Wow! Thanks so much for making this video. This is great advice! I'm getting ready to level the yard for our 8x16 Intex, this makes me feel a lot more confident regarding the easiest way to do it.
awesome tip on the leveling trick! We, too, were just thinking way too hard. We are going to use a little bit of sand, mostly because our ground is very rocky. Thanks again!
Fantastic video this is the exact issue I’m having with my pool!! Once summer is finished here in Australia I’m going to fix my stones I rushed into it next time I’ll take my time!! Thanks for these tips
Great video and good job. We have leveled the ground with sand as best as we could using a 2×4 and level but were trying to find the best way to level it as perfectly as possible because the 2×4 method is only as good as the center point and can be faulty. This idea is awesome for this type of pool being that the feet need a solid foundation that won't sink into the ground at different locations depending on each post's weight load and varying degrees of soil/sand compaction. I will say though from past experience you should get those wrinkles out of the bottom because when you use the manual pool vacuums, they will catch on and scrape the high spots which lead to holes in the liner. This will also happen if there are indentations in the bottom from foot prints left during installation and while filling the pool and uneven soil compaction. Green algae settles in the indentations and the vacuum edges scrape the edges around the hole. We had hundreds of microscopic pin holes in the bottom that were impossible to find and patch due to a coarser grade of sand. I'm going to get a ground pad this time around to prevent all this. Thanks for the great video.
That's genius! I've been having trouble figuring out how to level my 16' pool & I bought those same stones for the legs.. I'm going to give it a go.. thanks! Edit* It worked PERFECTLY! I put $150 of workout padding down underneath & it feels nice on the feet. The block to block leveling is the best & easiest solution though. It makes total sense because if the stones are exactly even, the top ring will be completely level. Thanks again!
Thank you so much Paul. We have a 15' pool and about 4" slope and I'm only putting up for the next 3 months, so this gave me some hope in which I can prep more before next summer and just get the blocks and level the blocks. I've watched dozens of videos and this was the only one that even mentioned this tip.
Bingo! I’ve been researching for a couple of days I think you have posted my solution! And I have those bricks too I kid you not. Anyway your pool looks lovely and don’t be a perfectionist about wrinkles on the floor. You do however have a friendly looking frog floating around the top. Thank you so much! 🐸🐸🐸
@Leah Watts lasted 3 years before the frame rusted out. I purchased another frame and used the same liner. Been 3 years now. Going fine. I was much more careful the second time around. Any little scratch you get in the frame is an invitation for rust. Plus, being in massachusetts and using a salt water chlorine system, is tough on it.
wow! thanks for the tip on leveling the pool. I told my husband about it. We will be installing a pool this week and I have been trying to find a way to level out the pool easier than what I've seen. We have a 24' pool that came from a pool place but it needs a liner and is 9 years old so I think we are just going to grab a pool like this from walmart and add the skimmer and pump, if i can, from the old pool setup.
Hi Pete followed your instructions and hire someone to level the ground this weekend amd put up the pool myself. Got the pavers and my pool was pretty leveled I would say may an inch to an inch and a half but pretty good thanks your videos rock.
You have got to be kidding me. I have been having such a tough time leveling my backyard for our pool. It’s our first pool, and it’s the same size as yours, so big. So we don’t want to mess it up and my dirt is quite rocky in places. I gotta show my wife this video. I think you’ve saved us a ton of time.
My man! Getting ready to setup my second one tomorrow and that paver to paver level tip is gonna be a life saver. I set one up years ago and it was off by 3". I was dreading the setup until I watched this.
Great video! Followed your instructions my 22 x 52 pool is very leveled. I also installed the Hayward wide mouth skimmer and going to do a complete tutorial video.
Thomas Rivera that’s fantastic! Glad the video helped you. The skimmer was easy but a little scary cutting into the side of a brand new pool. Looking forward to seeing your video.
We had one of these and the same size except it was Intex. Lasted 7 years and we loved it. Now we just bought the aluminum 24 foot 54 in deep pool from a company. We are excited.
