How To Re-level Sand Base Under Pool

by Marilyn
(Cleveland, OH)

The ladder we put in our pool this year for a pool party caused a hole in the bottom of our liner. We didn't realize it until night time when there was about a foot of water left in the pool.

We fixed the hole with a patch, but the sand under the bottom had seeped out and there is a decline level under the pool liner. How do we level that part out? Do we have to empty the pool totally?



Hi Marilyn. This page touches on your problem a little.

Pool Out of Level

The answer to your question is no, you do not want to completely drain your pool. This could easily result in you having to replace the liner with a new one. They shrink so fast, and depending on the age of the liner, they may not stretch back out.

I would use the method illustrated on the pool out of level page. Leave enough water in the bottom of the pool to hold the liner in place and to keep it from shrinking. Have one person hold the liner back out of the way while another person adds more sand and smoothes it out.

If you do this during the heat of the day you are better off. The liner will probably shrink just a touch, but re-filling immediately in the sun should not be a problem.

This is also a good time to add a second patch on the bottom of the liner. A patch applied to the under side of the liner is just about guaranteed to never come off. The pressure of the water will hold it in place forever.