Setting Up an Intex Pool for Summer

setting up an intex pool for summer

Planning on putting an Intex pool in your backyard? No matter if you have an Easy Set pool with an inflatable top portion or one of their metal frame pools (Prism, Ultra, etc.), the installation process on an Intex pool setup is pretty straightforward. Once you have the site prepared, in most cases the pool can be set up, filled, and functioning in just a day or two.

That said, there’s a right way and a wrong way to set up your Intex pool. Learn from our experience, and take a look at these Intex pool setup tips so you don’t make any mistakes with your new pool.

Choosing the Right Location for Your Intex Pool Setup

When picking out the location for your pool, consider factors like sunlight, visibility, location of power and water, and safety fencing or barriers to entry. Though these all seem like minor details, they can play a big role in the usability and overall safety of your pool.

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The Right Way: Pick a sunny patch of grass in the backyard. The location is on flat, level ground that has good storm water run-off. Safety fencing or barriers prevent unwanted access to the pool. The pool is easily visible from the house and elsewhere in the yard, and it’s close to power and water sources.

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The Wrong Way: Position the pool under a large, shady tree. The ground is not level or is on a slight incline, and water collects around the pool during heavy rain storms. Your pool is too far from the water spigot or power outlets, meaning you have to use a long hose or extension cord to reach the area. There’s no barrier around the pool, and children can access it easily without supervision. The pool is tucked into a secluded area away from view, and it isn’t easily visible from the house.

Site Preparation

Level ground is extremely important. If it’s off by even 1-2 inches, a soft-sided pool can roll toward one side. This puts unnecessary stress on the pool and can lead to a blow-out. Above everything else, this is the most important step in setting up an Intex pool! A good location is high and dry, but also flat and level.

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The Right Way: Mark the perimeter of your pool, and add 1 foot of extra space to all sides. Use a line level to measure at 12-36 points around the pool. Then use flat shovels or a sod cutter machine to remove turf and lower the high spots. Add a one inch layer of sand.

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The Wrong Way: Eyeball the approximate area of the pool, and raise visible low spots by adding sand without actually checking for true level. Using sand to fill in low spots is not advised because it results in uneven weight distribution on the pool floor. This can lead to uneven floors and a blowout if erosion occurs.

How to Level the Ground for an Intex Pool

Now you know the right and wrong way to prepare the ground for your new Intex pool setup. But do you know how the steps involved for getting the ground level? Keep reading for our expert tips!

There are very few yards that are perfectly flat and level and require no ground work. Depending on your equipment and available help, it can take anywhere from a couple hours to a full day. If you have substantial grading to do, look into renting a skid steer loader or sod cutter.

1. Start by painting the outline of the pool on the ground.

If you have a round pool, you can mark the pool outline by putting a stake in the center of the pool area and tying a string to it. Measure the string to the exact radius of the pool and add 1 foot to the measurement. Hold the string at the measured point and in the same hand hold a can of spray paint. Walk in a large circle, holding the string taut, and spraying the paint close to the ground. Fair warning: wear old shoes while doing this.

If your pool is an oval or rectangle, add 2 feet to your length and width measurements before marking out the area. Make sure your corners are a perfect 90º angle so your shape isn’t lopsided.

2. Check your ground level.

First, cut the grass very short and rake it well, so you’re not measuring over grass, sticks and rubble. Check for level ground by using an 8 foot long 2×4 board. Be sure to choose one that’s not warped! Lay it flat on the ground, right up against the center stake (if you used one to mark out your circular pool.

Walk on the 2×4 to make sure it’s flat on the ground. Place a carpenter’s level on the two-by-four, to be sure the ground is not more than 1 inch out of level. Move the two-by-four around the stake to measure all around the pool circumference, and also measure at a few different places around the outer perimeter. If you’re measuring a rectangular or oval pool, measure 12-36 points across the length, width, and diagonal axis.

3. Level the ground as needed.

If the ground is more than 1 inch off level, you’ll need to remove the high spots. Don’t just go around filling the low spots. Adding fill under an above ground pool can settle or wash out, making you wish you’d taken the harder route of knocking down those high spots! An inch of fill-in spots will probably be OK, and adding an inch of sand is often used for a smoother bottom. However, if you plan on adding several inches of fill dirt, you’re just asking for trouble!

If you need to dig out more than a few inches, call 811 to have your underground lines marked. If you’re digging out more than a foot, you may want to think about constructing a small timber or block retaining wall to direct water around the pool.

4. Prepare to Set Up Your New Intex Pool!

With the ground leveled and prepped for your new pool, you’re just about ready to start setting everything up! An Intex pool in the box looks big when it first arrives on your doorstep. Don’t try to move it as-is. Instead, get a razor knife and carefully open up the long side along the tape. Then you can pull out the five or six smaller boxes and accessory items and cart these out to the job site. Check to see if a ground cloth is included with your kit, and if not, purchase one to place between the ground and pool.

Intex Pool Setup

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for – it’s time to install the pool!

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The Right Way: Carefully read all instructions, and watch the instructional video (if available). Grab a helper to spread the ground cloth over the prepared ground, and stake in the corners to keep it tight. Roll out the pool material and spread it out, being careful not to snag it on stakes or sticks.

For Easy Set pools, inflate the top ring and begin filling the pool. For Metal Frame and Ultra Frame pools, follow instructions to assemble the frame pieces until the pool is fully erected, then begin to fill the pool.

Take your time to gently remove wrinkles from your Intex pool. The packing wrinkles will mostly smooth out on their own, but a few may need some assistance. When you get about 4-6 inches of water, gently get in the pool in your swimsuit and slowly work out any wrinkles with your hands, working from the center to the walls (inside to outside). Grab a helper or two if you have a large pool. Once the pool is half full, wrinkles are almost impossible to remove, so be ready to start working right away once you turn on the water. Heavy adults can use 2×4 boards to stand or kneel on in order to distribute weight more evenly and protect a sand base.

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The Wrong Way: After quickly skimming through the instructions, you try to do everything by yourself. You didn’t start with a level base, and you didn’t use a ground cover. Now sharp rocks and sticks threaten to puncture the floor of the pool. The piles of sand you used to fill in low spots have shifted around, and the bottom of the pool looks like the surface of the moon. You didn’t work out the wrinkles right away, and now you’re stuck with them. How did things go so wrong?! Guess you’d better start back up at the top again.

Final Steps

Follow the instruction manual to connect the pump and filter to your Intex pool. Test the water to ensure proper pH, Total Alkalinity, and Calcium Hardness, then shock the pool to remove any organic contaminants from the water. Once chlorine levels drop down into the recommended 2.0-4.0 ppm range, you can finally enjoy the fruits of your labor! Go grab your swimsuit and start soaking up the sunshine.

As you can see, there’s a right way and a wrong way to set up your Intex pool for the summer. If you take the time to do it right, especially with your prep work on the ground, you’ll be swimming in no time!

331 thoughts on “Setting Up an Intex Pool for Summer

  1. Hi Davy. We have a 8′ x 30” easy set pool as well which we put on our concrete patio. It was totally fine and level for about a month and then just recently it started leaning. We drained the pool and tried to check with a level if there was a slope and could barely register anything with a level but after refilling the pool it leaned immediately again. Can we use sand on the concrete to help level it?

    • Most patios do have a little bit of slope, so the rain drains away from the house. 1/8″ per foot is common. Over a 12 ft span that adds up to 1.5″. Sand won’t really work, and is not recommended. I’m puzzled why it would be normal for a month, and then start leaning, maybe the deck is not sloped?

  2. Is a 3.5-inch difference in the water level from one side of the pool to the other a problem? I’m setting up our pool in our RV park, which is concrete but it slopes downward a little.

    I’ve filled it partway and see that the water level is higher on one side than the other. I measured and it’s about 3.5 inches. Is that a concern?

    • Brad hi, yes that will be a problem, namely the pool can easily collapse on the downward side and basically fall apart or rip in the process. A one inch difference may be OK, but 3.5″ is not going to be ok – possibly you may not suffer damage, but any rough housing or ‘horse play’, or a strong wind, and it’s summer’s over…

  3. Kelly Stewart

    I put my pool down on carpet padding and a tarp, 2 weeks went by and I had weeds growing through the bottom of my pool. I have pets in the yard so don’t want to use a weed killer, but are there any (budget-friendly) options to a piece of ply wood under the pool so the weeds don’t get through?

    • Hi Kelly, that must be a sight, weeds growing at the bottom of the pool! How awful. We do have a solution – a geotextile that we call liner guard. It is impervious to weeds, even the notorious nutgrass.

  4. Dear Davy,
    We recently bought the intex 12 x 24 rectangular pool. We are debating the best place to put the pool. We have a large area of pea gravel that we would like to put it on. We also have a heavy factory conveyor belt 15 x 40 feet that could go on top of the pea gravel under the pool. What are your thoughts on the stability of that?
    Also, I hear of people putting sand under the pool. Other websites suggest foam floor padding. Do you recommend either? Are they necessary?
    I am thinking about pea gravel, then conveyor belt, foam padding, then pool. Please offer some guidance. It is very overwhelming!
    Thank you!

    • Neither sand nor gravel is a good idea. The weight of the pool will push that material out of the sides. Not sure about the conveyor belt, but probably not. The best surface, according to the Intex Installation Manual, is solid earth, undisturbed (not fill dirt). If you have no other option than the pea gravel area, place 1/2″ cement boards, joined together on the bottom with brackets, to prevent their separation, for the entire 12×24 area, with concrete pavers used for the side supports (kickers). Even better than this would be to pour a solid, reinforced concrete pad on the pea gravel area, 13’x25′, especially if you plan to keep the pool for many years. Average cost is $5/ft, or about $1650 for 13×25.

  5. Carlos Cortez

    Hello, I recently purchased the intex 15’ x 42” easy set above ground blow up pool. This is my very first pool. I also purchase the Taylor k-2006 test kit ,starter kit for the water also purchased the chlorine tablets( float dispenser ), shock powder. My question is how do I or where do I read about how to use the k-2006 test kit, balance the water, shock the pool and the necessary chemicals to it?

    • Carlos, you bought a very nice (professional) test kit, the instructions are on the inside of the lid. There is also a very good booklet included in the test kit that would be good to read. This will explain balancing the water. For shocking information (about pool shock), read here: https://blog.intheswim.com/pool-shock-when-how-much/

      • Thank You Davy so much for your prompt reply, sincerely appreciate it. One last question if you don’t mind. Well, the hardest part in setting up this pool was the leveling. I read and read and read so many different way to level the floor the pool will be on. Intex says for this pool 15’ x 42” easy set blow up pool that not to place on sand nor soil. My yard has a very bad slope, I did what I shouldn’t have done that is I leveled it with mostly purchased soil. I understand I should have used the highest part of the original soil from my yard itself and moved to the lowest. I didn’t do that because Davy, man dirt,you go 3inches and you hit rock, so which is why I used soil bags from Lowe’s. I used up to 100 bags of soil @ $1.67 each 40lb bag, so it wasn’t expensive. Davy, I know this wasn’t the correct (using soil) way in using as much as I did because of erosion in time which will then change level. What can I do to keep that dirt from eroding once I put the pool on top of it ???
        Thank You,
        Carlos Cortez

        • Hey Carlos, the best way to level is to lower the high part to meet the low part, so that there is no fill dirt at all. For yards that have a good slope to them, this may require over digging on the high side so there is a few feet between the new ‘wall’ that is created and the pool, and possibly constructing some sort of retaining wall out of 6×6 lumber or the stack blocks available at HD/Lowes. Ideally there should be no fill dirt at all, because it will compress under the weight of the pool and over time, can be pushed outside of the pool, resulting in the pool leaning toward that side. Dirt is better than sand, because it will compress better. But dirt can saturate with heavy rains, and then liquify under the weight of the pool. So, the best thing to do would be to have a delivery of crush-n-run, aka stone dust, or limestone dust, and lay it down in 3-4″ layers, and then use a plate compactor or ‘jumping jack’ (from the rental place nearby), to compact it, along with saturating good with a sprinkler, to further help it compact. Even better than that, if you plan to have a pool for years… would be to pour a reinforced concrete slab, a patio, which sounds expensive but may be done for around $1000 (not cheap, I guess, but less than what one may think). So, Carlos I would recommend replacing the soil with stone dust – from a local sand/stone/gravel place. Tell them the size and depth that you are filling and they can estimate the amount needed, probably 1-2 yards, which should be a few hundred dollars including delivery. They will dump it in the driveway, and then, ooof! you’d have to wheelbarrow it around to the pool area.

  6. I have a 1 inch hole in the top ring of my 18×48 easy set pool. We attempted to use flex tape to repair with no luck. Any tips? Thanks!

    • Possibly Flex Tape on both sides? Inside/Out? First clean surface with alcohol swab, and sand with sand paper.

  7. We’re getting a 15 foot round pool 42 in high. The yard is artificial grass over crushed granite. Could I build a 16×16 wooden frame around the pool and level it with crushed granite. Putting the poles on pavers. There’s like a 2 inch grade where the pool will go. Would this be safe.

    • Hi Bob, it could be, if the frame can contain the weight of the pool. A 4000 gallon pool can weigh over 30,000 lbs when filled. I think I would make it 18×18 first off, to take some of the pressure off of the walls. And at least one course should go underground, and it should have kickers, and vertical rebar or other reinforcements on the downhill side.