@@paullywalnutz Yes I absolutely agree. We even left our out over winter and still was fine. We took pretty good care of it. It definitely served it purpose. :)
Great tips Paul! I enjoyed my first pool this year which was an 8' x 24" Intex easy set for $39. Was a great first pool since I had no experience with pools and wasn't sure how much use it would get. I didn't level the area of course for such a small pool, but it was obvious the pool wasn't level. As much as my tiny pool was used this year, I started searching for an upgrade. Thankfully, I stumbled across an Intex pool 22' x 52" lightly used at a moving sale for $100 two weeks ago. I started searching for tips on how to level the ground. Your video has helped me tremendously! Two days ago I started leveling out my very unlevel, yet thankfully sandy yard, and you're absolutely correct...the key is to set your blocks for the legs and make sure they're level all the way around. At first I leveled out the area for the underside of the pool...or at least thought it was level, but when I set my blocks afterward, I found just how unlevel my ground was under the pool area. If you have a very sloped yard like mine. I would definitely suggest starting out on the low end of the yard, then working your way around with the block leveling. This will aid in less blocks to purchase, and also ensure on a firm packed surface by digging down into the soil, instead of having to add more dirt or loose sand to build up to level. I haven't yet finished the entire pool set-up, but focusing on the perimeter blocks really helps!
When i was 1st setting up 18 x 4. Coleman i put blocks under each leg. But discovered it threw the ladder clearance. ( It was slightly short and didnt clear the top rail) so i was afraid it would throw off the liner and perhaps over stress the frame as well. I removed the blocks, the ladder cleared, the liner bottom edge was all the way around was uniform with only minor shimming needed. I used the level on the top rail from the center to the next one in center to check. Sorta catycornered. Keep in mind the outside edge maybe level but the center ground could still be off. If center is level or slightly uniformly lower like a contoured bowl itll be ok. Good info sir.
Good job, and great looking pool. We wanted to get an inground pool but after reading reviews of all pool companies in my area, we decided to not go that route because of negative reviews and the price.
Great video. Thank you. I had a professional install but I think you did a better job. I have a little deck attached and a candy cane ladder. It is a lot of upkeep, but worth it. I get my exercise, trust me. Also, I have little folds here and there. It's really insignificant. Thanks again. I am looking for the pump reconnect. I'm going to copy yours. Great job.
Just tried this after nearly giving up. Was WAY easier than anything else I tried. When we put the liner in the legs didn’t quit match up to stones anymore. I did use the 4x8 stones so don’t take that shortcut! But it’s still measuring level. It’s filling with water now. Fingers crossed. 🤞
Great information, just left the pool store the woman there informed me after putting the shock if if it’s turns green or brown that is a indication of trace metals present.
Used your suggestion of adding pavers. Was a bit worried about the liner rubbing them though. Ended up using some foam pipe insulation on the edges and seems to work well.
Very helpful video...thanks! We just bought the same pool and hope to have it delivered by tomorrow. We'd like to set ours up just like yours and want to get a jump start on the other parts we need. Can you please let us know the models of your saltwater system, filter and skimmer. Just want to make sure we select the right one since they come in different varieties. Thanks in advance!!!
Hi. Excellent video thank you so much. May I plz ask...when u leveled your pool initially did u remove your grass with a sod cutter and then try n eyeball to level? Once u do that then u level each cement clock? Is that how it works. Plz help. Thank u so much
WHOA! so if I am understanding correctly... you dont have to be concerned with leveling the ground underneath the pool but rather that all the posts are level with each other. this is huge. in the past I have had the intex with the blue ring at top and it was a HUGE PITA. had to make sure the entire underneath is level.
We put our intex round pool up last year and it was off by a couple inches for leveling. We took it down after summer and now I am going regrade the ground and put pool back up for good. Leveling is a pain, but it needs to be done right down safety. Enjoy
I used a similar concept. setup 12x12 pavers.. however one side of the pool the paver is too far underneath the liner. so now its starting to tear the liner!! I need to jack up the pool and pull the paver out so it doesn't cause extra damage.
Cut and install skimmer.... Mind Blown!!! Next year this is happening. I have this junk over the wall skimmer.... it works... But no where near the effectiveness of a through the wall. Too Awesome!!!
Paul,excellent video,i have a 18 x 52 intex pool,it sits on a cement slab, there is a four inch difference from top to bottom on the slab,this is my sixth year on the slab,do you think your method would work to raise the pool four inches on the low end,i tried sand one time on the low end,a wast of sand and it did not work ,any suggestions ?
