Putting Pool On Concrete Base

by Sandi
(Missouri)

We are planning on installing an oval above ground pool on a concrete patio and then adding a deck around the top of the pool, to make it look inground.

It sounds like installing an oval pool on concrete could be difficult. What would be the best way to do this and what do you recommend to put under a pool set on a concrete base?

Hi Sandi.

Installing an above ground oval pool on a sand base can be very difficult, depending on the pool you choose.

Most oval pools will have brace assemblies that will need to be saw cut into trenches. I have done this, so it is possible. You rent a concrete saw and have at it.

I have found one model that could be installed on top of a slab without saw cutting.

Atlantic Above Ground Pool

I like preformed pool cove for pools on concrete. With an oval pool, even the one above, you will need sand. You will always have pressure plates and steel straps that cannot be covered with foam. For round pools a thin foam pad works just fine.

Installing An Oval Pool On Concrete Slab

We ordered an above ground Barbados 18' x 33' buttress free pool and would like to install it on a concrete slab we already have. We also purchased the Perfect Pool bottom and cove set to help with our installation.

We have not even opened the boxes yet but I am trying to find out if we still need sand on the slab if we are using the purchased bottom and cove?

Also, will the bottom be enough protection for the liner against the abrasiveness of the concrete? Other than the elimination of preparing the ground will all the other steps in the instructions be the same? Thank you very much for any info you might be able to offer!

Hi.

I hope you have the whole thing about installing an oval pool on a concrete slab thing figured out. I will first answer your questions as if this were a round pool on concrete. The cove and pool pad would be just fine without sand. That is assuming your concrete is level and fairly smooth. There are of course some very un-level, rough and just down right nasty looking concrete slabs out there, so hopefully that does not describe yours. If it does, consider plenty of roofing shingles to level the pool frame and plenty of sand to level and smooth the area under the liner.

Now back to your oval pool on concrete. I have only seen one above ground pool that could be installed on concrete without a lot of trouble and extra work. It's the model shown below.

Atlantic Above Ground Pool

This pool can be installed flat on concrete because it does not require the brace assemblies to be set in the ground. Unfortunately, that's not what you have. With this pool sand in needed to cover all the metal under the liner. The pressure plates and metal connecting straps need more than just pool pad over top of them.

This pool is similar to the one you have, hopefully still in boxes.

Diamond Star Above Ground Pool

The tops of those brace channels need to be ground level. That means saw cutting the concrete for each one of them. You will also need to saw cut an area in the rear of the channel for a concrete block. I have installed this type of pool on concrete and it turned out great. But is was a lot of work. Once the concrete saw and jackhammer were put away the rest of the install was pretty normal. Plenty of sand was used to cover all the metal, as stated above. There will still be pressure plates and metal straps that need covered.