Pool Deck Building Advice

by Mark
(Kearney, MO)

I have a 27' round above ground pool. I just built a partial deck on one side and have 7 ea. 10' sections of vinyl fence. I want to stand treated 2x4's on castle stones & screw through them into the pool stiffeners; then use 4x4's on block bases, spaced out from the 2x4's approx. 2ft. Then frame between them & deck over, before installing my 10' porch handrail sections.

I see that the vinyl fencing attaches to the vertical pool stiffeners, will it hurt for me to do the same? Do you have any suggestions on screws or other components to use for attachment?

Would it be best to just keep the small walk around deck completely separate from the pool? Do you have any design suggestions or photos?

Hi Mark.

Unless you really felt you needed to I would not attach anything directly to the pool. In most cases there is no need to.

Pre-fab fencing gets attached to the pool uprights but that is normally done with brackets and bolts. By looking over the following pages you may come up with some ideas that will work with your design.

Above Ground Pool, Deck and Awning

Above Ground Pool Resin Deck

Above Ground Pool Decks

Wood Decks For Above Ground Pools

Tips For Building Wood Decks

Deck Ladder

Pool Deck Safety

I work in a group home for children with disabilities. We have an above ground pool with a metal pool deck (with the walkway going all around).

The pool is great for the kids, but they do lots of body flops while standing in the middle of the pool. The pool is not perfectly round (hexagon, I believe), however, so there are edges where the walkway angles.

Do you know of any bumpers to cover these edges? I was thinking of something made out of the pool "noodle" material. Since the kids play so rough, these edges are a big concern. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Hi.

I would suggest you look into indoor/outdoor carpet. The carpet can be cut to fit the deck and out onto the rails if needed. It can then be glued into place with carpet glue. This will protect all of the sharp edges and is easy on the feet.

Pool Next to Deck

by Mike Raine
(Wichita, KS)

I bought an above ground pool complete with a wooden deck. My question is this:

Should I put the deck up first, or the pool? One other thing that I did not mention - I have an existing deck that I want to tie the new deck into. I understand that the pool will swell after water is added. I would really rather put the deck up first. Can I compensate for the amount of swelling that the pool will do?

If I do put the pool up first, I will have to be pretty precise with it in order to fit the new deck in between it and the old deck. Any insight you can offer would be appreciated.

Thank you. Mike

Hi Mike.

It is just about impossible to set up a pool next to a deck. The pool should always go up first. You can try to guess the proper location as best possible, but some modification to the deck might be necessary.

Wood is much easier to cut and modify than setting up an above ground pool up against a pre-existing deck.

The two big problems you would have are not being able to walk around the pool as you install it. This is very important. The second problem would be installing the liner. Most liner installations require draping the liner over the pool frame and doing the majority of the installation from outside the pool. This becomes impossible if the pool is next to a deck.

If the pool is a soft side, it might be possible to set it up and then slide it up next to the deck. The only problem would be keeping the base fairly smooth as you did it. Guessing for the correct amount of swell should be easy enough just by pushing out on the sides of the pool.

Design Ideas For Building a Wood Deck

by Emmet
(New York)

I seen over the years kids and adults abusing the trim of AGP by standing and kicking off them. With my new pool I would like to build the decking over it. Do you have any design ideas on building a deck over the trim that would still give some degree absent of a complete rip up to undertake a liner replacement, install the winter cover etc.

Thanks

Hi Emmet.

There are a couple ways to go about this. This page shows a pool with a deck. The pool is using a beaded liner so the top rails will never have to come off.

Above Ground Pool, Deck and Awning

More deck photos can be found on this page.

Above Ground Pool Decks

The ideal way to be able to install an overlap liner is to have at least a foot of wall above the deck. That is if the deck is not movable.

My recommendation is to build you deck in modular 8' sections. Mount them on cement blocks and bolt them together. In ten years, when you want to change the liner, you unbolt the sections and move them back away from the pool.

If you build a permanent deck, and leave a foot of pool above the deck, build a bench up against the pool that will cover the rails. This could also be removed at liner changing time.

Build Above Ground Pool Next To Deck

by Jim
(Ma.)

I'm trying to figure out how far away from my existing deck should I construct my 15x30 above ground pool. My top rails are 8" but I'm not sure if the top rails are equal distance on both sides of the pool wall.

I would like to end up with at least 1" between the top rail and the deck. Love this website. Thank you. Jim

Hi Jim.

I would set the pool about two feet from the deck so that I have room to walk around the pool while I'm constructing it. That's the only way I can stretch the liner into the pool like shown on this page.

Overlap Liners

If you are using an overlap liner this would be the way I would install it and decks just get in the way. In my opinion it is impossible to build a pool up next to a deck correctly. It can be done, but you sacrifice a lot of quality in the pool installation, and that should not be done. I tell my customers it is better for me to set the pool away from the deck and build it correctly and when the pool is done it's not that hard to redo the deck to fit the pool.

The only exception to this would be if you are using a beaded liner. If that's the case you will not be stretching the liner into place and walking room around the pool is not important. Much of the work around the deck area can be done from inside the pool.

I would start the layout with the expected edge of the pool about a foot from the deck. That should allow enough room for the large top rails. This will get you close enough to get the braces laid out and built. When the first brace assembly is built and set into place you should be able to set a rail on it and see if it fits the deck the way you want. With the first brace set the way you need it to be it should be easy to lay out and assemble the rest.

Most brace assemblies connect side to side with straps. If that's the case you could actually make minor adjustments after the pool is assembled. You would set the braces, lay out the ends, level everything up and then install the wall. With the wall installed you could assemble all the uprights and top rails. At this point, as long as you have not piled sand on the straps, the pool could actually be shifted one way or the other for a perfect fit.

Hope this makes sense and helps a little.