Oval Pool Ground Prep

by Jeff Taylor
(Michigan)

Hello, I have an 18'x33'x54" above ground pool. Last fall I had my cousin come in with a backhoe and excavate the area. I had 4 yards of sand delivered and my cousin spread all the sand into the area without me knowing he did it.

Everything I read says the framing of the pool has to go under the sand on solid ground, so my questions is, does all the sand need to be removed from the area or can the pool be built on the sand as long as the concrete blocks are on solid ground?

If it needs to be removed, what would the estimated cost be for an excavator to come in a remove it?

Hi Jeff. The photos on these two pages should help.

Oval Pool Installation

Oval Pool Installation page two

The sand can be piled in the center of the pool only when the framework has been set on solid ground and leveled. Once the wall is up the sand can then be spread out. It is important the entire area be set on firm ground, not just the footplates.

If your oval pool has connecting straps that does make things a little more complicated. The straps need to be placed at ground level and the sand just gets in the way. You could put the sand in piles at each end of the pool or smaller piles in between the straps.

The other question I would have is how level and smooth is the area under the sand? It's very possible that the ground under the sand was not ready and the sand should be moved so proper leveling can be done.

In my experience with people spreading out their sand, realizing their mistake, and then moving the sand out of the pool area, the sand gets very contaminated with rocks and dirt. If you decide to move the sand, do so carefully, or plan on a clean load when it's time to actually build the pool.