  8. Susan Thompson

    Will placing a tie down strap with rachet around the pool and just under the inflated ring solve the problem of pool water escaping over the edge? It seems like it would stabilize it. My area is pretty level but water has leaked out over the top.

    • Hi Susan, you can try it if you like, I’ve never heard of a tie-down being used in such a way however. Be careful with the ratchet, to not puncture the top ring, they can be fragile. Your water level, maybe it is too high? Normally it would be kept at the bottom of the top inflatable ring.

  9. Can you offer any special install instructions if I want to build a wood frame on the ground to provide a level surface. My lawn is relatively flat, but I wanted to use the wood frame to make sure. Do you advise this approach, and can I use dirt fill from my back yard and pack it down, or should I consider some other fill? Thanks for your advice!

    • This could work, I think? if your lumber is large, 6×6 or 8×8, not 4×4, and your first course is completely buried, and staked into the ground with long rebar. I’ve never done this before, not sure if the rains and weight of the pool would push out the dirt. Might be better to use stone dust inside the frame, for better compaction, a more solid surface. But I like the idea. You could also build in a planter box, maybe some lighting, and a walkway to the pool area.

  10. We are looking at the ultra xrt rectangle 32ft pool. We have a 15 ft right now so we know the ground is completely level. Can we just set it up or do we still need dirt and sand?

    • Hi Allyson, it would be best to remove the sod/grass and soft topsoil and place the pool on solid ground, for an even pool floor. Also, you will want to be careful to check that the ground is absolutely level, as 1″ or more of off-level can be trouble, especially on a big pool like the 16×32. You may not need dirt or sand, and if you use sand, 1/2″ is about the maximum, just to smooth out the bumps in the ground, more than that will push out the sides, unless you dig a hole of the right size for the pool, so the sand is not the above ground level surrounding the pool.

  11. Kristina

    I’m sure this question has been asked already, but I have an above ground framed pool my backyard has no grass just dirt, there are weeds that come up here and there throughout the yard. What can I put under the pool?

    I have had people tell my plywood and then lay tarp down, or just lay a tarp down?

    • I guess you could use plywood, although the seams between the boards would show thru on the pool floor, but better than rocky (?) soil. We have a product that is a geotextile, very tough, stops weeds and even nutgrass. We call it Liner Shield, a woven fabric, about 1/8″ thick, meant to go under the liner. It comes pre-cut, order by pool size.

  12. My intex pool with the blow up ring keeps getting shorter? I don’t understand. What should we do? It is getting wider and shorter? How can I fix this?

  13. Can I put an intex rectangle pool over grass? We intend to leave it up all year.

    • Hello, you could, but it would be best to do it like the manual describes, removing the turf/sod, so that the bottom are is solid and smooth and so that you can check level. It can be very difficult to ascertain if the yard is level, when testing over grass. Once the weight of the pool crushes the grass, you may discover it was not so level after all. So yes, you can do it – but I would discourage it.

  14. Victoria Zambrano-Alicea

    I just filled our Intex metal frame pool. It’s clearly not level by about 4-5 squares on the liner. Is it safe to leave?

    Is there anyway to level without having to take it down?

    I did a 4 inch support wall and filled with sand to try and level

    • That’s a good lesson for us all then, even with a 4″ support wall, the weight of the water will push the sand out from under the pool. perhaps if stone dust, aka crush-n-run was used, tamped and watered in place? Not sure, it might do the same. I don’t think there is a way to level it without taking it down, and replacing the sand, or choosing a new location.

  15. Adrianna Filc

    My easy set 8×30 pool leans a lot towards the left . When the water spills occasionally it goes towards the left more . I tried spilling all the water and adding soil bags on one side but that just made it worse and now it looks like an egg . Please help ! I dont Wanna do too much ground work because we rent . Is there any other option ?

    • I’m afraid there is not, the best thing to do is drain the pool and start over. Otherwise the whole pool may fall over and collapse.

  16. If you have lost the filter can you still use the pool a 15 fy by 48 inches and just put the chlorine tablets in

    • Not safely, pools need to be filtered and sanitized and circulated daily. You can fill it up and keep it safe with chlorine but only for a few days… then it should be drained.

      • David Chapman

        Please please help.
        I’m so upset.
        My hubby had these guys bulldoze a spot in our backyard to level the ground for our easy set blow up 18 x 48 pool. Except they did a terrible job. They put sand on bottom. We filled the pool up and it’s TERRIBLE!! One side the water is up to the rim, the other side it’s about a foot below rim. And lopsided. We spent all day filling it. I’m terrified to swim in it. Clearly, the land wasn’t prepped properly.
        The kids want to swim in it.

        We don’t know what to do to fix this!!!
        Empty the entire thing?
        And who can help flatten the land properly?

        Please please help!!!!!!!

        • Hi David, yes empty the pool, it must sit on level ground, so scoop out the sand, all except for 1/4″ remaining, and be sure the ground is level, if not, remove the high spots to meet the low spots. Use the sand somewhere else, but not as a walkway around the pool, or you’ll be tracking it in the pool all summer long! 🙂 Not the end of the world, by the weekend maybe we can have another go ~

  17. Last year my vinyl part (due to the heat) stuck to the aluminum bars surrounding it and was very difficult to take apart so we had to buy a new one. Any suggestion this year to prevent the rhino from sticking to the poles?

    • Hi Kris, I guess you could wrap the poles in something, like fabric, or carpet strips or something, secured with zip ties

  18. I have a round 12ft diameter Intex pool. I did my best to level the ground around it. The pool is just about full but the upper ring is more oval than round. The opening is 9ft measured in 1 direction and over 10ft in the other direction. Something is not level but where? Hope you can help

  19. Mickel Murray

    Hi Davy, would I be okay setting pavers on pea gravel to make the ground more solid for a 12′ pool? Any suggestions how to make the pea gravel not shift? Thanks so much!

    • Mickel, I don’t believe that would be a good idea to use more than 1/2″ of pea gravel. Much more than that and it will shift around. If you want to use something sturdy, look for stone dust, aka crush n run, which makes a very hard compact surface, when tamped correctly. However, even this must be used in very thin amounts, and cannot be used to level uneven ground. You must always level the ground by removing the high areas to meet the low areas, and never use fill dirt. This is all explained in the installation manual, there is no easier way, you have to do the work, there are no shortcuts to making the ground level, and there’s only one way to do it correctly.

  20. How do I determine how big the slope is? Is there a way to do it short of putting up the pool and putting some water in to measure the sides?

  21. Hi Dave,
    Lots of awesome information in the comments. We have purchased a 10 x 30 easy set pool with the intention of placing it on our concrete patio. We purchased the interlocking foam floor tiles to put under it based on recommendations on another site. We have 3 questions. We initially thought the pavement was level as it had been tiered in three sections due to a massively sloping yard. Upon further inspection it is only level in length but slopes in the width. How do we determine if the slope is too much? And if it is, is there a way for us to level it without pouring additional concrete? Also, the patio is stamped concrete. We figured with the foam flooring under the pool this wouldn’t matter. Will it be okay on this type of surface? Thanks for answering all the questions. All advice appreciated! 🙂

    • Hi Brandy, most decks will slope 1/4″ per foot, some 1/8″ per foot. A slope of more than 1″ could cause problems, like the pool rolling over, during rough-housing or high winds. There is not a way that I know of to level it out, sorry. Nothing short of new concrete comes to mind, when you are talking about supporting such heavy weight. The stamped concrete is not a problem.

  22. I have used a sod cutter and leveled the soil in prepping for a 15 foot round pool. I was wondering if I could use Owens FOamular insulation boards instead of an inch of sand between the soil and the groundcloth? Or do you think the foam boards would crack or break when walked on?

    • Mike, ugh I have used a sod cutter in the past, a beast of a machine! The Owens Corning boards would work fine I think, I have recommended them as an option under the pool, but (!) I have no personal experience with them, under the weight of a pool. I imagine that they will flatten somewhat, maybe by half? Another thought is that you will see the seams where they join together, no problem, even if you duct tape them together, the weight of the water will produce a small line or crease which can trap dirt. Another option, either by itself or on top of the foam is our geotextile Armor Shield liner pad. They come pre-cut round, in many sizes, and protect the liner and provide a very small cushion (they are only 1/8″ thick, but very tough). I don’t think the boards will crack, but I do think it will compress.

  23. Hello! Hoping to set up our 10 foot metal frame intex this weekend but our yard is a problem. It used to be all loose marble stones. We had sod put in but were not home when he did it. The slope was only mildly corrected and probably with a small amount of top soil. We want to dig down but I’m convinced we’ll hit rocks, fast. I haven’t been able to find an installer. I’m tired just thinking about this project. I used to help my dad yearly putting up our hard sided plastic walled pool. I probably have to just dig to see what I’m dealing with. Any ideas?

    • Sell the pool, make a profit? 🙂 The ground needs to be level, and very compact, because your pool will weigh several tons, water weighs 8 lbs per gallon, and soft soils will slump and shift. So, even if the ground was level, those rocks under there may shift – or maybe not (?), it could be OK if you dig down to level, water heavily, maybe use an electric tamper, and then assemble and fill.

  24. Hi Davy,
    First of all thank you so much for answering everyone’s questions! You’re awesome!
    We purchased an 8’x30″ easy set and I am a little reluctant now after further research and reading this forum. I wanted to set it up in our only lawn area in the backyard that has dead grass with uneven patches everywhere! I really don’t want to level it out to be honest and I feel like the pool is small enough? But I know it’s not. I guess this is really not a question. I guess I should just suck it up and dig.

    • haha – yes, exactly what I was thinking! It is very important to be on solid, level ground. Even 1″ off of level and the whole thing can topple with a strong breeze or some good old fashioned rough-housing and horseplay in the pool. Take your time and get a solid level area, and remember: Shave down high spots, don’t fill-in low spots. (muy importante)

      • Ok last question, sorry! If i need to just start from scratch and it’s just totally uneven. Like there’s uneven dead grass and dirt patches everywhere. Should I remove the grass from that whole area and lay soil and make sure it’s compact or remove the grass and level it out? I hope that makes sense. Thanks again!

        • Gee, Yes, remove the grass and the first inch or topsoil. It’s not easy, but it helps to wet the area deeply, then let dry slightly. To cut the soil, use a wide bladed pick, and sharp, flat blade spade shovels. Go rent them or buy them for both for around $60. Then get a strong helper, and bust it out. Swing the pick like a pendulum, and finish with the spade shovel, and trade off every few feet. It can literally take all day if the soil is rough and rocky, or rooty, but if grassy soil, it can be done in 2-3 hours.
          You also will need a wheel barrow and a spade shovel, to transfer the dirt outta there to another location. Now a point on style: Remember: “Shave off the High Spots, Don’t Fill-in the Low Spots.” Bring down the high spots to meet the lowest solid level. Don’t add fill dirt or sand or soil or anything, to raise the level of the ground, Only remove material to lower the level of the ground. Once the ground is level and solid, you can put a small finish layer to smooth it out, but it must be a consistent depth and less than 1″ deep. You want your pool on solid, level ground, without any fill dirt, which will slump and sag when you fill the pool and it weighs 4 tons, and a big rain comes…

  25. Hi! We have a 10ft inflatable ring pool and are in the process of leveling out a spot for it. Can we put pea gravel down once we’re done digging and put the pool directly on top of that?

    • You can, as long as the pea gravel is of a consistent depth, and not too deep. 1/2″ is OK, but more than that and I’m scared of shifting, etc. Sand would be better, if you know what I mean, or stone dust is possibly the best material, in terms of how well it ‘compacts’ or tamps into place. The pea gravel would feel nice on your feet when your in the pool tho…. 🙂

      • How can you measure if your pool is not level. Our 10 foot round easy set pool leans a little to one side but not a lot. I’m reading one inch is ok. But how do I measure that ?

        • Hi Ron, good question. There are a few ways, one is to lay a 11′ board, or two shorter boards nailed together, across the pool and use a carpenter’s level. Another way is to just look at the water level and measure the water level on each side of the pool, or the distance from the water level to the top of the pool actually, would be easier.

  26. Bev Jackson

    Hi, we are looking to purchase the 24 x 12 frame intel pool and thought we needed a deep concrete base building. Unfortunately the price given for this is as much as the pool so a big no no. I have read all your replies and now seem to understand that this is not necessary just remove the grass and cut down to level then cut out for concrete slabs for the legs. Or could we just sit it on the grass this year and concrete a slab next year. We have had a pool for 4 years on a purpose build raised slab but now want a larger pool. Thx so much Bev

    • Hi Bev, yes go for the grass this year, and when finances allow you can build a slab big enough, or add-on to your current slab.

  27. Elizabeth

    Quick question. We just put up our Intex Prism 20×52 round pole. We have noticed that a few of the poles are leaning in. We had the ground leveled so that isnt the issue. We were just wondering if a few poles leaning in slightly is an issue. If it is an issue would it be best to leave it alone for this season or should we try to fix the poles if they aren’t supposed to leave in.

    • Yes, they are not supposed to lean-in, but should be pretty close to vertical. If you can shift the paver, to lean out somewhat, maybe that will balance it

  28. James Doherty

    On the Intex website, the Ultra XTR pools supports lay right on top of the grass. Would pavers or wood be necessary?

