Proper Depth Of Pool

by Joe

We had a 27ft round 54 inch high pool installed. The installers didn't seem to know what they were doing. When it was all said and done the water level from bottom of the pool to top of water level is 44 inches.

I know one thing that looked wrong when they installed it was they dug down the track and blocks all the way around the pool about 3 to 4 inches lower. They left the inner portion of the pool still 3-4 inches higher and now we only have 44 inches of water when the pool is filled to proper skimmer height.

My question is what is a proper amount of water height for a 54 inch pool?

Hi Joe. It is hard to imagine installers would do that to you. I hope they are willing to come back and fix it.

You normally allow 3-4 inches for the skimmer and 2-3 inches for the base. A 54" wall should net you a good 48" of water.

There was a time when most walls were 48". I would tell all my customers, in advance, that they should expect about three and a half foot of water. If they wanted more than that then we needed to be talking about an expandable liner and extra excavation.

Pool Depth

by Ashley
(WV)

I am installing a 24' above ground pool, and wanting to make a deep end in it. Is that possible? Will the liner fit it?

Hi Ashley. Deep ends are very possible for above ground pools. They do, however, require an expandable liner. The deep area in a round pool can be off to one side, leaving a third to a half of the pool water shallow. The deep area can also be in the center of the pool.

The most important things to keep in mind with a deep area are the ledge around the outside of the hole and the way you install the liner.

The pool frame must sit on level ground. You should come in from that at least a foot and a half before the hole begins. This level ledge is used to support the pool frame and the pool cove. It also gives you a flat area to unroll the sidewall on as you are installing it.

Installing an expandable liner is into a deep area can be a little tricky. For the best results the liner should be stretched. You will find a lot more information about stretching liners and above ground pool deep ends on these pages.

Expandable Liner Installation

Above Ground Pool Liner Installation

Round Pool Deep Ends

This photo shows an expandable liner being stretched into a 24' above ground pool with a deep end. The deep area is on one side leaving the other side shallow.