You have decided to own an above-ground swimming pool and that’s great! But the first thing you need to know is how to level ground a pool.
Isn’t it the most important to keep the base strong? Yes, you always have to pay for an uneven, weak base and you won’t like it!
To be honest, it’s neither a one-hour job nor a mammoth one. But you need to keep at least a weekend to make it happen. Checking that, we’ll take you through the complete guide on the know-hows and all.
Now, let’s dive in!
The reason for leveling the ground
If you don’t level the ground, see what can happen with your pool:
- First of all, the thing coming into the point is safety. Uneven ground is not less than a disaster, it results in flooding your yard.In addition, an uneven ground has both a shallow and a deep end. Younger kids will fail to feel the bottom of the pool with their feet, isn’t it a safety issue for them?
- There will be unnecessary pressure on the pool liner and wall.
- The pool will look totally wrong! Look, when a mirror is uneven, you may see a distorted reflection of yourself. It’s just like that. You also have an option to make your pool look better after installing an above-ground one.
- Your pool will not get effective clean. I mean, when you use a skimmer or any other equipment like this, the water will get stuck at the end of the pool.
The things you need to order ahead
The right tools will help you to level a particular area perfectly. Just be careful to use them, you’ll work in a full swing.
The key things you are going to need:
- Measuring tape
- An extended length board
- stake
- Sod cutter
- A wide shovel
- A wide rake
- Lawn roller
Now, you can start leveling the ground.
The steps you will go through
After having the right equipment, you now need to follow the steps correctly. You must be going to have an even ground before installing the pool.
Step-1: Choose the right spot
It’s more than tough to change the location after leveling the ground for once. So, be careful to find the right location where you want to install the pool. Use a measuring tape to mark the intended spot.
Points to be remembered are:
- What is best for you is to choose the flattest area (less shoveling) of your yard, it will simplify the further steps.
- Choose an area with a bit of shade. A fair amount of trees around your pool will let the leaves fall down and invite a lot of debris to your pool.
Keep a fair distance from any septic or sewage lines.
Step-2: Clear the spot
Now, to save your pool from being damaged/destroyed, you need to clear the spot first.
Use a sod cutter or hire a rototiller to remove the grass. Remove every unnecessary part of the ground like stones, roots or anything that can damage the pool liner.
Step-3: Check for levelness
It’s not possible to measure the level with only the naked eyes. You need an accurate measurement to check how flat the ground is. What you can do is to use a flat board, just place it across the intended spot of your pool and use a level to see it’s flatness. How does it make sense?
Well, it will help you to find out the high and low points on your spot so that you can flatten the higher ones. Now, use some stakes at the higher areas to recognize them at a glance.
Step-4: Dig away soil for flattening
Always dig away soil for removing a bump, don’t add soil to a hole for smoothing the base. Otherwise, you will be deprived of a strong base.
Don’t overthink it to dig it down, Just maintain, thumb to sink the pool minimum two inches down to the soil. Why? Because the soil will be covered by sand after a due course of time.
Step-5: Smooth out with sand
Now, it’s time to get a truckload of sand. The sand will create a base and protect the liner of your pool. It also will provide a buffer against grass and weeds.
Once you have the sand delivered, use a rake so that you can spread the sand evenly. Now, supply a good amount of water and leave it for a night to flatten and dry out.
Step-6: Compact the sand
After you’ve done with drying the sand out, you should compact the soil into a solid base. Lawn roller will offer the best serving here.
Go well over the entire base of the pool and let it be flatted enough. Now, have a look, if there are any more uneven parts, use a shovel to patch them up. Then get the lawn roller again to give another run over the pool base.
Step-7: Provide the base protector
Last but not the least, it’s a must to lay down a base protector for your pool. It will save the pool liner against a chance of puncture and will prevent heat loss too.
Use a pool pad that is a large foam or tarp. It will go under your above-ground pool as a good layer of protection, mainly for the vinyl of your pool.
You are done!! After installing an above-ground pool, care to check out what’s your job for the above-ground pool pump maintenance.
Conclusion
So, that’s the end! We are at the furthest point of our discussion.
Was it all greek to you? Please, say no! We tried best to smooth your path out. Now, you must have a crystal clear idea about how to level ground a pool.
We discussed why you need it and how you will go through the steps. Just don’t overthink, you will make it happen.
But go through the steps carefully to practice the ‘safety first’ thing. At the end of the article, It must not be tricky to get an even, strong base for your pool.
Go for the job, now! You’ll do it!