    • Intex Ultra XTR Frame Pools are made with precision engineered, galvanized steel tubing that’s more stable than other types. Pavers are not shown but can be used. Very level ground still applies, for a level pool that won’t lean to one side.

  29. Natalia Topple

    Hi just got my 15″ pool we set it up and of course the ground wasn’t level so 1 day and it collapsed. We just want it for this summer so digging and getting rid of grass is not an option as we want to take it down once summer is over. Can we put it on driveway with foam squares and a tarp then the pool?

    • Hi Natalia, what a story! I think it may not work on the driveway. But if yours has a very low slope and the difference in height over a 15′ span is not more than 2″, you may be able do it, but I have to say it’s a risky proposition. A person could put 2″ of foam under the lower side, and put 2″ paver blocks under each upright on the lower side, I understand the concept… but I think it may ‘Topple’ again, or slip or actually move, during heavy rains.

  30. Lauren MacNeill

    Hi, First I apologize if I’m repeating. Not sure if my first post went through. We just put up a 24X12 Intex Ultra HR. We had the ground “leveled” or so we thought. They removed the grass, leveled, used sand and tamped it down. But we’ve filled the pool and it is off 6 inches from one end to the other (12 ft ends). It doesn’t look like its going to collapse but is this an acceptable difference or should we empty pool and have it re-done? Thank you ! Lauren

    • Hi Lauren, this is, unfortunately, outside of acceptable limits. 2-3 inches… maybe, but 5-6″, no way. they may have used fill dirt on the end that is sinking, which is a no-no. I would try to get the company to come and re-do, and lower the opposite side, or shift the location slightly. Or whatever it takes, to get the pool on solid level ground, with no fill dirt. It can be covered in an inch of sand, but not 1″ here, and 3″ there, and 5″ down on that end, you understand, the solid ground must be level. Sorry for your trouble. Lots of summer left, though!

  31. Margaret

    Can I put a 10’ intex pool over my cement patio for the summer? With a tarp and/or foam tiles between pool and cement?

    • Hi Margaret, yes you can – IF the patio is level. Most patios do have a slope of up to 1/4″ per foot. Over a 12′ run that can be 3″ of slope, which would be too much for the pool, especially an Easy Set type of pool. Frame sets can handle more off-level, but not even a Frame set can handle a 3″ height difference. If it is only a 1″ slope over 12 ft run, then you could use some 3/4″ foam board insulation on the downhill side, to nearly level it, which should be adequate, in such a case. But 3″ … not recommended.

  32. Maura Maher

    Any ideas on how to make sure the floor of our 15×48 Intex pool doesn’t get wrinkles when it’s filled by a pool water truck? I’ve seen ideas for when people fill pools on their own but didn’t know if there were tips for avoiding wrinkles when you get a water delivery.
    Thanks!

    • Great question! Yes, as you get the first inch of water in the pool, pull outwardly, every foot, all around the pool. Get some helpers, as this can get exhausting, fast. Repeat when there is 2 inches of water in the pool. Rest and repeat again at 3″ of water, working all around the perimeter, tightening-up the cover and pulling out the wrinkles. You can place heavy but soft objects on the edges, inside the pool if needed, to help hold a liner outwardly, but usually not needed. At 6 inches of water depth get in the pool and work any wrinkles with your feet or broom/brush, to push them to the sides. Helpful tools can be large floor squeegees, push brooms, or pool brush on a pool pole. And your hands and feet. Thanks!

  33. Hi ~ Would it be possible to install a 15ft round Intex Prism pool on plywood as an alternative to digging out dirt/grass to make it level? I’m thinking this would be easier to raise edges of plywood to make it level. Thanks.

    • Hi Sandie, I like that idea – sounds great actually, wish I had thought of it! I would use the expensive 3/4″ plywood or two layers if it is thin plywood, like 3/8″. Let us know how it goes? Maybe report back at the end of summer?

  34. Hi Dave

    I’ve bought the 18x9x52 frame pool… never installed one before. I have grass in the yard.. i know I have a couple of options. Would removing grass, leveling with sand, and then putting the included tarp be effective? or if the ground is pretty level could I get away with tarp and foam panels or a combination of the few to level? – I think I saw you mentioned pink foam… not sure if that goes on top of grass (ground) or on top of tarp… Also are concrete pavers necessary for the legs you’d say or wood? Thanks!

    • Hi Brandon, the grass should be removed, because it is really hard to determine if the ground is level when grass covers the ground, and when you fill a pool that then weighs a couple of tons, things will settle and you may realize the grass was not as level as you thought. So yes, as you say, remove grass, level the ground, using a laser level or a carpenter’s level on a long 2×4, and moving the board as though they were hands on a clock, in a complete circle, checking for level at every position (hour) on the imagined clock face. If the ground is not perfectly level, as is often the case, but small dips of 1/2″ or less, or small rocks here and there, you can add an inch of sand – not to level the ground, but to smooth the ground (important distinction), and then cover with the ground cloth, and then the pool. Concrete pavers are normally used, but I suppose you could use a 2×10 board, cut into foot long sections.

      • thanks Dave ! good info! is the pool sufficient with just the sand filter it comes with? i see people with that and the salt water… my goal now is flat dirt(after leveling) followed by sand then the included tarp then the liner … the wood works on the outside or i can find concrete – i wish I could do the pavers while i’m leveling but i guess I got to get the pool setup started before I place them ? To find where the legs got… was thinking just one or two long boards to cover multiple legs … is there a reason why people do the sections oppose to the lengthy boards ? thanks again!

        • Hi Brandon, usually the filters that come with an Intex pool are undersized, and poor performers, unless you run it 24/7. Salt water units produce your own chlorine, with slightly salty water and a small electrolysis machine. Not worth it on a small Intex pool, in my opinion, Intex owners should keep it simple with 3″ tablets and a chlorine floater. Salt systems with sensors, circuit boards, salt cells and salt level, there’s a lot to go wrong there, and it only makes chlorine when the filter pump is running. What happens when power goes out, or if there’s a problem with the filter or pump, or salt cell, or circuit board – then you get no chlorine and a green pool, real quick. I have not heard of using long boards, say 2×10 or 2×12 boards, but I guess you could do that. Boards are subject to warping or splitting, and in the dirt, you’d want to use pressure treated, so from a durability stand point, the cement blocks have an advantage.

  35. Jonathan Strahl

    Hi! Just setup my 10ft round Intex pool. I ordered your 1lb bags of non chlorine shock. Can you tell me how much I would use for approx 1000 gallons? I’m stumped!

    • Hi Jon, yes use 1/10th of a pound for clean/clear water, or double the dose if you see algae, and triple the dose if you suspect bacteria, from dirty pool users, or animals, like dogs or water fowl.

  36. Donna Blackmon

    I paid someone $300 to level my ground for my Colman Intex pool they dug it out 6 inches and created a wall now every time it rains water stands beside my pool in that hole and the legs on my pool has sunk into the ground because the ground stays wet and my pool was bowing so I had to drain my pool and have no idea how to fix this please help me figure something out to do about this gap

    • Hi Donna, how about having a yard of sand delivered, and then wheelbarrow the sand around the back to fill the hole? If there is a 6″ hole in the ground, you can use the sand to fill the hole, as long as the sidewalls of the hole exist, to keep the sand in the hole, and not washing out. Use cement pavers or cinder blocks underneath each upright…

  37. Katie Curtis

    Hi we are wanting to install a pool directly on top of a flat area at the bottom of our driveway. It is slightly slanted for drainage. How can we effectively level the area for the pool on top of the asphalt?

    • I don’t know of a way to level the asphalt, without tearing up the asphalt, or having another layer of asphalt laid on top.

  38. Sandra K DiPretore

    I have an 8ft by 30in ezset pool. I have leveled the area 9ft x 9 ft the pool once it starts filled is bigger than the leveled out area. How big do I need to level. I cant find the demensions of t he bottom.

    • Good question, I suppose the 8ft measurement is the inside dimension for the top, and the bottom may be up to 2 ft wider? Not sure of the exact measurement of the base of the pool, but should not be more than 10 ft…? Anyone else with an 8 ft Easy Set care to chime in?

    • I have the same pool and the widest or in the bottom is 8 ft. The top is going to be 6ft wide.

  39. Robin Hogan

    Just installed the 22 round index pool. All is well other than I am worried because I do have several inches of sand under the pool to even the surface. I worry about sand washing out. Can I build a wooden support to put around the outside?please advise

    • Hi Robin, yes, you can build a frame with pressure treated 4×4 lumber, two courses, or rows, stacked on each other, and joined with long rebar pieces sledge hammered into the earth. The first course, on the earth, should be set into the ground 2 inches, so the sand cannot sneak underneath. Use long nails to secure the two courses to each other, and then drill holes, so you can pound in 16″-18″ long pieces of 3/8″ rebar into the ground. Call811 first to have the area marked for underground utilities or pipes.

  40. Penny Hamby

    We are putting up a 15’Intex pool. How do you get the sides to go up as the water is going in. Our wall is just going out instead of up.

    • Hi Penny, if the Easy-Set pool top rim is filled with air, it is supposed to rise along with the rising water level. It will first ‘go out’, before it goes up, if needed, you may gently tug on the edges as it fills, but be gentle with the inflated ring, as they can pop easily, but are repairable if that happens.

      • Same is happening with my 16×42 easy set and my ground is level within an inch. One section of the wall has a fold and the water level is up to the ring in that area. Only have the pool halfway full. Not sure if I should continue filling or drain and try to correct that side while the water is low.

        • If the pool is off-level by .75″ to 1.25″, you are probably ok, but any more than that, and it’s risky that the pool will fall over. Easy Set pools have more flexibility, but they can roll, or split on the side that is lower (with higher water level). Frame set pools can develop bent poles, or crimped poles, especially with horseplay in the pool.

  41. Victoria

    Hello,
    I have an inflatable intex 10×30 pool. I was wondering what kind of chlorine to use for this size pool? I want to leave this up for the summer but im not sure the best way to keep it clean.
    thank you!

    • You can use regular inground pool chemicals, just less of it. Most people use one 3-inch tablet at a time, placed in a floater, and then use 2 oz of pool shock every week, to super-chlorinate the pool. I also recommend using weekly doses of Clarifier and ALgaecide, to help out the teeny-tiny filter. And, lower the pH level if it approaches 7.8, to keep it in the 7.2-7.4 range.

  42. Lee-Ann Whitlock

    I had the ground leveled for a 12 x 24’ Intex frame pool to within a 1/4”, and then put a few inches of sand over the levelled area. The person who build the pool did not put the cement pavers under the supports. Now that the pool is filled, the legs have sunk into the sand and one 24” side of the pool is bowed out, while the other is straight. The side that is bowed out has the supports basically straight up and down, but the other side which is straight has the supports angled out. Is this unsafe? Do I need to drain the 9000 gallon pool and rebuild it with something firm under the supports?

    • Hi Lee-Ann, yes that could be a problem, the pool could fall over, during use. The bowed out side is under stress, and could give way. You should drain it and install the pavers, making sure the pool is level from side to side and end to end, before refilling.

  43. Barbara Seader

    Question about an a fence installed on top of my Intex pool. I see, on the Internet, the fence installed on top of many above ground pools but I am unsure of the frame on the Intex Prism Pool. It is a 15 ft x 42 inch Prism Frame Pool. Please advise! Thank you.

  44. Can a 15 ft framed pool go up on top of gravel with just the tarp that came with it underneath?

    • You could but it won’t be very comfortable, and may damage the pool floor. Can you spread a layer of pea gravel over top, and then a layer of sand? Or you may consider using the pink foam insulation board under the pool. Or use one of our Liner Shield geotextiles in a 15 ft size to protect the pool.

  45. Hi Dave,
    Great information. I am installing a 12 foot round steel pro pool on grass. You mentioned adding a foot to the measurement. Is this a foot to the radius? Or half a foot to the radius, making an extra foot to the diameter?
    Also, would you recommend the upright legs to be positioned on the sand, grass or another material?
    Thank you.

    • Hi Dan, 1 ft all around, or 2 ft to the diameter, but that just allows you to do mulch or wood chips, it’s not necessary. The upright legs should be set on pavers, and be on solid earth, not sand or grass. Please check the installation manual, for detailed instructions on installing an Intex pool.

  46. J Herschel

    Hello Davy,
    Thanks, this page is very helpful. I am confused. Intex says NOT to use sand, but everyone else says to use sand. Why would Intex advise not to use sand?

    • Sand can wash out, you should not used sand to level the ground, because the weight of the pool on sand will push it out to the sides. Once the ground is perfectly level however, you can use a thin layer of sand 1″ or so, as a soft base, but not used to level an uneven area. Also do not use fill dirt to level the ground. Remove the high areas of ground, to meet the low areas. Do not fill low areas, to meet high areas.

  47. Hi, we are installing round 18 x 52 Intex ultra frame pool and our lawn shows level using a long board and checking with 2 levels along the perimeter of the edges. There are some Small dips here and there in the center but the outside Is level across the area. Will this create a problem once filled? There is no slope in the lawn.

    • It can be a problem to keep the pool clean. Rough undulating bottoms also look poor, besides being hard to keep clean. It may also wrinkle more easily. You should remove the turf, and follow the recommended process in the owner’s manual. Avoid the easy way, that can create problems.

