completed above ground pool liner installation. The vinyl pool liner should be completely supported by the pool base to avoid any stress or damage to it or the metal pool wall.
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Sand Base And Sand Cover Installation
The first thing you have to do is get fine sand that is free of debris and rocks, and youll lay a three-inch-thick bed of sand across the entire inside of the pool to form the base.
Next, build a sand cover against the pool by creating a four-inch angle of sand on top of the original three inches to make your total sand cover height seven inches when the base meets your pool wall.
The goal is to completely support the vinyl pool liner by the pool base to avoid damage.
Old Carpet A Free Option
This is another good material that will help you decide. We really like this solution since it can be FREE if you can find someone disposing of their old carpet. Just put the carpet down under the pool, with the plush side up. The carpet provides good protection from the stones and pebbles that could cause a tear in the liner, but it does not provide as much cushion and uniform surface for cleaning as the foam tiles do.
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What Can I Use As A Border Around My Pool
Above-ground pools are always a wonderful option for people who want to save money on constructing a conventional in-ground pool. Sometimes, above ground pools arent known so much for their attractiveness. However, there are a number of things you can put around your pool to improve its aesthetics.
The advantage of building decks around your pool is that you can place furniture of different types. This is very useful in that, even if you dont plan on swimming, you can just relax by the poolside while enjoying the weather or having a cool drink.
If you are planning on building a deck, the best option is to use composite materials that look like wood. The reason for this is that using wood will require frequent treatment due to the proximity to water. However, those composite materials you use will be water resistant, and you wont have to spend so much time having to treat them regularly.
In addition, due to the proximity to water, ensure that the surface of your deck is well textured. This will prevent slips when the deck is wet.
You can even spice the creativity up a notch by designing these rocks into a staircase that leads you up into the pool.
Trapped Moisture Is A Big Enemy With Above Ground Pools
A few decades ago, it was a common practice for people to put Visqueen or plastic sheeting down just underneath an above ground pool liner. This would often cause the inside of the wall of the pool to start and eventually rust out.
This is because a vinyl pool liner will transfer moisture or sweat moisture through it when theres a temperature difference.
In a normal situation, the moisture that transfers under the liner will just move away and into the earth and eventually dry or move away from the pool bottom. If something like plastic is placed under the liner though, this moisture can get trapped and have nowhere to go.
Eventually, the moisture will make its way over to where the ground meets the pool wall, and some of it will hang out against the metal wall. If this moisture cannot go anywhere, it will stay next to the pool wall and will soon get past any protective coating the wall has. Once the coating is lifted by the excessive moisture, the metal wall will begin to corrode. This is not at all good.
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Helpful Tips To Know About What To Put Under Above Ground Pool Legs
Using an above ground pool is not like a typical disposable kiddie pool. It requires more preparation and effort to do right.
However, once you have put in the proper supports, youll find you can enjoy your pool all season with no trouble.
Here are more helpful tips to know about what to put under above ground pool legs.
- Using pavers or other suitable supports under your above ground pool legs is good for more than just leveling it properly. If you plan to resell or recycle it later and upgrade or use the space differently, this will help preserve your pool.
- Sand and gravel can shift over time, which is why it makes a poor base for a pool when left alone. However, as a base with pavers or pressure-treated wood to level and hold the legs, this is still a great option.
- Gravel can poke holes in your pool liner if you dont place a pad on top.
What Goes Underneath An Above
Have you ever wondered what is underneath an above-ground swimming pool? Ive been on many backyard pool visits. My customers ask me this at every backyard pool visit.
Above-ground pools must have a base material in order to withstand many tons of water weight. Mason Sand or Stone Dust is what installers use. Other accessories include Rhino Pad, Armor Guard, and or Liner Shield. These three items are GEO textile materials that protect the pools liner. They all lay between the liner and the base material.
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