Styrofoam Pad Over Pool Sand

by Lew
(Lewiston Maine)

Is it ok to install a Styrofoam pad over the crusher dust? I will also be using Styrofoam coving. Should I spread crusher dust over the coping? What are the steps I should take?

Hi Lew.

The steps I would take would depend on a couple of things. If the crusher dust is being used as the base for the entire pool area, meaning it is smoothed, packed and leveled out beyond the pool bottom rails, I would proceed as follows. I would level and pack the crusher dust, lay out the bottom rail and make it round and level. I would then install the wall and the pool framework. Next I would install the coving and then the foam pad just before installing the liner.

If the crusher dust is being used as a liner base, like you would use sand, I would do it like this. Make sure the ground is level and smooth and lay out the bottom rail. Level all the connectors in the bottom ring and then smooth out the base one more time. I would then pile the base material in the center of the pool, away from the bottom rails. Next the wall and framework would get installed. I would then install the coving and spread out the crusher dust, covering the cove at least partially , depending on how deep this base material is. Hopefully it is not more than a couple of inches and some of the cove still shows above it. Once this is all smooth and packed the final foam layer can be added. It can go all the way to the wall if it looks like it would work OK that way.

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Comments for Styrofoam Pad Over Pool Sand

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Jun 20, 2010
 pool base
by: TL

I'm installing a 27' above ground pool, the area soil is clay and rock, we are thinking that if we put a thin layer of sand down first, then put the styrofoam board down, with the rails and the cove on top of the styrofoam. will that work? and also keep our rails from rusting?

Hi, there is nothing wrong with a thin layer of sand before the foam. It kind of helps to level things out.

The only problem with putting the pool frame on the foam would be future deterioration. If you can protect the foam it might be OK. Some of our indoor displays get set up this way and it works fine for a season. I've never seen it done for a long period of time.

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