how to install above ground pool walls?
Answers:
It's not that difficult, you just need timing and a number of hands after the prep work has been done. If you feel in doubt, it's always better to get a pro to do it, especially the later stages, but a homeowner that is fairly handy can do this if he can con his pals with some beer on a saturday .
Rough level out your sand base and plunk a small stake at where you want the centre to be( if a round) and in the case of an oval, you'll mark two centre points( one at each end). The instructions in the kit should give you a diagram of this.Put small patio stones( in the case of an oval with butresses), embedded in the sand at each base track joint along the straight sections and half patio stones at the curved sections In the case of a round pool, half patio stones or even large pavers will do under the track joints. Check your work with a laser transit at each stone (rental shop for the transit). When you've got the stones all level, fill any gap under the track with sand (keep it out of the tracK). Now's the time to do a radius check. Your sand perimeter should extend BEYOND the pool track by at least 6 inches, more if there's a a bit of a grade.The next steps requires a few hands (more the better) and a day with little or no wind. Now your prep is done, figure out where the filter equipment is going to go. The wall is usually rolled with the skimmer cut out within the first few feet. That's where your equipment will be. Once you've figured that out, that's where you will start unrolling the wall, on it's end (make sure you have it right side up). Unroll 2 feet and put in track, unroll 2 feet and put in track. Have a helper behind you to put on the small top tubes at this time. If they stay behind you and place the tubes as you move and put into track, the wall will be fairly stable. Have a pal hold onto that start end tho, never know if a wind will come up. Move methodically and slowly. Adding pals to recent sections around the pool wall. Every 8 feet will be more than enough. When you get to the end, likely it won't match. That's why nothing is pagged to anything at this point, you'll have to do a little wiggle and sometimes move a large section around to get it to fit. Remember, the track must fit the wall, it you can do something about, the wall is the wall, it's a fixed length you can't do anything about. Do all moves a bit at a time, just one person, the rest still holding their section of wall. The guy that stood there holding the first bit of wall has the job of lining up the bolt holes. Give him a screw driver to put into the first correct holes that match up, to hold that position Lightly bolt it ( heads inside pool) and continue wiggling and using that screw driver to help pry the rest to match up. When most of the bolt holes are done ( for sure top and as far down as you can reach) start moving that round upper track around so's it joins under the top caps. Install the caps (don't screw the caps on yet) and uprights( these you can screw).Check for level at each cap as you go. When done, you can jump in the pool at an upright that you've put a top rail on each side and fastened, carefully (on a curve section in an oval). Finnish putting the bolts in the wall and duct tape over them. Dampen the sand and trowel it out smooth and level, a little cove at the wall is a nice touch. Jump out at an upright. That last little bit, you'll have to smooth out with a fine broom from outside the pool. Remove the caps and the two rails you installed, have your plastic strips spread around the pool and ready. The skimmer may need to be fastened at this time. It depends on what type it is. One type needs to be fastened directly to the wall now, minus the face plate, the other later, when the pool is filling. Consult your documentation that came with the skimmer. Liner time. More hands the better, keep everything sharp a hunderd yards away. Lift it up over the top of the wall, trying not to let it touch any part of the pool and walk it out. Don't drag it on that nice bottom you just did. Move it around to fit and use those plastic strips to tack the liner in place. Someone in socks has to jump in and kick the liner gently into the wall to get rid of wrinkles that you couldn't pull out, from outside the pool. Don't worry about small packing creases, these will be fine when the water gets in. Stay near the wall and tread lightly. If the sand is still damp, you won't get many footprints, if any. Start a shop vac up (big one preferable) and stick it in through the return hole ponted down, about a foot, between the liner and the wall. Duct tape around the hose to make a good seal and have someone hold the liner against the wall at the skimmer, to seal there as well. Look for wrinkes and move them out to the walls, adjusting the liner up the wall, if needed as the shop vac pulls the liner taught. If you're happy with the result, put on and fasten all your top rails, checking the wall here and there for vertical. In the case of an oval, either shim or tap down your butress's. Fasten your bottom plates to your stones if you wish. They won't be going anywhere, but it's a nice touch. If everything looks good start filling. when there's 2 inches in the pool, jump in and do another wrinkle hunt. The weight of the water pressing down, will stop any footprints, so feel free to move about If you find any bothersome ones, sometimes a kettle of boiling water, applied right at the wrinkle will make it pliable to move out. Continue to fill the pool. Get you filter equipment set up. When the pool is about half way filled, you can remove the shop vac. Install the skimmer and returns, just before the water level reaches them. That way there's less stress as the liner moves a bit during the last part of the fill. For the return, just cut an X inside the wall hole and push the fitting through, trim the excess vinyl on the outside of the threads, install the nut to snug plus 1/4 turn. The skimmer is next. You may have already installed the skimmer body, if not, and it's the type that's a fasten through face plate/wall/skimmer, do it now. Probe for the holes carefully. You'll feel them through the vinyl. Fasten the faceplate and gasket through the wall to the skimmer. When done, and everything is peachy, cut out the vinyl on the inside of the skimmer face plate. Hook up all your plumbing before the pool gets up . I suggest putting a ball valve in both lines before the equipment, to enable you to isolate the filter and pump from the pool. It will also keep your feet dryer, when cleaning out the pump basket, that pool will want to drain out there and can sometimes make putting the pump lid back on difficult. That's it, AG pool building 101. I'm gonna copy this, I know it's gonna get asked again. Cheers and good luck
Edit for Craig: Sand is the accepted practice with every builder I have worked for and those I haven't, here in Ontario. It doesn't "shift" when properly laid down and trowelled. It has nowhere to go unless you put it on a gravel bed or don't excavate and put the pool on the side of a hill. Second, while your method of liner drop works just fine, it involves an extra step, that with care ( I mentioned not to let the liner contact the wall during dropping) you can avoid.
Other answers:
if you have no experience, then pay the money to have it install
by a professional. In 1995 I, my best friend and his wife almost
got a divorce. Home construction project will destroy a marriage and a childhood friendships in a HEARTBEAT. The money that
you will spend on the pool is cheaper than the money that you will spend on a divorce attorney or the lost of your friends. You can either pay a little now or pay a lot later. There are no free
lunches
if you have no experience, then pay the money to have it install
by a professional. In 1995 I, my best friend and his wife almost
got a divorce. Home construction project will destroy a marriage and a childhood friendships in a HEARTBEAT. The money that
you will spend on the pool is cheaper than the money that you will spend on a divorce attorney or the lost of your friends. You can either pay a little now or pay a lot later. There are no free
lunches
For the most part I would ditto Scuba Bob with the following exceptions
Do not use sand. It shifts and creates divots in the bottom of your pool which makes it hard to clean. Sand also slowly wears at your liner. Instead use a pool pad and coving made of a poly foam material. It is marketed under many names. Happy Bottom, Comfy Bottom et al. This will provide with a smooth soft even bottom and the coving provides a stable uniform transition between wall and pool.
Second we always suggest completely assembling your pool with the top rails on and allowing the liner to sag into the pool. We have had several people tell us horrow stories of walls collapsing, or being blown over in the midst of liner installation
Craig
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