  48. Ryan Hldmeyer

    Hi, we purchased the Coleman 18’x48″ Swim Vista II pool while the city pools are closed this year and I wanted to try and put it on our patio concrete pad. There is a pitch to the pad of about 2.5″ – 3″ away and across the pad. I was wanting to use shingled and pavers to level the posts of the pool.The posts will be level, but at two points of the pool the pavers will have raised the posts possibly up to 3″, so the liner will “stretch” this amount to be on the ground when full of water. do you think this will be an issue?

    • Ryan, yes that will probably not be a good idea and could collapse the pool entirely. You need a new location, a 3″ pitch is too much. Sorry to say…

      • Elizabeth

        Is 3″ too much for a 10ft round Intex metal frame pool too? I have the same issue. Only place that works for us is our patio. When filling it I thought it was only off an 1 1/2″ but it really is about 3. Thought about putting 1 inch pavers under a few posts to at least get the difference to 2″. Thoughts?

        • Elizabeth, yes put the 1″ cement paver blocks under the low side. 1″ should be OK, if you are on a hard surface like a concrete patio or asphalt. More than that though and it will stress the pool in that area, which will have to stretch over the edge of the paver. Then be cautious with the ‘horse play’ and ‘rough housing’ in the pool. Especially if you have teenage boys.

          • Elizabeth Walters

            Thanks! No teenage boys but a wild tween daughter and a toddler. 🙂

  49. Hi Dave,

    Putting up a 15ft diameter round Intex. Ground was not perfectly level so had to dig out roughly 2/3 of the area. Obviously dig ground is not level. Can I use sand to level the dig ground and fade it into the area I did not have to dig out. Thanks and any support is much appreciated. Hope all is well

    • Yes, as long as you have gotten down to ‘bedrock’ or solid soil, you can put a thin 1″ layer of sand to level it out, but you should be perfectly level, no cheating with sand! 🙂

  50. Bob Shrefler

    I am setting up an Intex 16’x48” Prism pool. Using the Krystal Clear model 635T filter that it came with. This has a dual suction outlet & air jet inlet. The inlet assembly connects to the pool using a plastic wingnut over a slightly flared end. But when tightened this keeps slipping off from pool Jet nozzle tube. Pool jet nozzle is inserted through the built in black washer/tube and Directions show inlet Just slides over that & secures with wingnut, but, as I said, it just slides off the black tube. Any ideas on What am I missing?

    • Hi Bob, I’m not familiar with the particular assembly, but would Teflon tape be helpful? Or could any of the parts be reversed? Or, does any part look broken?

  51. I set up the 18×48 when the pool company delivered the water the side walls didn’t go up do u know what went wrong I’m starting again

    • Lea, it’s an Easy Set pool I presume? I guess that the volume of water from the truck’s 4″ hose was too much, too fast? I suppose if the volume was cut back, or reduced, it would work…?

  52. Is it advisable to get the pool (15′ diameter, 36″ deep) fill by a pool water company instead of using a hose? I have a well and am concerned of running my well dry by the thousands of gallons the pool needs.

    • Hi Tom, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that phrase of ‘running the well dry’… 🙂 But, I’ve never actually heard of anyone running the well dry, or ‘burning up the pumps’ (that’s another phrase), although I’m sure it can happen. If you have past history of problems with water supply, or have reason to believe the well capacity may be limited, then truck-in the water, or at least half the water, then fill the rest. But if not, and you can get decent hose pressure, go for it. What I would tell people is to set the hose to fill the pool on the edge of the pool so they can see how far the water is shooting, to gauge water pressure. Leave it running day and night, but monitor it, and if you see the water pressure drop considerably, by half or more, then give it 12-hours to catch up and then resume filling. You can always quit and call the water company if the water pressure drops off hard, but in my guess, and in my experience, it wont.

  53. Mark Emmott

    Hello Dave. I have a question I can’t find an answer to. I have an 18’ round XTR ready to go up. Ground is level (after 2 excruciating weeks), and paver blocks for the legs are dug in level with the ground surface. I have foam sheets (xps sheeting 3/4 inch thick) for under the pool and that is where I have questions.

    Where would you ‘end’ the foam around the edge of the pool?
    I can cut away the edge of the foam inside where the legs will stand on the blocks OR extend further and have the foam lay completely over the blocks. In this case the legs would be on the foam sheets, then the blocks.

    What I am concerned about is having the swimmers’ feet ‘fall off’ the edge of the foam while standing in the pool near the pool wall. But placing the sheets under the legs to extend it out from the pool bottom does not sound like the best idea either. Ideas?

    • Hi Mark, I think I would make cut-outs for the pavers, so the foam is the same height as the paver heights, and that the outside panels are cut to the curve of the pool, but extend outside of the pool by about 2″, and wrapping around a little more than half of each paver. You can cover the foam with mulch or gravel, sand or pine needles, so it looks better.

  54. Rachel Peters

    I began removing the sod/weeds from the location I want to put my 15 foot quick set and discovered a sprinkler head. Any suggestions on how I can deal with this, or am I just going to have to find a new location?

    • Rachel, if you are up for some minor plumbing, you could dig down to find and expose the main sprinkler line or hose, and then see how you could replace the sprinkler head with something like an insert hose coupling. You would have to find the right part to do the job, so it won’t leak, and that sprinkler head will then be by-passed.

  55. Gloria Jackson

    I have 18×48 pool how I can put pavers under poles on grass with them not sinking in ground when wet because it get pretty wet when rain what can I do to build it up so the pavers won’t sink like my poles did last YEAR in ground

    • Gloria, how about stacking two pavers? Or using thicker (3″) pavers? Also consider the flow of water around the pool, if there was any way to direct heavy rain runoff away from the pool. Grass and topsoil are soft and will sink naturally, so another way is to remove the turf and topsoil, and add some sand, as shown in the instruction manual.

  56. We are looking at purchasing a 15′ round pool. We are trying to not dig up our lawn. We have about 3-4 inches of pitch. Can we use something like a pink insulation foam under the whole pool, and make the lower end multiple pieces of foam to counteract the slope?

    • Bree, I’m not sure of the amount of compression that the pink foam board would have, under the weight of the pool, it will be compressed and shrink. And slippage of the panels could also occur. I understand your concept, sounds maybe do-able, but the instructions are that you should dig up the lawn, and shave off the high side, to meet the low side. Then add a thin layer of sand and your ground cloth. That’s the best way. Also best to have a channel around the pool of wood chips or gravel, to funnel off heavy rain

  57. We bought an 18ft round intex pool. It’s 48″ high. I meticulously leveled the area and measured at least 7 times every step of the way. Before filling the pool,I used a line level to check every single support to its opposing support and they were all level within an inch. I filled with water and noticed it looked deeper on one side. I stopped filling and measured. It was 3.75″ deeper on one side, but the frame still measured level. Can we build up the area right in front of the posts and pack it down? It will be up for a few months and stored for the winter, and we would put a tarp on top of the built up area to prevent washing away. We’re in New Mexico, so we’re not prone to muddy areas. Thank you@

    • Hi Bree, I’m at a loss to explain how the pool can be level, but the water inside is not level.

  58. Jennifer

    We got a 10’ by 30” Easy Set with the plan to put it on our concrete deck, but the deck does slope a little. Thoughts on how to level it?

    • Hi Jennifer, I do not know of a way to do that – perhaps someone that has installed an intex pool on a driveway will see this, and advise.

  59. Hi! We’re getting ready to install the Intex 10′ diameter Easy Set pool. We were thinking of putting it over 1′ pavers that were already in our yard, but I’m reading that this may not be the best idea. Should I did out the pavers first, or can I put an old carpet over the pavers to protect the pool?

    • Jen, I like the old carpet idea, something to cover the ridges between the pavers. Foam insulation board works too.

  60. Hi Davy. I am working on setting up an Intex Prism Frame 18 ft pool. My ground is anything but level and it is also rocky. What is the best way to level the ground, sand addition, dirt removal, use of foam boards as you recommended to someone earlier? Also, would you use a liner pad in addition to the ground cover that is included? Finally, once set up, this pool does not come with a skimmer basket. Do you see a benefit in adding one to the side? How much chlorine to do I start with? Thanks for your help and your blog.

    • Monti, one important tip when leveling ground for an aboveground pool is – Do not add fill to raise up low areas, instead, remove from high areas to meet low areas. Rocky soil can be tough, and you can put down an inch of sand, to help smooth it out. Mulch can be used as well. Crush N Run, aka stone dust is probably the best. The liner pad also helps, the ground cloth (tarp) does almost nothing. Foam boards, is another one of my suggestions, although the seams can be seen, FYI, even when they are duct taped. A skimmer could be helpful, if you have a lot of leaves, otherwise, become handy with a pool brush and a pool leaf rake, to keep your pool clean.

  61. Keith Jones

    Oh – I just saw this – “sand is a perfectly good base, but it can erode easily, and when there is no border, the weight of the pool can push the sand away from the pool. What Intex is trying to avoid is leveling the ground by laying down sand over rough or uneven soil. It would be oK to put 1-2″ of sand over relatively level soil, but when someone tries to use sand to level out a sloping yard, or only puts sand on one side of the pool, that won’t work, unless you anchor a very heavy ‘sandbox’ around the pool, with wood walls set into the earth, or anchored onto concrete, so the sand cannot be pushed under the wall/frame:”

    Should I use something instead of sand for a small layer once I have leveled the ground where the grass used to be? is it good to put a small layer of sand over the ground before ground sheet?

    • Keith, more compactable than sand is crush n run, or stone dust. The main concept with leveling ground for an aboveground pool, is the you don’t fill-in low spots to meet high spots, but shave off high spots to meet low spots.

  62. Hi! I will be setting up my pool in the backyard on the lawn. What can I put around to make a border so it doesn’t get banged with a weed wacker or lawn mower when cutting grass?

    • Hi, you can use a lawn / garden edging or border and lay down plastic and then cover with pea gravel. That’ll cost $70-$90. Or, you could use wood chips instead of gravel. Or volcanic rock. Or you could just lay down concrete pavers in a circle around the pool, or wood pavers, also useful for working/cleaning the pool. This may cost a little more, but would be easier to put down and remove later.

  63. We are setting up a pool on concrete, so we have interlocking foam sheets underneath for cushioning. It rained last night. Should I wait for a day when everything is completely dry before setup?

    • Hi Angela, sounds like a good setup. No need to wait a day, if you are setting up on concrete. The pool can handle a little rain!

    • Hi there. We are intending to set up a 12 ft round easy set Intex inflatable pool on our paver patio as our ground may not be easy to level. I’m confused about the best liner. Are the geotextile liners too thin for pavers? What is your best recommendation? Geotextile liner, carpet pad, foam, interlocking mats? I’m concerned with mildew/mold and damage (discoloration from fabric/vinyl/etc color bleeding) to pavers.

      • Hi Lynn, if you have interlocking pavers, of the new style, with very small gaps between, the geotextile (Liner Guard) fabric would be a good choice. Carpet would bleed colors, and perhaps the foam boards might as well? There are some vinyl or rubber interlocking garage mats that come to mind, not cheap however, that would probably be the best choice, to prevent mold/mildew, colors, etc. Perhaps a roll of linoleum?

  64. Antonio Ferreira

    Bought an Intex UltraFrame 18x9x52, for this pool, what is the minimum area that needs to be prepared to setup the pool? The idea is to use 4×4 pressure treated posts laying on the ground to create a box. fill it with sand, compact the sand and setup the pool on top. Currently I have a box that is (inside area) 19 1/2 foot long and 11 1/2 foot wide. Will this fit the pool with the stands? on the outside of the box there will be top soil compacted flush with the top of the box.

    • Antonio, that sounds ok, as long as your first course of 4×4 is in the ground, and staked with 24″ rebar every 3-4 feet, to hold it in place. If not, the weight of the water in the pool, plus a heavy rain, can wash the sand under the 4×4 frame, and do it unevenly, so that your pool tilts and possibly falls over. The size of your box seems ok, check the owners manual for a diagram showing placement.

      • 24″ of rebar? I’ll be pounding that in for days. If I rebar my 18′ 4×4 octagon in 2 spots on each side can I use shorter rebar? Plan was to center and use 10″ in pieces, so 6″ would be in the ground in 16 equally spaced spots. 20″ into ground seems like overkill, no?

        • yeah, you can probably get away with that, I didn’t understand you were using just one row of 4×4 lumber. You will want it to be in the mud, so the sand can’t get pushed under the board, or washed under the board.

  65. We don’t have a suitable piece of yard, but have a large concrete slab patio in front of our garage that is level. Is this suitable and/or practical for an Easy Set pool?

    • Technically, your city/county or hoa may have some issue with a pool in the front yard, and not just for the view, but because it is not fenced off. Check with your local regs, the flat concrete would be perfect, but… could be an issue.

  66. Sarah Miranda

    I’m concerned about the ground cloth not being waterproof. I’m installing a 10′ easy set Intex pool on a concrete patio. I have the felt like ground cloth, your Liner Shield. The parts that stick out from under the pool will get wet. Is that going to cause problems?

