Intex Pool Base

by Jeff
(Albany, GA)

I am installing a 24' x 52" Metal Frame Intex Pool. Their manual says not to use sand as a base because of potential shifting.

I have tilled the site to remove grass and loosen the soil for leveling. I need to build up one side for leveling. Should I use sand or clean field dirt? If I use sand do I need to sand the entire base and how much for a 24' pool?

Thanks, Jeff

Hi Jeff.

I use a little sand under Intex pools, to cushion the bottom, but not for leveling. I would level the ground with dirt and pack it down good. You can then just use a ground cloth over the dirt or you could cover the area with an inch or so of sand.

A twenty four foot pool would probably use about 3 tons of sand.

Intex Pool Base

by Brian
(Medford,or.)

I am installing a 10' x 20' Intex pool. I am thinking about putting indoor/outdoor carpeting on top of my sand as a base to my pool.

Will this work???

Hi Brian.

It should work fine. It's best to go with a thin base of sand to avoid too many footprints.

Framed Pool Base for Intex

by Blake
(Central Texas)

Hello, I am planning on building a frame or box for the base for my 12' Intex. What type of wood do you recommend - wolmanized boards or cedar or what? What width?

Also, the ground is a little sloped where I put the pool - about 3 or 4 inches across the 12' area. What's your advice to best remedy that?

Thanks, Blake

Hi Blake.

Lumber that comes into contact with the ground should always be what they call green board. It's specially treated to guard against termites and moisture ect. I would probably build my frame out of 2 x 6 green board.

One way that might work for you is to set the frame at ground level on the low side. You would then need to trench the sloped sides and the high side. If you level the frame you would have an inch or so of frame above ground level on the high side and a full five and a half inches on the low side. You could now use the dirt that is inside the frame and level it. This should leave you with about an even two inches of frame above ground level.

The ground could be watered and packed for a few days and then an even inch of sand over top of it. You would still be a little below the top of the frame and have a perfect base for your pool.

What you don't want to do is fill in the low area with sand. Level with dirt and then add an even base of sand.

Alternative Base For Frame Pool

by Barb

I just bought a metal frame pool and need to build some sort of portable base because I am a renter. The pool is 18' x 18' and 42" deep. I figured I would make a 20' x 20' base.

I thought I would make four 10' x 10' wooden bases out of 2x4's or 2x6's and 3/4" plywood, that I could bracket together, and be able to dismantle to put away in the winter months, along with the pool.

Can I make something like this? Would it be able to hold that much water disbursement? Is there a better way to build it, like cement blocks underneath it? I can't put sand under it to level it off because I rent the place, I do not own it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also if it is possible do you have a materials list and instructions? Thanks, Barb

Hi Barb.

There is nothing wrong with your idea, it should work just fine. 3/4" plywood sitting on 12" centers will hold just about anything.

You may need to make use of some patio blocks to make the platform completely level. Having a level base is important.

You will also want to put a pad of some sort over the plywood. Outdoor carpeting would work fine, or anything similar.

Styrofoam As Base For Intex Pool

by Cindy
(Ontario)

I am installing an Intex 18' x 52" pool. The ground was leveled but still off slightly, 1/2-1 inch, by the time it filled it was off a lot more as the weight of the water pushed the legs further into the ground.

Someone told me I should have set it up on 1" rigid foam after leveling it (ground has a lot of stones which I removed, but they say any left under the ground will work there way up.)

I am having to re-level the ground. What do you suggest?

Hi Cindy.

I have never seen Styrofoam used for an Intex pool so I'm not real sure how it would work. I have not heard of anyone doing it either. My guess is the legs would push right through the foam unless you cut out the foam and put blocks under each one.

When I build soft sided pools I level the ground and then spread out a thin layer of sand. I also install blocks under all the legs. When the ground is laser leveled, and the sand is laser leveled, and each one of the support blocks are laser leveled the pools tend to stay very level. At least I have never had any complaints.

If any readers have had success putting an Intex pool on a foam base let us know how it turned out.