Excellent job! I just purchased the the 18 ft version of this pool and I'm tryt to make sure I get the ground level before I put the pool up that's a lot of water to spill over if I don't get it right! I have excess to plenty of sand should I need it! I will for be using the concrete pavers
Omg eureka! I have watch a ton of videos..my man and kids are lazy and im stressing about digging up the grass and leveling all the sand myself..im a 62 yr old female with health issues.. Now this I can do.. Who needs help? Not me I can get it level this way...Oh you just saved me weeks worth of work.. 😂
We have this size pool with 16 inch intex sand filter and wide mouth Hayward skimmer. Not getting good suction and such with skimmer. Don’t know what to do. Any pointers would be appreciated.
HI Paul, love this, I am putting up a 18' x 52' intex, have leveled the ground, but filled the low end, rather than dig out the high end. How much does this matter do you think? Heavy clay soil. Is most of the weight carried by the legs?
Peggy Earle guessing the heavy clay won’t compact like regular soil. At least not as much. How much did you have to add? What was the height difference?
Just wondering how much sod cutting / dirt removing you did before it became an acceptable level of 'level' to lay out the pool and start laying the stones? Thanks
Scott Corbin thanks for the question. For my it was just removing the sod and then raking the area smooth. I also removed any stones in the area. I didn’t remove or add any dirt. I just moved it around to get fairly level. Of course, if the spot you pick is off by several inches, you’ll have to do more work to get it to an acceptable point before starting to set up the pool.
Great Video Paul thank you for your time. Could you share your model number of the pumps you upgraded as well as the saltwater generator you purchased? I would like to upgrade to salt as well? Thank you so much for your help!
Thanks Marisa! unfortunately, both the pump and saltwater chlorinator i used are no longer available. i will link some good alternatives for you. Very similar. www.walmart.com/ip/Intex-Krystal-Clear-Sand-Filter-Pump-for-Above-Ground-Pools-3000-GPH-Pump-Flow-Rate-110-120V-with-GFCI/34335817 www.walmart.com/ip/Intex-120V-Krystal-Clear-Saltwater-Pool-Chlorinator-Wall-Mount-Surface-Skimmer/411472134 this chlorinator comes with a surface skimmer as well.
Paul, Great video! Where did you get the skimmer? Looking forward to get my pool up too. I purchased the Intex 22' x 52" as the 24 footer was no longer available. Thanks again for your great ideas and secret to leveling the pool.
Purchased the skimmer from Walmart.com. It's the Hayward large skimmer. Definitely need the big one for a pool this size! Easy to install as well. I will put up a video about it soon. Thanks for your kind words!
Wow...get out of my head! We had the 14 x 42 last year and we all loved it so much....We bought it spontaneously after it was put on clearance at walmart (intex ultra frame) for $180. we didnt level it either, in fact, I was on night shift rotation and set it up over night to surprise the kids next morning. We took it down and it was damaged from being not level and one of the pavers i used shifted and wore a hole in the liner. I have been searching for a bigger and better pool because we all just loved it. My back yard is over an acre and faces west so from like 0900 until dark, Its a solid swim day. I live in Louisiana so it stayed up until October. Anyway...I just found an intex 22 x 52 for $330 new so I am stoked. I set aside about $1500 this year for the pool so I will use the remaining $$ for lumber, beer, and maybe a couple boxes of Arturo Fuentes. Thanks for sharing!
Hey there- how do you know what upgraded kind of pump you can use? I have an 18ft summer waves elite frame pool and I’m a total newbie. I will definitely be using your stone leveling trick and we will be putting some sand underneath. I’ve heard these pumps stop working and definitely want a preventative plan. Thanks!
Generally best to figure out how many gallons of water your pool holds and then get a pump that’s rated to circulate that many gallons within 3-4 hours. That will keep your pool clean without having to run the pump constantly. For instance, if a pool has 10000 gallons you would want something rated for at least 2500 GPH. That would technically circulate all of your water in 4 hours.
One question, I have the 18x48 Coleman pool and for the filter pump it says the cord is a GFCI and we need to plug it into an actual outlet. However, there is no outlet in our yard. We're probably going to end up using an extension cord. I was wondering if you had the same situation and if you recommend using an extension cord. Thank you.