    • Hi Sarah, well I’m not sure, they are normally used under a liner, where they are never seen, Im sure you are concerned about mold and mildew. Time will tell I suppose. If so, you can spray with a light bleach solution, or you can trim the Liner Guard with heavy scissors. I don’t think it will get too bad, especially in areas where the sun shines.

  67. Hi. We purchased a 15ft x 48in steel pole pool to set up for the first time this summer. We have a 20ft x 20ft sandbox that was originally used for a firepit with sand 4-6 inches deep in it. It is surrounded by railroad ties in the ground to keep the sand in. I purchased 1.5 inch thick 1ft x 1ft concrete blocks to go under the poles. Do I need to dig through the sand and put the blocks directly on the ground below the sand, or can I just put them on top of the sand when I get it level? thanks

    • Hi Jason, after you get the ground level, use a hand spade or flat shovel to dig out a hole the same width, depth and height as your block, so the blocks sit level. You can use stakes and string or laser level to make sure that all pavers are level to each other, if in doubt. Then carefully unfold and assemble the pool, being careful to only walk/work outside of the paver perimeter, as you set up and fill. Some extra pavers would be a good idea to create a path around the most used side of the pool, maybe with larger pavers direct to the ladder. You can also lay out the pool and assemble, and then right before standing up each vertical post, you dig out and place the block.

  68. Cindy Wilson

    We’re thinking of getting a 10’ x 30’ Quick Set inflatable ring pool and put on our deck, as we don’t have a level area in the backyard. The deck was built by previous owners with extra reinforcement to hold a hot tub, but we want to make sure sufficient. What is the weight of the filled pool? Thanks!

    • Cindy, I would not do it, a hot tub has only 300-400 gallons, but a 10′ Easy Set pool has over 1000 gallons. Each gallon weighs 8.4 lbs. It might work, but it might fail, catastrophically.

  69. Hi I am putting up a inflatable ring pool and my question is am I supposed to hook up the pump before filling because the water seems to be coming out the tube that the pump would be pumping but I thought it had a plug cap on it

  70. Ashay patel

    Have a 15 ft round pool.
    Had to remove some sod to make it level ( half of the pool over sod and half over dirt). I plan on taking down the pool at the end of the season.

    What do you recommend putting under pool or can I put it directly on the tarp
    Over the sod and dirt?

    • Hi Ashay, you can put it directly on the tarp (ground cover). It may not still be exactly level, being half sod, half dirt, but possibly. As the sod may compress more than the dirt, it may end up a bit off-kilter? We have thin geotextile pads (1/8″ thick) called Liner Shields, that are sized and cut to fit round pool shapes, those are good for rough ground, or you can also use pink foam board insulation, available at a home store, cut to fit, with seams taped tightly.

      • ashay s patel

        I assume the thickness of the foam board is personal preference. comes in 1 and 1/2 in.

        Can I put the foam board directly on the ground? or do I need to put it on something like a tarp.

        tape the board with duck tape?

        • Yes, I think that 1/2″ would be fine, although it will compress somewhat under the weight of the pool. Place it directly on the ground, and duct tape the seams. Use your ground cloth, which comes with the pool over top of that, and then the pool on top.

  71. Can the base/ body of the 15 ft easy set be altered to fit a smaller space? We have room for the top, but the bottom will be between two structures.

    • Tina, since the Easy Set pool has flexible sidewalls, it will take the shape of the space allotted. More important is that the space is very level flat. Also, be sure that the sidewalls are not rough or splinter-y wood, which could damage the pool.

  72. ed hirsch

    Hi I just bought a 32 x16 x52 foot intex I had a 18foot round before years ago but Im a little confused on what to use for the support leg support on the ground not sure what they mean by plastic support? the only thing i can find is driveway support that you fill with gravel and dirt its that what they mean?

    • Hi Ed, generally people use thin concrete pavers, found at a home store, blocks that are about 1.5″ thick, and about 10″x10″. You could use bricks also, to go under the uprights or vertical posts.

  73. We have one small white pin missing for a t-joint connector. The frame seems stable without it. It’s going to take 2 weeks to have replacement pins delivered. Do you think the frame will stay intact if we fill the pool up before we get the extra frame pins?

    • Hi Erin, I’m not sure it would hold, and it might be irresponsible for me to say yes. Perhaps you can put something in place until the pin arrives? Such as a screwdriver, or large nail, something that you could remove easily when the pins arrive.

  74. John pedone

    I have a 15 foot intex

    Setting up in a stone yard

    What do I suggest for the base

    • Hi John, we have geotextile mats, which resemble felt, and are thin, about 1/8″, easy to use b/c already cut to fit the pool. We call them Liner Guard. Another idea would be to use pink foam insulation board, made by Owens-Corning, however the seams between panels will show thru the liner and become a trap for dirt. Taping them will help somewhat.

  75. Hi I purchased a 20’×48″ Ultra Intex XTR round pool. There is pea gravel where the pool needs to go. If I get the pea gravel leveled. Will it be ok to put the pool on top of the pea gravel? I am also putting down a tarp, pool pad, and maybe even the interlocking foam pads for comfort. I will then put landscaping around the pool, and round blocks for the poles to stand on.

  76. Thinking of getting a frame pool. We want to get the 48” but only fill it to about 42” this summer so our daughter can keep her head above water when standing. By next summer when she is a stronger swimmer and taller a 48” will be great but we don’t want to buy a new one after one season. Will it be ok to not fill the pool to the maximum allowed depth?

    • 42″ is the maximum depth for a 48″ pool, plus or minus an inch or so. 48″ is the measurement to the very top of the pool, at which point the water would overflow.

      • We have the same issue with our daughter and don’t want to fill all the way to 42″. Do you know what the minimum depth is for the 48″ pool?

        • Hi Rachel, I don’t see a minimum depth listed, but the Easy Set pools, with the inflatable top ring, will be lopsided and ‘slumpy’ if not filled full. The Frame Set pools won’t have that problem, so you could fill less more easily, and could go 36″ or so, no problem.

  77. Hey, I have a small backyard with a small patch of grass about 10-11ft on all sides and surrounded by concrete and a fence. I bought a 10ft intex easy set pool and a pool pad. Is that enough space for pool set up with the liner? There’s a slope and empty spaces surround the concrete. What should I do without downsizing the pool?

    • Alicia, it sounds like that is enough room for the pool, if you can level the grass (by removing the high spots, not filling in low spots), the overall width should be just under 10′. You’ll want a sturdy pad or large paver to set-up the pool ladder. Also set-up the pool so that the filter connection ports are on the accessible side. If the fence is rough or splintery, put up some padding to protect the fragile inflatable top ring of the easy set pool.

  78. Victoria Mendoza

    Hi! We just got our entire yard cleared out and last year when I put a pool up the rocks and dirt hurt the kids on their feet. But I had no idea what to put under, they still swam of course! This year id like to put a bigger pool up but what should I do for under? I read some comments and you mentioned either pink pad or a liner I think?
    We don’t have grass at all, it’s a new build and we haven’t landscaped the back yet. Just dirt (hard dirt) and some rocks and dried up cut weeds.
    Thank you!

    • Hi Victoria, yes I mentioned that the easiest is our Liner Shield, precut geotextile mats, ordered by pool size. This stuff is not thick padding, it’s like thick felt, about 1/8″ thick, but is designed to block rocks or gravel and also nutgrass, bacteria, etc. I also mentioned that one could use pink insulation board, a dense foam board (pink is Owens Corning), which is bought in 4’x8′ sheets, 1/2″ thickness is fine. $15 per board. The seams where the panels join – Duct tape them, but you’ll still see a slight groove, which becomes a dirt trap. No biggie, if it stays small, larger gaps become a problem.

  79. Hi, I only have space on a sloped driveway to put my pool. I’m planning to buy the 10ft Easy Set Pool. The slope is about 4″ over 10ft.

    To level it I was thinking of using 4 4x4x10 pressure treated posts and making a square box and filling the middle with sand to make a level base. Would that work? Also, should I use a tarp on top of this setup? I was going to place one underneath so that the sand would be easy to clean up after summer is over.

    Thanks so much

    • Hi Fawad, I think I get a picture of what you are thinking, and I’m thinking it won’t work, to hold the sand in place, it will all wash out, under the boards, even if you put down a tarp, the weight of the pool, first heavy rain and bam! everything goes tumbling down the driveway :-0
      Here’s a crazy idea, not sure if it would work? Rent a big cut-saw and open up some 1.5″ wide joints in the driveway, so you can insert a 2×8 or 2×12 board running across the driveway. then run boards on the edge of the driveway, or in additional 1.5″ joints running up the driveway, to hold two more side wall boards, to make a sort of a wide U-box, to hold the sand or earth or stone dust in place, at level. Then place the pool on top. At the end of the summer, you wheelbarrow out all the dirt/sand, and pull up the boards. The joint could be filled-in the future with caulk or crush-n-run, or paver stone, when no longer needed.

      • What if I lay the tarp over the wood frame so that the sand couldn’t wash out beneath the boards? I live in southern California where it doesn’t rain at all during the summer so I’m not too worried about that.

        • If the driveway slope is not too steep that could work. It would need to be a strong tarp, and it should be secured strongly to the frame. I’ve never done that before, so please don’t take my encouragement too directly, I’m not sure how it will turn out – let us know!

  80. Is there anything I can add other than the armor shield under the pool to keep radiant heat from warming the water due to it being in direct contact with a concrete slab?
    I have a pool cover. I have a shade canopy, but with temps over 100 for 3 months of the year, i want to make sure i consider every option.

    • Hi Dennis, not a question I have had to ponder before, but I’m thinking maybe pink foam insulation board? And maybe not for directly under the pool, but for around the pool? If you were to make a 3′ foam board walkway around the pool (and could paint it to cover up the logos and pink panther), that would keep the sun from heating up the concrete around the pool, and perhaps keep the pool cooler? Just spit-ballin’ here! not sure how far heat will travel horizontally through a concrete slab.

  81. I want to put a Intex Easy Set 12 x30 pool on a concrete slab (that is level), and didn’t know if I should put anything under the bottom before I set up. With kids, I was worried about them tearing the floor, also I am debating on the foam balancing gym pads to make it soft on the bottom I would love your thoughts or if you have any other ideas I could use. Thanks

    • HI Paige, if the concrete is very rough, I would put something. The easiest would be to use the 12′ Liner Shield, already cut to fit, one piece. You could also use pink insulation board, with taped seams. However, any pad or foam boards, you will be able to see the seams where panels join, which may grow wider, and become a dirt-trap and easy home for algae. The gym pads would be too thick, with too large of gaps between, perhaps not the best pad choice. By the way, are you sure that deck is level? Many outdoor decks have a slope to drain rainwater, 1/8″ to 1/4″ per foot can be normal slope, which can add up to several inches over 12’…

  82. I believe our pool is a 18×36 rectangle. This is the first year for me setting it up. We just moved and the new house doesn’t have a speck of truly flat land. I was going to build a “sandbox” that is 19×37, (someone recommended putting crushed limestone down so that the sand won’t wash away.)line the bottom and sides of the box with a tarp, and leveling it with sand. We were only planning on 2″ of sand, for the most of it, more in one corner. I will reinforce all the sides of the sandbox.
    Will this plan work? Don’t want to have a blow out, but also don’t have the finances to rent a backhoe. Thoughts?

    • Hi Adam, the crushed limestone, or stone dust, aka crush-n-run, would be a good choice, better than sand, as it won’t wash away so easily and forms a solid base for the pool that will resist heel divots. And the tarp also is a great idea, especially around the edges, to about 2 ft inward, stapled to the edge of the wooden sand box. I also might recommend using 1×1 wood stakes every 6 ft around the sand box, nailed in place, to help secure the box, and prevent any movement. Sounds like a solid plan, thanks for the advice (to me and others)! – Davy

      • I have a hole in my back yard where a 24 fr pool use to be a long time ago I want to put a new pool in its place I cleaned out the hole but I do know it fills with water when it rain the hole is round can I fill it up with sand and the lay the ground cloth on top what do you think new pool will be 20 ft round

        • Hi Chloe, yes go ahead and fill up the hole with sand, or crushed stone dust (whichever is cheap and available), tamp it down, soak it heavily to help settle, and then put up the pool – summer’s almost here!

  83. We are hoping to get a 14×42 Intex Pool this summer. The way our backyard is, the pool will have to be by a tree. Not rubbing against it, but very close. Will that be ok? I realize it probably isn’t ideal, but this is really the only spot for this size. (Kids really don’t want to go down to a smaller size pool). Thanks

    • Sure, no problem being by a tree, the most important thing is to have perfectly level ground, or the means to make the ground level, or you can build a BIG sand box and add 3-4″ of sand to make a level surface. There are Intex pool covers available, to use if the pool sheds a lot of debris, or you can use a tarpaulin, and bungee cords, connected to stakes…

      • Hey, wondering if you know why Intex says NOT to put the pool on ground that is sand in their instructions? Our backyard has sand instead of soil so we don’t have too many options. Is it dangerous for it to be in a sand surface?

        • Hi Annie, sand is a perfectly good base, but it can erode easily, and when there is no border, the weight of the pool can push the sand away from the pool. What Intex is trying to avoid is leveling the ground by laying down sand over rough or uneven soil. It would be oK to put 1-2″ of sand over relatively level soil, but when someone tries to use sand to level out a sloping yard, or only puts sand on one side of the pool, that won’t work, unless you anchor a very heavy ‘sandbox’ around the pool, with wood walls set into the earth, or anchored onto concrete, so the sand cannot be pushed under the wall/frame.

