Pool Base And Limestone

by Ashley
(Pawling NY)

We were in the midst of leveling the ground for our 27' above ground pool but then it rained for about 2 days and one side of the ground got extremely soft and muddy and water started to puddle there.

So now we must re-level it because it is no longer completely level, but the ground on one side is still soft and even when it dries it is soft.

Would anyone recommend getting some crushed limestone and using it over the soil and then placing the sand on top of that? The limestone would be used to ensure that when the patio blocks and rails are put down the ground does not sink. Or should we just wait until it gets very hot, and level the ground and place the rails and patio blocks right on the dirt?

Hi Ashley

I would do exactly as you suggested, level the area with limestone.

You might consider going one step farther and digging an 8" deep by 2' wide trench around the perimeter of the pool. Fill this up with limestone. Your rail will fit right in the middle of the firmly packed base. The blocks would then be set into the limestone leaving all of the rails resting on a firm, level base.

Comments for Pool Base And Limestone

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Jul 13, 2012
 How about a little less work and expense?
by: Anonymous

This is just a suggestion but why not just fill the lower side of your hole with a mound of more dirt! Just fill the lower end a little bit higher than level-(by 2 or 3 inches!-than simply tamp it down as hard as you possibly can, than soak it with a hose and let that dry for a day or two, and as the water dries up/soaks in, it should sink the mound of soil you've added back down to, or close to, level again and you can work with it from there, and you didn't have to spend for the limestone and shovel it around. Or you could have just leveled the entire hole with sand anyway.

Good Luck

Hi

Sand should never be used to level with, it does not pack. The dirt would probably be just fine but if the problem was mud that would not dry, you may just be making it worse.

The Limestone is a way of soaking up the water and laying a foundation that would pack solid.

Jul 19, 2012
 Limestone not so good
by: Anonymous

Im here looking for answers on another issue we are having and came across this thread.

We discussed using crushed limestone for our pool foundation. We live in a flood plain of very fine clay and it gets like potters clay when its wet, so I thought something less flexible would be better. My brother in law, who worked installing pools for some time, told us DO NOT use limestone!! He said it contains minerals that react with both the liner and the metal. Over time it will cause damage to the pool.

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