Paul DeSousa Oh ok, thank you. We've been confused for the past couple days on what to do and now we're going to use a husky brand 12 gauge outdoor extension cord for it. Hopefully nothing happens, thanks again.
Small rounds would work also,however since the pool feet has a flat side that goes toward the pool and they should be back away from the liner you may not get enough surface area for the foot. I used 7 "x 11" pavers. Either way you want to keep the edge of the blocks back from touching the liner. I packed sand in front of the pads to protect the liner as well as 9 mil plastic sheeting.
So sense like you I have two suction lines, I was gonna use the little pump that came with my new pool for my fountain because I get so tired of unhooking my return every time we wanna use it. I have heard of some saying that when you’re not using both suction lines it weakens the flow coming from the return jet. Have you found this to be true with your sand filter pump which in your case like me is the main pump.
Magical Melody mine works just fine. I use the little pump for the fountain like you said. The sand filter has plenty of oomph. I also installed a slimmer which may be why there isn’t a problem.
Can you help me with as to how you added your skimmer, how you plugged the extra inlet, did you have to get extra fittings at maybe a hardware or pool store? We have the Intex 15x48 Where we were putting the skimmer is where the old inlet was but we need that to be outlet & then we have two outlets more under water Do we need to get fittings or adapters or plugs & how do we reverse this , we need one out at the skimmer & one in for circulation NEED HELP PLEASE!!!
Sabrina Smith I cut the hole for the skinner right above one of the inlet. Then I went to the pool store and purchased a rubber stopper they make specifically for the inkers. Fits perfectly. Without knowing what pump you have it’s tough to tell what adapters you’ll need. But generally, you’ll want the water going back into your pool at one of the HiGH points. Not the lower ones. Those can just be plugged as well.
hey hope you can help on the stopper plugs for the intake tubing to the filer is the nipple part faced inside of the pool or outside my hose will not stay hooked up even with the clamps??/rrrrrrrrrrrrrr thank you
Great tip! I'm seeing mine up this weekend, I did have a question though. The stones didn't puncture the lining being that they have sharp corners? Thank you sir.
Hey! Fantastic video! Just wondering how the pool is holding up after a few seasons? Also, I live in Southern Ontario, do you disassemble these pools every year and store them? Thanks so much for the info!
Sonny Ryan thank you!! I kept it up year round for 3 years. The frame rotted out and I had to get a new frame. I think the salt water may have contributed. If you check my other videos I have a couple I made before I took it down. Shows the rot.
Question: You stated that you knew the distance between your support poles so you could insert the pavers, that’s helpful. But how did you measure to get the angle since the pool curves slightly all the way around? Did you set up the pool frame to get the exact measurements? Great video!!
kcewilson thanks for the comment! I measured the circumference by measuring 11 feet from center. 22 feet total. Use a chalk line or marking paint to Mark the area.
yes. i still worked to level the ground beneath the pool itself. I just eye balled it. I didn't get it machine leveled. You would have to at least do that much.
2466shan... I actually bought the old lady stairs that cost over $200... sigh... here's the thing... as soon as I went online and found a platform for around $20 or so for the top of the original ladder, it solved the stability problem with the ladder.. now, I have the stairs for when I'm REALLY old..
we just bought the same 22' coleman and not able to get,the cover on. any tips? ours has w spots with drawstringss but when we pull cover across pool, it just falls in. so frustrating!
Did you set the frame up to figure out where to set up your stones? I’m doing mine this week and was trying to figure out extenders my stones are going to be.
just got one and I would like to know how to put the skimmer on. Also thinking of getting a sand filter how do I install it and do I have to use the filter it came with combined with the sand filter. love your videos. I was so afraid to get this pool because of the bad reviews. Hoping mine turns out good. also is there other types of skimmer I could use?
Maribel Rivera to install the type of skimmer I have... you use the garnet as a template and cut the liner with an exacto knife. Then install according to the skinner directions. It was actually very easy. They do have surface skimmers that attach to the side of the pool. No cutting necessary. My brother has one and he really likes it. You do NOT have to use the filter it comes with. They are generally not very good! A sand filter will attach easily to any pool. If the hose size is different than the old filter, you may need adapters. Any pool store can help you with that. Good luck!