  84. Taylor S

    We live in a military community and have a concrete slab off of our back entrance. Its not quite large enough to handle both foot traffic out the back door and the full size of the 10″ pool. It will be about 1 ft on the level glass- will this still be fine? Would you recommend getting a pool pad for under it?

    • Hi Taylor, if that’s all the space you have then… okay! I would recommend using a piece of pink foam insulation over top of the grass area that the pool overlaps, cut into an arc to match the shape of the pool, to raise the grass area to meet the deck level. You can find the pink foam board at any home store, in several thicknesses.

  85. Angie Dean

    We have a concrete slab off our back patio! It has a slope in it so i built a frame and added sand to level the ground for me 15ft pool. Will this work?

    • Hi Angie, I’m thinking that the frame will need to be anchored or secured to the deck, to keep the sand from washing out beneath the frame. With the weight of the pool, and some rain, the sand will want to push under the frame, especially on the side where the sand is deeper, unless you use L-brackets and concrete anchors, to keep the frame squarely in contact with the concrete.

  86. Amanda Green

    I have a stone pavers patio on the back off my house. I don’t want to put the pool on my grass. Would it be ok on the stone pavers patio?

    • Hi Amanda, the Stone pavers, are they mortared over top of a sub-deck, or a concrete deck beneath? Or are they interlocking pavers set on a sand base, or flagstone pieces set on a stone dust base? Lots of options, and the answer is – if the deck is very strong and well built, without sharp edges, then OK, go ahead. But if the stones are loose and the sub-deck is loose/thin, and the stones have sharp edges or an overall uneven surface, it won’t work well, even with the ground cloth that comes with most Intex pools. But if solid and smooth, go for it!

  87. Shera Duhe

    Hello, we just bought the new silver Intex 18’ pool and were super excited to set it up. Half our yard is sod and sloped. Where we plan to put the pool is sandy dirt. We live in west Texas- that’s the only kind of dirt there is 🙂 once we cleared out the rocks, we set up the pool and started filling with water only to discover we weren’t level. Now I’m wondering if we relevel, is our soil going to be good enough for the pool, or will it eventually erode? Any thoughts?

    • Hi, sandy dirt is much better than regular ‘sand’ in terms of support and erosion resistance. Your soil should be good for the pool, once level. If you wanted to reinforce the soil, probably not needed, but ‘stone dust’, aka crush-n-run, is a good base. Be sure that storm run-off (does it even rain there, lol?), flows away from the pool, and the pool is not in a low depression part of the yard. Leveling is very important, good that you are re-doing it.

      • Thanks for the reply, glad to know our sandy soil will be a good base for the pool. I thought if we built our house on this soil, it has to support a pool at least. It occasionally rains here & when it does we all rush outside and try to catch a drop on our tongue. Like people in the north with snowflakes. It’s a miracle! 😉

  88. Sharon Calvert

    Evidently I have a pin hole in my top ring. I have gone over it several times with water to see if I could find it with no luck. Any suggestions?

    • Hi, try spraying a soapy solution from a spray bottle, just a little bit of dish soap. use a spray shield (piece of cardboard) to block the soap from spraying into the pool, or you’ll have a sudsy pool for a few weeks.

  89. John Forsyth

    We are building a 36′ x 21′ cement patio in our backyard that is attached to the foundation of the house, so we want a slope. We are planning on getting a rectangular above-ground pool that is 32′ x 16′. What is the maximum slope that is would be allowed

    • Hi John, standard patio slope is about 1/8″ per foot, or 1/2″ every four feet. It can be slightly more, like pool decks typically slope 1/4″ per foot. Your pool can be built to be a bit higher than the patio, or the same height, so they both slope a central drain-off point.

  90. Sharon Calvert

    We have had a lot of rain in Oklahoma the last couple of weeks. With the ground being so wet, is it okay you go ahead and set up the pool?

    • Hi Sharon, yes the whole mid-section of the country is really getting wet this year! Yes it will be fine, just be sure that the pool sits on an absolutely level spot, and one that drains well, and doesn’t have a small river running thru it, lol – enjoy the summer – the sun will shine again!

  91. Can we set it up on blacktop driveway with sand and liner underneath it? Best place for the sun to hit and best place for privacy

    • Sure! you don’t even need a sand bottom, just spread out the ground cloth. Asphalt and concrete make the best surfaces for Intex pools, crushed stone dust is good too. Vermiculite also good. But sand? Too soft and shift-y…

  92. Is it possible to install an Intex above ground pool on top of small river rocks? We plan on putting down foam insulation after we level and some pavers below the braces of the pool.

    • I kind of like the idea! Nice bumpy floor surface, like a real river! 🙂 Sharp rocks of course will damage the liner, and it will make the floor a little hard to keep really clean as dust will settle in the valleys. Use the ground cloth and the foam you mentioned and you should be OK. As you get the pavers in place, you can use a laser level or stakes and strings to place the pavers all at the same height, and tamped onto solid surface so they wont sink, shift or subside slowly. Getting the pool level is important, don’t skimp on that part.

  93. Can you set it up on a concrete pad up against the house

    • Hi, yes you could if the pad is level, most are sloped away from the house, at perhaps 1/8″ per foot, which could create a problem for a larger Intex pool. 1-2″ of slope is ok, but more than that…

      • Hi there,

        I have a 9’8” wide opening but would really prefer the 10’ easy fill pool over the 8’ pool. I have plenty of space lengthwise. The measurements on the box show 8’ around for the top ring… is there any give with the 10’ bottom where I can kind of wedge it in there or should I give up and just go with the smaller 8’ option?

        Thank you!

        • Hi, sure you can wedge it in there, no problem. Just be sure that the wall it rubs up against is not rough stucco or splintery wood. If so, place a smooth board between….

  94. Hi. We just purchased the intex easy set 12×30. We received the pool with filter and cover and clorine floater, but the clorine tabs will not arrive for a few more days and no one in town carries them. Is it ok for the kids to use the pool for a few days without the clorine tabs? Thank you.

    • Hi Kelley, sorry for the late response. Fresh fill pool water will stay fresh for a few days in most cases. you can also use granular pool shock or even liquid unscented bleach in a pinch, to raise the chlorine level.

  95. Catherine

    We have an Intex 26×52 round pool and got a pretty long rip in the liner near the inlet valve. I was able to hold it together for 2 additional summers thanks to Gorilla Tape and Flex Seal (so it’s 4 years old). Otherwise, the legs are in decent shape. I would ideally like to go smaller and order a 22×52 liner… is there any way to leave out a section of the frame to make it smaller? Or scrap the whole thing? Would love your thoughts. Thanks.

    • Hi Catherine, interesting idea, removing a section or two to make it smaller – but, we don’t sell just the Intex Liner, although I think that intexcorp.com may sell an Intex liner by itself, without the poles and filter, etc. I’m not sure if you could make the pool smaller, but it sounds like you could, however perhaps they won’t line up correctly? Not sure…

  96. Can plywood wrapped in plastic be a viable surface for an 14’ Intex?

  97. If I’m buying a 12’ round intel pool with filter- will it need chlorine? I’m a total novice! Also, wondering if it’s possible to use those 24” square 1/4” thick exercise mats as a surface to sit on top of grass and then place the pool on top of that?

    • Hi Robin, yes chlorine is a must! Without chlorine the pool will quickly grow bacteria and algae, and pathogens which can make swimmers sick. The easiest way is to use a chlorine floater with 1 or 2 chlorine tablets. Also be sure to test and (if needed) adjust the pool pH level a few times per week. Use shock chlorine every few weeks, or if the water looks poor, or after heavy pool use. You can use exercise mats as additional padding under the pool, sure. You may be able to see where they join together however, and if not secured to each other, a joint between the two could be a problem, trapping dirt and growing algae. One piece padding is best I suppose, like our Armor Shield liner pads.

  98. Suzanne Coleman

    Is there a specific ground pad that you recommend to lay under an above ground pool?
    This will be on top of rock style cement (washed aggregate).
    Thank you.

    • Hi Suzanne, for intex pools, a tarp-type ground cover is included, to help smooth the earth and provide some protection for the liner, but it’s actually quite thin. The next best thing would be our Armor Shield liner pad, used under the liner in permanent aboveground pools, but can also be used for Intex pools. They are ordered by size and come pre-cut to fit the size of your (round or oval) pool.

  99. I have an INTEX 15 x 48 pool that has the metal legs and frame. I just had the area leveled for an 18 foot circle so that I can add pea gravel around it, once set. My fear is that the legs, once the water is in it, will sink down, even with the tarp. This is my 1st time with this type of pool. Thoughts? HELP!

    • Hi Amanda – yes they may sink – Go to your local hardware and buy 2″ thick pavers, dig down and place them on solid ground. Then use stakes and strings, or a laser leveler, to make sure the pavers are all at the same height, or within 1/4″ of each other. The tops of the pavers should also be level with the surrounding ground.

  100. Fallen Quiles

    Hi! This is my 3rd year with Intex easy set. I keep buying larger pools. This year we are going for a 15×48 easy set pool. My question is, the area i have to put my pool isn’t quite leveled flat. Nor is it inclined or declined on one specific side. Instead ours has a circular outline of an above ground pool that was previously there before we purchased the house. It’s a 12ft indentation from the previous pool. After the 12ft then it’s a little elevated. If i lay out my 15ft pool it would fall on top of the elevation and have a little sink to it going’s towards the center. How could i level this out? Could i add sand and then like a tarp?

    • Hi – I think I would excavate out to a full 15′ at least, which would be large enough for the pool. You could add fill dirt and tarp, but you will need a truck-full, lots of people have free fill-dirt available. If you can find one that will deliver it to you, for a fee, and then some way to move it from the front yard to the back yard easily. It should also be tamped, and soaked with water a few times to settle. For the best stability however, excavating is always better than fill-in.

  101. Hello. I have an intex pool. I’ve removed all sod and levelled the ground using sandy loam which has been tamped well.
    We’ve used the pool well for the first season. My question is, once I disassemble the pool in the fall, what can I do to prevent heavy rain fall from shifting the sandy loam around? I’ve thought about laying sod down, allowing it to take root and grow then placing the pool on top of sod next summer, knowing grass will die but the roots may survive to regrow each spring and fall when pool is removed? Have you heard of anyone doing this? Or anyone just placing pool on top of grass to begin with? Alternatively I thought of spreading thin layer of stone dust over the leveled pool area. Anyway, I’m looking for a way to stabilize the dirt during the off-season when the pool is removed. Any ideas, greatly appreciated. Thanks.

    • Hi Jason, I like the stone dust idea. Or you can dump Vermiculite into the area, 3 or 4 bags, raked into the loam and soaked with water, will form a firm surface. Or just let it go, and then in spring rake it all smooth again, and re-level.

  102. First time buying/installing an above ground pool. So I have a 15’x48″ Intex Ultra Frame pool, the yard has a decent slope to it, we have leveled the ground to the best of our ability. We are filling the pool and there seems to be about a 5″ difference from the high side to the low side.
    I am fine with buying a new pool next year and plan to level the ground more effectively once we take the pool down for the winter. However my question is, will the pool last until the middle/end of the fall? I have looked for answers from other posts and forums on this matter (and can’t seem to find the answer to my question), but what are the dangers of having this much of a difference in water height? Are we talking long term: structural damage *not a big deal if it will last through the season* or short term: pool may collapse? The pool wall is not pushing on any of the supports (I don’t know if this is a good or bad thing)

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Mark; I don’t have any direct experience with an intex pool that is 5″ off-level, tough to predict what will happen. It would place extra stress on the deeper side, and the risk is that it would fall over, or collapse, but it may not – only time will tell. Could be ok, if rough-housing in the pool is kept to a minimum, or you may wake up one morning to find the pool supports broken or bent…? 1″ or maybe 2″ off level would be less of a concern, but this late into the season, maybe you want to take a small risk, and let it ride…?

  103. Can you put these pools on a concrete pad? Or do you need to put sand down first?

    • Ideally on a concrete pad, as long as the pad is not sloped. Concrete makes a good surface for a intex pool. If it is very rough be sure to put down the ‘ground cloth’ first.

  104. Cheryl Newman

    Hello, I’m reading the comment and this is our first year purchasing a pool. We purchased the Intex oval quick set up 20x12x48 vinyl pool. (Can not be winterized). The instructions state not to set it on sand, yet I’m reading you telling people to go ahead with the sand to set their filled pool onto. What is the recommendation for my pool?

    • Hi Cheryl, I would trust the manufacturer’s recommendations, rather than some guy (me) on the internet! 🙂 Sand can shift and wash out, and should only be used when there is a retaining wall to hold it in place, or when the earth is dug-out below the surrounding ground. Enjoy the pool!

  105. Hi,
    I have an UltraFrame 18 ft. I have had a guy come out to level the ground, and it was still a little off in a couple places. I am building a retaining wall to surround the bottom of the pool, and I am digging out the corners with a tiller. I will level the ground, and the retaining wall, although made of 2 by 8 wood, will fit into the ground and be held with Stakes. After that I intend to fill it with sand, and put patio pavers under all the legs. Do you think this will be sufficient to support the weight of the pool?

