Unlevel Pool

by Andrew
(Dartmouth, MA)

Is there a way to fix an un-level above-ground 27' round pool?


Hi Andrew. There are many ways an above ground pool can be re-leveled. The course of action I would take would be determined by just how bad off the pool is. If the installation was done poorly in many other respects, not just the leveling, I would want to take the pool down and start over from scratch. I would level and pack the ground, haul in new sand, and reassemble the pool.

Other cases, where the pool itself is fine, but might have an area that has settled slightly, I would level the pool without taking it down. To do this the pool needs to be emptied down to about an inch or so. It is important to leave a little water in the bottom to hold the liner in place and keep it from shrinking. The liner can be pulled back and the wall raised or lowered in the areas that are out of level.

A more detailed explanation of this type of pool leveling can be found on this page.

Pool Out of Level

Unlevel Above Ground Pool

by Jennifer
(North Carolina)

I recently installed a 24' round above ground pool. Everything was level when we started, but now we realize that one side is about 1 1/2 inches out of level.

Also, 3 of the verticals are leaning about 1/2 inch out. Is there any way to support the area that leans out just until the end of the summer when we can drain the water and re-level it?


Hi Jennifer. This page Pool Out of Level talks about above ground pools that are out of level. I discuss how far out of level is to much and how to fix small leveling problems.

Leveling issues can easily cause the uprights to lean one way or the other. If the pool is only an inch and a half out and it is sitting on firm soil with no other problems you are probably just fine. The only fix is to drain the water down to a few inches, re-level and fill the pool back up. It does not require replacing the liner but does mean draining the pool.

You have to look at the overall pool installation to determine the integrity of it. If all other aspects of the installation are fine you should easily last the summer. If you decide the pool looks OK for now then just keep a close eye on it. A serious problem will probably progressively get worse, if you see this happening I would drain the pool and fix it. If there are no signs of movement, or worsening, over the summer then that's a good thing.

Use your best judgment and if in doubt fix it.