Sand Settling Under Pool

by Julie
(Attica, IN)

Sand Settles Around Brace Channel

Sand Settles Around Brace Channel

We had a New 15 x 30 AGP installed spring 2013 and also noticed shortly after outlines of the base plates showing through the liner (like Title: Soft Sand Under Pool, post).

We purchased an installer installed Armor Shield/Guard liner on bottom then a couple inches of packed sand on top of Armor Shield/guard. We also purchased the foam pool cove.

The water is level and we do not see any bulges in any of the side walls. We contacted installer right away and his only comment was "looked like some of the sand had been washed away from under pool". He has not returned any other texts or calls from us regarding this matter and now it is Spring 2015.

We are unsure what if anything we need to do or will the pool liner be safe from ripping (from metal base plates) since we used the Armor Guard/Shield underlayment. We are also unsure as to how sand could have been washed out from under pool when Foam Pool Cove and Armor Guard Liner was used and sand was put on top of it.

Any advice, suggestions would be appreciated as we are considering draining pool and adding more sand, but then run the risk of having to replace the liner and it is only 2 years old. Help please.

Thank you

Hi Julie

From what I can see in the photos and what you have told me the pool should be pretty safe. The pool pad should be protecting the liner as long as you don't feel anything sharp.

The sand did not leave the pool, the ground settled around the brace assemblies because it was not packed enough, I've seen it a hundred times.

If it is not getting any worse, and if you can deal with cleaning a liner like that, it should be OK to use.

If you are going to try to fix it you will want to do that soon. Don't do it until the weather warms a bit, at least another month. At that time be sure to leave at least an inch or so of water in the pool. Get a few helpers on the inside of the pool to hold the liner back while a couple of people on the outside toss in some more sand and smooth it out. Done this way, on a warm day, the liner should be fine. After about the third season you might as well just plan on replacing it, they start loosing their elasticity.

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Apr 03, 2015
 Re: Sand settling Under Pool
by: Julie

Thank you so much for the information regarding our problem. We feel much better. We use a robotic sweeper to clean pool and it has always done a great job even with the metal plate indentions showing through liner. We may just go ahead and wait on fixing since it doesn't seem to be a structural or safety problem, only a unpleasant "looking" problem since just 2 Springs ago we paid all the expense of pool, equipment, pool installation, sand, liner, and all the water hauled in to fill pool. Any other suggestions/advice please comment. Our pool has an extensive deck ALL away around it so shoveling sand in while people hold liner back with a few inches of water in it would be very challenging if not impossible to do, we do have a skid loader with bucket however, but think that would only help on one side of the pool where the deck width is only 3-4' wide, the deck on the ends of the pool are at least 5' wide and the other long side of the pool the deck is 20+' wide and ends up against the house so on these 3 sides it would be more like having to bucket or "hand" haul sand in while people are trying to hold a liner back with few inches of water in it. Doesn't sound like a real pleasant experience for anyone, lol! Thanks again you have eased our minds that waiting and removing/replacing liner, adding sand and packing it at this point and time will be okay to do.

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