Level Pool Bottom

by Jeremy Maslowsky
(Leonard, Michigan, USA)

I have a 27 foot round pool that I am putting up on very solid clay. I have excavated down as far as possible (without going 4 feet below grade) and I am spot on level around 3/4 of the pool bottom rail. I have stacked patio blocks on virgin dirt to level the last 1/4. In order to get the bottom level, I have back filled it with about 4 inches of dirt that I removed from the site and will tune it in with sand. Will this settle too much on the fill side and pull the liner down or will it be ok if the bottom rail and supports are spot on level?



Hi Jeremy. You should be just fine. The outside frame is by far the most important. The inside area can settle a little without having any effect on the liner. I would water it with the garden hose and foot pack it for several days. If you can walk on the area without sinking you are fine to install a pool over it.

Be sure to also pack the area under the bottom rails, between the blocks. This does need to be firm and if you are at all in doubt extra blocks can be added between the footplates. Just the addition of a half a block in the center of the bottom rail can make a lot of difference.