My thing is not wanting to remove the sod. I wonder if I could get away with doing the pavers like you did, and ysing a tarp and pool pad over the ground and just letting the grass die. Any feedback on that? Thank you!
Wow! Thanks so much for making this video. This is great advice! I'm getting ready to level the yard for our 8x16 Intex, this makes me feel a lot more confident regarding the easiest way to do it.
Wish i had seen your videos a week ago. Very informative. Thanks for sharing with us pool virgins.
awesome tip on the leveling trick! We, too, were just thinking way too hard. We are going to use a little bit of sand, mostly because our ground is very rocky. Thanks again!
Fantastic video this is the exact issue I’m having with my pool!! Once summer is finished here in Australia I’m going to fix my stones I rushed into it next time I’ll take my time!! Thanks for these tips
This is the best video on leveling a pool!!!!!
Great video and good job. We have leveled the ground with sand as best as we could using a 2×4 and level but were trying to find the best way to level it as perfectly as possible because the 2×4 method is only as good as the center point and can be faulty. This idea is awesome for this type of pool being that the feet need a solid foundation that won't sink into the ground at different locations depending on each post's weight load and varying degrees of soil/sand compaction. I will say though from past experience you should get those wrinkles out of the bottom because when you use the manual pool vacuums, they will catch on and scrape the high spots which lead to holes in the liner. This will also happen if there are indentations in the bottom from foot prints left during installation and while filling the pool and uneven soil compaction. Green algae settles in the indentations and the vacuum edges scrape the edges around the hole. We had hundreds of microscopic pin holes in the bottom that were impossible to find and patch due to a coarser grade of sand. I'm going to get a ground pad this time around to prevent all this. Thanks for the great video.
That's genius! I've been having trouble figuring out how to level my 16' pool & I bought those same stones for the legs.. I'm going to give it a go.. thanks!
Edit* It worked PERFECTLY! I put $150 of workout padding down underneath & it feels nice on the feet. The block to block leveling is the best & easiest solution though. It makes total sense because if the stones are exactly even, the top ring will be completely level. Thanks again!
Thank you so much Paul. We have a 15' pool and about 4" slope and I'm only putting up for the next 3 months, so this gave me some hope in which I can prep more before next summer and just get the blocks and level the blocks. I've watched dozens of videos and this was the only one that even mentioned this tip.
Jonathan H you’re welcome! All the best luck with your pool. They’re a pain... but SOOOO worth it. Lol
I'm legit on the same boat. I'm going to give this a shot.
great viedo did one much older 30 year ago was great, It change my life with family and kids. What a great fun.
Bingo! I’ve been researching for a couple of days I think you have posted my solution! And I have those bricks too I kid you not. Anyway your pool looks lovely and don’t be a perfectionist about wrinkles on the floor. You do however have a friendly looking frog floating around the top. Thank you so much! 🐸🐸🐸
Getting ready to set ours up so I was really glad to see how you did yours. It sounds WAY easier than what we were planning 😜.
Katalin Mason I hope it helps!! We were prepared to do all kinds of crazy things and spend a TON of money. This was so much better. Good luck!
@Leah Watts lasted 3 years before the frame rusted out. I purchased another frame and used the same liner. Been 3 years now. Going fine. I was much more careful the second time around. Any little scratch you get in the frame is an invitation for rust. Plus, being in massachusetts and using a salt water chlorine system, is tough on it.
wow! thanks for the tip on leveling the pool. I told my husband about it. We will be installing a pool this week and I have been trying to find a way to level out the pool easier than what I've seen. We have a 24' pool that came from a pool place but it needs a liner and is 9 years old so I think we are just going to grab a pool like this from walmart and add the skimmer and pump, if i can, from the old pool setup.
Hi Pete followed your instructions and hire someone to level the ground this weekend amd put up the pool myself. Got the pavers and my pool was pretty leveled I would say may an inch to an inch and a half but pretty good thanks your videos rock.
Best explanation of how to level out one of these pools. Thanks for sharing
best video ever on this subject.... none of the others compare... thanks for sharing. i'm immensely grateful.
You have got to be kidding me. I have been having such a tough time leveling my backyard for our pool. It’s our first pool, and it’s the same size as yours, so big. So we don’t want to mess it up and my dirt is quite rocky in places. I gotta show my wife this video. I think you’ve saved us a ton of time.