    • Hi Hayden, that sounds like a solid plan, just be sure to have equal amounts of sand all over, meaning, don’t fill in low spots (if there are any) with sand, but rather, remove the high spots, so that you have a solid consistent base.

  106. jan andrews

    Hi…I want to set up a pool that is only 10ft across. The area where I need to put it is sloped some. The high side is where all the water comes when it rains hard, so putting sand under it may not be helpful. Do you think that i could put heavy duty plywood on top of some cider blocks, well a lot of cinder blocks and be ok? This will allow the water to pass under and around….thank you

    • Jan, I think the cinder blocks may crush under the weight? Perhaps not if you use enough of them. Water weighs close to 8 lbs per gallon, so even a small pool is very heavy. Maybe thick pavers (2″) might be a better choice, with an inch or so between each one, (and heavy lumber on top) to allow water to run underneath. Ideally, the ground would be dug out level, with the high side raised outside of the pool to create a berm that would push the water around the pool, might be easier, or maybe not! have fun, either way! 🙂

      • Cilla Spatafore

        My pool didnt come with a pump.it is a intex 8 x 30 size. Do I need a filter?

        • Hi Cilla, yes a pump and filter is necessary, unless you can replace the water every few weeks. You can keep a pool clean with brushes and nets, and keeping a minimum 3.0 ppm chlorine level in the pool at all times, but it still may not be safe for swimmers, who may develop skin irritation or intestinal sickness.

  107. Hello,
    I leveled the area and added sand, set up my 15’ x 48” round intex frame pool. After filling about. Foot of water we noticed one end is 1 1/2-2” lower. The frame rails are showing level but the water doesn’t appear to be. Do I need to start over?

    • HI Bruce, you are just at that point, where it might cause a problem, putting stress on one side of the pool. Rough play in the pool could cause it to tip and bend the support poles. Or, perhaps nothing will happen? Can’t say for sure. Keep an eye on it for a few days/weeks, you may be alright – or maybe not – hard to say!

  108. DANA HEFFLER

    Hi I purchased an easy set and leveled out the sand that was under a pool that I Judy took down. The pool was way bigger and up for 5 to 6 years would it be ok to put the easy set on the sand?

    • Hi Dana, sure – that sand is already compacted, and after releveling, go ahead and set up the new pool! Gonna be a hot one today!

  109. Debra Matthews

    We just purchased a 9’ x 18’ x 52” ultra frame pool. Our yard is not level and husband doesn’t want to level. He wants to build a plywood platform and put pool on top What would you recommend as far as thickness of plywood. I’m worried that a platform will cave in because of the weight of the water of the pool.

    • Hi Debra, I guess it really depends on how strong the substructure is, supporting the plywood. It CAN be built strong enough, with enough heavy lumber and the thickest plywood available. That size pool, when full of water, will weigh 31,000 pounds. To support that, the deck will need to be built to a strength of nearly 200 lbs per sq. ft. (that’s a lot). To build a deck that strong may be quite expensive, a concrete pad will likely be cheaper, and won’t rot over time.

  110. I am putting in a new intex pool 22×52 and my old one was 20×48. I had ir for 7 years so the ground is very compact under it, however, how do i smooth the lip that formed between grass and old pool to lay out my new pool which will extend a foot more out? Or do i have to use a tool to dig out a foot more all the way around? Also are patio pavers necessary? I heard they can help with sinking feet but can puncture yur pool. Are they an unnecessary cost?

    • Hi Jill, yes you will dig out the lip with a shovel, for the extended pool – and also yes the pavers are a good idea to keep the pool level and prevent sinking. you can find pavers that are more rounded, which cost a little more… or you can cover the paver edges with sand or carpet squares.

  111. OK…spent time and really leveled out lawn. I mean two 4 hr days leveling. Ready for sand. I do not want sand in yard so I am putting a tarp down first, then sand, then compacting. Once that is done the pool came with a ground cover and I am putting that over send. Do you see any issues.

    • Hi Pete, that sounds correct. What some folks do is cut away the soil, around the perimeter with a sharp shovel, to make sort of a ‘bowl’ to hold the sand, as though you were cutting out a mulch bed. Add sand, then the ground cloth, which can be trimmed to cut off the square corners, or you can fold those under, to the inside.

  112. Fatima Batts

    Hi my 24’52” pool is only 6 inches off on one side? Can I level the one side without digging the whole ground up

    • HI Fatima, the best practice is to lower the high side, not raise the low side. 6″ is considerable – the pool could become damaged on the low side, crumpling walls or upright posts.

      • What is the best way to go about lowering the high side if the pool has been filled with water and it is off about 5″?

        • Well, I hate to say it Wanda, but 5″ is too much, I think you should drain and start over, or it might happen by accident, and damage the pool. Then you can get down to the earth and lay a long 2×4 across the ground, and place a carpenter’s level on the board, to be sure it’s level. Keep one end in the center, and move it slowly around the pool, checking for level every few feet. Remember: it’s best to lower high spots, rather than to fill in low spots. You don’t want half the pool on solid ground and the other half on fill dirt, but all solid ground.

  113. Can these pools be set up on pea gravel?

    • Hi Chris, that would not be the best choice, because pea gravel tends to shift easily, and would also be a bumpy and possibly sharp surface against the floor vinyl. Crushed stone or sand is the usual choice, both tamped in place, and absolutely level. Or you can set it on firm tamped soil.

  114. My kids have special needs so I want a way to prevent access to the pool if I’m not in the pool with them, they are fine to play in the backyard by themselves but not if there is a pool. I am thinking of digging a 3 ft hole in the ground to place a 8′ x 30″ Intex inflatable pool in and building removable decking to cover the whole thing so they still have the full yard to play in but couldn’t get into the pool when I don’t want them in it. Any thoughts on if that’s a good idea or how about to best do so. Thanks

    • Hi Red, I think you could do the same thing, but without (oof!) digging a 3 ft deep hole in the yard. Build, from wood and/or other sturdy materials, a 4 post cover for the pool, it would look like a table… 30″ high, and could be a table too or serve other functions, when not using the pool. Construct so two adults could lift and carry it off the pool, or one person could tip it up, and slowly tip it over to rest on the ground upside down.

      • If I dig it into the ground then it would act as a deck when covering the pool and the kids would still have as much room to run around in the yard. I would have to level the ground for the pool anyway so digging a hole wouldn’t isn’t that much extra work.

  115. Judy Slaby

    Wouldn’t the crushed stone make holes in the liner? I also have an Ultra Set pool. We had sand underneath the tarp that comes with the pool and it worked, but the legs sank in the sand. We only put a thin layer of sand. I got 4×4 pavers to put under the legs. I would like to use them this year. We didn’t use them last year because my husband thought once the pool was filled, the motion with the kids in it would have the pool rubbing against the wall and wear a hole in the liner. Any suggestions?

    • Hi Judy, crushed stone is fairly dusty stuff, the pieces of stone leftover are more like flakes, you would also want to tamp down crushed stone, and may need to pick out a few bits, but it makes a nice pool floor surface. Pavers underneath the legs are a good idea, and the sand usually covers the edges and top of the paver slightly, but your husband is right, there could be some abrasion to the liner. To counteract this, you could place a piece of vinyl, carpet remnant or smooth plastic over the poolside edges and corners of the paver. You could also grind down the paver corners, to smooth and round them off, using a grinder tool.

  116. Victoria

    Hi. I recently purchased a 9’x18’ intex ultra frame pool. I put it on an existing slap that had about a 3 inch slope. To correct that, I built an 11’x20’ box out of 2×6 treated lumber and then added sand to level. I put pavers under the legs and leveled them as well. We started adding water and everything was great. As the pool was nearly full, we noticed the water no longer looked level. It is now full and one end (the end with the most sand) is deeper than the other. My best estimate is that it is about 1 – 1 1/4” off level. Should I drain and start over? If so, how do I prevent this from occurring again?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Victoria, you are right at the point, where it could be a problem, Many Intex pools are not completely level. Up to an inch off-level seems to be ok in most cases (excluding rowdy teenagers, of course!). My advice would be to try it over again. You could just add more sand to the sloping side, but it may shift again? If possible, crushed stone, aka crush ‘n run, is more compactable and would be a better sub-base than sand, or you could mix a bag each of portland cement and vermiculite with the sand, and water, to make a weak concrete, which can be bashed up easily in the future, for removal when needed.

  117. Michelle

    If you are in the tropics and below sea level, what’s the best foundatio n for an intex pool?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Michelle, sand is a great base for an Intex pool, about 2″ deep, and without small pebbles or aggregate. Masonry sand, not construction sand. If you are worried about flooding in your location, find the high ground, or grade the land to create high ground. For small Intex pools, you could build a wooden platform off the ground, but it should be over-built, because water weighs almost 8 lbs per gallon.

  118. Hello. I have a 12×20 intex easy set pool. It’s up and full and there’s a little water coming from under the pool on one side. Very little, so I suspect there’s a tiny hole in the bottom of the pool. It was like that for a couple days and the water level doesn’t look like it went down. How can I find the leak, besides just putting on goggles and searching for it? The pool is on ground with a little sand for leveling and then heavy duty tarps over the sand. It’s 4,300 gallons of water, so draining it is not an option.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, that’s really the only method, getting in with goggles and looking closely in the area. You can dye test suspected leaks with food coloring, but the leak may be visible because debris may be stuck in the hole. Or it may be so obvious that no dye testing is needed. For repairing intex pool leaks, I would suggest the liquid patches, like EZ Patch 28 or Anderson Leak Sealer. Just squeeze out of a tube like toothpaste, and use your fingers to spread. Clean the area well first, with a textured sponge, or scrubbing pad.

  119. Do these pools need chlorine or anything? I’m new to having a pool

    • Yes, they do need chlorine, in a tablet floater, and can be shocked with bleach or granular pool shock. pH is also important to test and adjust. the filter should run 12-24 hours per day, as they are quite small.

  120. Jason Wilson

    Hi,
    We just recently filled a 14’x36″ quick setup pool. Its apparent that one side of the area wasn’t as level as we thought, and now the pool is sitting approx 6″ on the side viinyl instead of the “floor”. We will of course have to empty and restart, but I was hoping to wait a week or 2 before doing this. Should I worry about the extra stress on the seams on that side? There wont be any rough housing in the pool so Im not to concerned about rollover, just the pressure on the seams. Thanks!

    • Hi Jason, seems legit, that the extra water on the side that it leans, could cause added stress to seams, or to the vinyl itself. My bet would be that you’d be fine for a few weeks, without rough housing, etc. Hard heavy storms, with high winds though… fingers crossed for good weather! 🙂

  121. Danielle

    Can my 18′ intex be put up if the ground is wet? I have spent 2 weeks grading and leveling the area and now it’s been pouring out. Should I wait for the ground to dry?

    • Hi Danielle, yes, I would wait a day for the ground to harden up. The pool weighs a ton (or three) when full…

  122. Heather Rogers

    Hi,
    We recently setup a 16×48 ultra frame pool. We made sure it was level within an inch. I noticed today when the kids were playing in the pool, the frame around the top wiggles, creaks, and sways a little with the water movement. We made sure all the legs are straight. Is this normal?

    • Hi, yes that is normal, especially for heavy activity, you’ll see some sway and wiggle. It can handle it – as long as they don’t tackle each other at the side wall, or do cannonballs off a nearby roof or something. Small kids are pretty harmless, it’s the larger boys 150 lbs + that could cause any damage. You know who I’m talking about…

  123. Hi. We have a 12 x 20 x 48″ high easy set pool. We removed the sod and are going to level it and then use a gas powered stomper to compact the soil. We’re also going to lay down heavy duty tarps under the ground cover. The tarps have grommets so we can stake those down, but the pool ground cover has no grommets. How do we stake that down? Also, should we cover the pool when it rains?

    • Hi, the ground cloth doesn’t need to be staked down, I guess because the weight of the pool will hold it in place. You could trim the ground cloth to remove excess material, or fold it artfully underneath the edge of the pool. Rain is no problem for the pool, but heavy storms will dirty the pool, so a cover would help keep it cleaner, if you have a cover.

  124. Hi
    Can I set up the pool over my backyard tiles?

    • Hi Sini, sure, a tiled area should be fine, if the tiles are set in cement. However, it is possible that some of the tiles will crack under the weight of the pool. to reduce that effect, you could lay down mulch or sand, or even plywood first, and then the ground cloth.

  125. Cat Ferreira

    How can I send you a pictures of my pool?

  126. Hi Davy, we recently acquired the frame and filter for a 16′ x 48″ steel frame intex pool from my cousin. Sadly, the replacement liner has been out of stock for quite some time so we ordered the 16′ x 42″ liner. I plan to cut down the legs the 6″ needed to accept the new liner. I can’t imagine the 48″ pool would have more or less “T” connections at the top rail, would I be correct in this assumption?

  127. Hi there Davy, we just set up a 9×18 pool on what I thought was very levelled ground. Removed sod, levelled clay, covered in a little sand, tampered over a few days. As advised, We placed cut wood ( 2×12’s) under each support. Everything looked great until the pool was nearly full. Now, full, the sides are bowing in enough to notice and one corner is a few inches higher than the rest.
    Do you recommend draining the pool and lowering the corner with the high side? Can this be done without draining? And lastly, should the wood supports be sitting on ground level, or should I dig them into the sand to be level with the sand.
    Oh boy.
    Thank you very much,

    • Hi Patrick, that must be disheartening, and the larger problem on your mind is will the pool survive this? Will it be OK, or will it catastrophically collapse? Both sides are unequally stressed by the water, and during very heavy winds or horseplay, when the water starts moving, it could tip, or rip. If the thought of losing the pool is more distasteful than the work required to fix it, then yes – drain the pool completely, and use a laser transit or other leveling device or system, to make sure all top rails are the same height. The supports should be at ground level, placing them on sand may cause them to sink, if the sand washes out from under the support. Good luck!

  128. Hi Davy! Please ease my mind! We just set up an 9×18 metal frame intex pool. Took weeks to remove grass, level out the clay, lay an inch of sand, and tampered down as best we could.. The pool looks great however there are a few large annoying wrinkles in the centre of the pool. Could this be from the sand shifting? Perhaps the tarp below was not as flat as if should have been? Other than bothersome, could this damage the pool? I’m wondering if we should empty and start over…darn it we worked so hard to avoid any issues.
    Thank you!

    • Hi Cara, I understand, wrinkles are horrible, but not uncommon. I suspect that the wrinkles were there as you started to fill the pool, but sand could also shift and create a wrinkle during filling. It’s important to watch it closely while filling, especially during the first 12″ of water. It’s bothersome yes, because it traps dirt, and also could create wear, on the fold, which could result in a hole. Use care when vacuuming or cleaning the pool, not to snag the fold. Tell the kids not to touch it. Next year, you may have better success. When storing for winter, if you do – lay it flat so the wrinkle is not wrinkled, during winter. There is nothing you can do now, Really. If it is a very small wrinkle, under 1/2″ fold, you may be able to push the liner, with your feet, or a piece of 2″ PVC pipe with a Tee fitting on the end, to push down the wrinkle, into the sand, which will create a long divot, in place of the wrinkle, or you can sometimes push the wrinkle outwards, and toward a wall, but again only if small, and not in place for two long of a time. If you do nothing, that’s OK too.

  129. Stuck in the Muck

    We were given a 10ft diameter intex pool. We love it! BUT – my yard was not set up for a pool. Water is pooling around the outside and creating a mucky mess. What is the best type of pool surround to use to keep little feet out of the muck? Obviously it would need to be uv durable, water permeable and non-slip.

    thank you!

    • Davy Merino

      Hi – I understand the problem. There’s a hundred solutions to the problem, next year you may do something different, maybe first setting down sand or mulch or gravel around the pool, or creating swales or underground french drains, to carry water away from the pool area. If the ground gets too wet on one side, the ground could settle somewhat, causing the pool to lean… Anyway, for this year, you could use paver stones, pea gravel over larger gravel, wood walkway sections, interlocking plastic shower room tiles, astro-turf or synthetic grass, or even modified (sanded/painted) wood palettes. We have a few pool deck safety matting items, but usually used indoors.

  130. Julie Wengert

    Can I just use a tarp unsteady of the ground cloth?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Julie, sure no problem there, the ground cloth is just a tarp, really.

  131. We want to put a 12x24x52 Intex pool up against an existing deck off our house. How far away from the deck should we plan to actually put the bottom of the pool? We are getting ready to prepare the ground now.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Tandy, in most cases that I’ve seen, the pool bottom rail and top rail fit just underneath the deck, or butt up against the deck pretty closely, not touching, leave an inch or so, but close. For safety, I’d put in a railing along the deck, a few feet back from the pool, with a self-closing, self-latching gate, or you can install the removable mesh safety fencing we have, near the edge of the deck, or a few feet back, so you can have a seating area, or put a few chairs, on the pool edge. It looks best, I think, when the deck and pool top rail are the same height, but if your pool sits higher than the deck, that can look good too, with some nice trim wood where the two meet (but pool/deck not touching each other). Now, if you deck already has steps down to the backyard, then I’d place the pool a short distance from the landing, maybe 6 ft, with a small path leading to the (locking) ladder or entry system. When decking around a pool, also consider easy access to the pump/filter, don’t make it difficult to see/hear it, or get to it easily. I’ve seen some trap doors in decks, or another set of stairs just to get to the equipment, and consider storage of pool cleaning equipment, a separate area for chemicals, and also your toys, floats, etc – a cool, dry, dedicated area is best, easy access too, convenient to reach…

  132. Can leaving wrinkles In the pool liner cause the pool to collapse on a 18×52 index ultra fram

    • Davy Merino

      No, no worries about that, it just looks bad, traps dirt, and is an easy target for getting snagged. also weakens the vinyl at the fold, a bit, but no danger of collapse

  133. We’re trying to install a 12′ foot pool, ground is level yet it seems to be bowing to one side, the top isn’t rising with the water either. Any suggestions?

    Steve

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Steve, it must not be as level as you think, even an inch off level can cause the pool to roll to one side. If it’s not full yet, it may be wise to drain and try again. Use a carpenter’s level on a 8′ 2×4 – and then flat shovels to lower high spots. Having a yard of sand delivered is another way to level the area.

  134. Francesca

    Hi there, we recently purchased a 16 by 42 intex pool with inflated ring. After we leveled out the ground and filled up the pool, the following day we noticed the pool walls deflating. We checked for leaks and water around the pool, but we didn’t see any. Can the pool deflate on it’s own cause of high heat temperatures?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Francesca, I don’t think that it can leak from the heat, there must be a small hole in the top ring. Try adding more air, a bit overinflated, and then spray the top ring with a soapy water solution, to look for bubbles. Then patch with a dab of silicone, or Anderson’s Flexible Sealer, when you find the leak

  135. Hi davy. We recently bought a smaller 15′ x 36″ pool, the style with the inflatable ring on top. I have a sand pit that is over 22′ in diameter, and at least 2.5 ft deep with sand. I have it leveled and have tamped the sand as much as i can to compact it. Can i use this area to set my pool up in. Will there being any issues that could come from it? Thanks.

    • Davy Merino

      Zac, no issues that I can see, as long as there is a border around the edge, to lock the sand in place. Even if there isn’t, it sounds perfect actually. It may settle somewhat under the weight of the pool, but probably not more than 1″. The biggest problem may be sand in the pool, but you probably have a plan for that too. pathways, maybe a foot bath

  136. Hi, I recently installed a 24 X 52 intex metal frame pool. I leveled the ground and put down about 1 inch of sand. As the pool filled the uprights on one side began sinking into the ground. I ended up about 3 inches off level. Then it rained and the uprights sank more. I then had 5 1/2 inches off level. I drained the pool until it had about 5 inches of water in it. I then lifted the uprights on the low side and put patio stones under them to keep them from sinking. The only thing is that now the liner on the side that I raised back up looks a little stretched. Is this safe? Is there a risk of damage to the liner. The frame is level and the uprights are all straight. It looks fine to me but I wanted a second opinion. Thanks.

    • Hi Steve, if it looks stretched, it is…stretched. No biggie, not much can be done, unless you drain again, completely, every last drop, and reset the liner. Liners are meant to stretch, and it likely won’t cause any harm, although when super-stretched, they do get thinner, and may fail sooner, in that area, with rips or tears, but you are likely many years away from that happening. I think I’d leave it alone, and live with it for 3-5 years, until you replace the liner. Good job on getting the pool back upright, that must’ve been a lot of stress (on you!).

  137. KJ McGoldrick

    Can I safely put my 18′ x 48″ Intex pool on top of my turkey mound? It is a level area

    • Hi, I gather that a turkey mound is some type of septic field? If it is still in use, I would think not, as it will compress the mound, and possibly cause the system to fail and start leaking out in another (bad) location, start to smell, etc. Your 18′ round pool holds nearly 8000 gallons of water, weighing nearly 8 lbs per gallon – 64000 pounds!

  138. Hi, in your comments it is wrong to set up pool on a wood deck. I was planning to do so for the 8′ pool. My deck is one the first level and it looks very steady. What are your thoughts?

    • Hi Ben, an 8′ pool may be ok, but consider that it weighs around 4500 lbs, so… you decide.

  139. Veronica Kendel

    If the pool is 8′ round but i have a 7′ x 16′ would the pool compensate the one foot to the side making it more like an oval? not by much, jet the 1 foot i need?

    • Hi – for the easy set pools, without the frame, if you are putting an 8′ pool in a 7′ space, it will adjust, shouldn’t be a problem…

      • Veronica Kendel

        thank you for your quick answer. i looked everywhere online for an answer before installing it. you where the only one out there to help me. now i can install it and have my kids enjoy it before the heat wave hits.

        • Veronica Kendel

          one more question if you don’t mind.
          would it be ok to have one side of the 8′ easy set pool touching a hot stucco wall? or should i try putting something between the stucco and the pool to keep the heat from possibly melting it or it is strong enough to handle the heat? the 7′ narrow side is from the stucco wall of my home to the fence (i have strong 4 x 4’s on the fence, so worries on pushing it out)

          • Stucco is hot but can also be rough, so I think it would be good to lean up some plywood or something, to protect the inflatable top ring, which can be somewhat fragile.

      • Hi I have a 15 by 42 ring intex pool my one side is off by maybe 2 inches there’s not gonna be rough house in it but do I need to start over? Or do u think it will be OK for the summer?

        • Well, I can’t say for sure, but if it feels pretty solid, chances are good that it won’t fall over. I don’t have any such stories to tell, but one would think that rough housing or high winds, might possibly cause it to … roll over even more? Give it a shot, if it rolls further, drain it and start over. I don’t think it will collapse catastrophically…

  140. Hi Troy, do you have to put sand down before installing the pool?

    • Hi Janeen, you don’t HAVE to use sand, but it does make a nice soft bottom, for a nice floor ‘feel’, and also protects the pool floor from rocks and roots that may damage the vinyl. But you could also use… astroturf, outdoor carpeting, fine mulch, top soil… If you use sand, use play sand or masonry sand, but not construction sand or sand with any small gravel, which can work their way to the top and damage the pool, or create uncomfortable floors. You can have a yard of sand delivered, and dumped in your driveway for $100 or so…

  141. Michelle

    My soft side pool filled crooked. I’m
    Not sure but is it possible that it’s traveling? That sounds weird, I know. If it settled and it’s crooked and maintains its level is there anything wrong with leaving it like that?

    • that happens if the ground is not completely level – probably no concerns, but keep roughhousing to a minimum or it may roll more to one side. If it starts spilling out over one edge, you may need to drain it completely, and relevel the ground, and try again. But for now, wait and see…?

  142. Tammy L Torsch

    can this pool be filled less than the stated height and still work? I have a quickly growing 2 year old that is 36″. I would like to size up with the pool for height (I’d like to get a 15x 42″deep) and just not fill it 42″ until he grows…

    • Hi – the frame set pools can be filled less deep, but the ‘easy set’ pools with the inflatable top ring need to be full, I believe. You will have to fill it above the suction outlet to the pump, and the wall return, not sure how high on the wall that is. If too high, you can probably create a bit of pipe with a 90, or something to pull and push the water from a deeper location than the wall fittings.

  143. Hello, I have a concrete slab that slopes 2″ in 16 feet can I shim up the poles all the way around until the top ring is level? This would be for the Summer waves ProSeries 14 x 42 premium frame above ground swimming pool ?
    Thanks

    • Hi Roger, for a 2″ rise, I suppose you could shim the pool, but I would think you would need to go all the way around, not just the posts, or the bottom ring or bottom rail would likely bow under the weight of the water, in between the poles, or ‘uprights’. If you have really good carpentry skills. 2×4’s might work well, tapered as needed to fit the rise, and you may want to bolt the shims into the concrete, so they don’t move? Never done it myself, so I have no experience with it – good luck!

  144. Hi i have even cement in my yard is there anything i can do to fill the divet in it to make it more even? What are my options for making the pool as even as possible?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Amanda, What some people do is lay down a bed of sand, which you can have delivered (masonry sand or construction sand (not play sand)). 1 yard of sand will cover 18′ round area, 2″ deep in sand. But then you have this giant pile of sand if and when you take the pool down. Another option is to use the Liner Pad, used for standard aboveground pools, under the liner, to protect the liner. Liner Pad, Liner Guard or Gorilla Pad, same stuff, but they are only about 1/8″ thick, kind of a felt material (they call it a ‘geo-textile’). Happy Bottom is another product for ABG pools, which is padding that is about 3/8″ thick. Or, I suppose you could use insulation boards, those large pink foam boards at Home Depot, or even rolls of home insulation bats.

  145. troy liwanag

    It’s not actually a comment but more of a question. I just recently bought an intex pool with metal stands (2.6 m. x 1.6 m.) and I am planning to mount it on my backyard with grass and I was thinking, if I place it over my lawn will the grass dry down due to lack of water poured in it.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Troy, Yes, your grass will definitely die under the pool, and also could create an uneven surface for your pool floor. Intex pools come with a ground cloth, for protection of the pool, but many people also remove the grass first, level the ground and place a 1-2″ bed of sand in the area. The grass doesnt die from lack of water, but from being pressed under 10000 lbs of water, and lack of sunlight. Perhaps during the winter, you can install a trampoline over the dead grass, and won’t have to look at it? 🙂

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