My man! Getting ready to setup my second one tomorrow and that paver to paver level tip is gonna be a life saver. I set one up years ago and it was off by 3". I was dreading the setup until I watched this.
Well I filled it up last night and it was off...by 1/8". So as far as I'm concerned that's dead nuts level, lol.
Thanks for the pavers tip my pool is perfect !
SAVAGE _ O.G outstanding!
Great video! Followed your instructions my 22 x 52 pool is very leveled. I also installed the Hayward wide mouth skimmer and going to do a complete tutorial video.
Thomas Rivera that’s fantastic! Glad the video helped you. The skimmer was easy but a little scary cutting into the side of a brand new pool. Looking forward to seeing your video.
It looks great! Looks so pretty all set up. Thanks for the info. Love your voice, BTW!
We had one of these and the same size except it was Intex. Lasted 7 years and we loved it. Now we just bought the aluminum 24 foot 54 in deep pool from a company. We are excited.
They are great pools if you know how to take care of them.!
@@paullywalnutz Yes I absolutely agree. We even left our out over winter and still was fine. We took pretty good care of it. It definitely served it purpose. :)
Omg wish I watched this a couple yrs back...lol would have saved my back and my husbands...
Thanks. For sharing this it helped me want this pool when I move soon!
Thanks for saving us time.
OMG it makes sense !!!! and the middle part - as long is pretty flat not bulges nor sinks , is ok - Thanks *
I loved this video! I have this exact pool and was going to get equipment and sand.
Great tips Paul! I enjoyed my first pool this year which was an 8' x 24" Intex easy set for $39. Was a great first pool since I had no experience with pools and wasn't sure how much use it would get. I didn't level the area of course for such a small pool, but it was obvious the pool wasn't level. As much as my tiny pool was used this year, I started searching for an upgrade. Thankfully, I stumbled across an Intex pool 22' x 52" lightly used at a moving sale for $100 two weeks ago. I started searching for tips on how to level the ground. Your video has helped me tremendously! Two days ago I started leveling out my very unlevel, yet thankfully sandy yard, and you're absolutely correct...the key is to set your blocks for the legs and make sure they're level all the way around. At first I leveled out the area for the underside of the pool...or at least thought it was level, but when I set my blocks afterward, I found just how unlevel my ground was under the pool area. If you have a very sloped yard like mine. I would definitely suggest starting out on the low end of the yard, then working your way around with the block leveling. This will aid in less blocks to purchase, and also ensure on a firm packed surface by digging down into the soil, instead of having to add more dirt or loose sand to build up to level. I haven't yet finished the entire pool set-up, but focusing on the perimeter blocks really helps!
Thank you so much for the tips!!! It really helps!
I’m stressing about the leveling! Glad to hear your take on it and the comment from the pool guy. I do think we can do it.
👍🏼 if I can do it... anyone can!
@@paullywalnutz … as a 69 year old woman.. that's what I said. Smiling here. :)
So glad I found your video thank you!
When i was 1st setting up 18 x 4. Coleman i put blocks under each leg. But discovered it threw the ladder clearance. ( It was slightly short and didnt clear the top rail) so i was afraid it would throw off the liner and perhaps over stress the frame as well. I removed the blocks, the ladder cleared, the liner bottom edge was all the way around was uniform with only minor shimming needed. I used the level on the top rail from the center to the next one in center to check. Sorta catycornered. Keep in mind the outside edge maybe level but the center ground could still be off. If center is level or slightly uniformly lower like a contoured bowl itll be ok. Good info sir.
Good job, and great looking pool. We wanted to get an inground pool but after reading reviews of all pool companies in my area, we decided to not go that route because of negative reviews and the price.
It's definitely not for everybody! I hope whatever you go with brings you joy
Best video I’ve seen so far.
Great video. Thank you. I had a professional install but I think you did a better job. I have a little deck attached and a candy cane ladder. It is a lot of upkeep, but worth it. I get my exercise, trust me. Also, I have little folds here and there. It's really insignificant. Thanks again. I am looking for the pump reconnect. I'm going to copy yours. Great job.
Cindy mandrier who did you call to have it professionally install your pool?
Thank you!!! You just saved me from literally saved me from running my brain in circles
The liner doesn’t rub against the footers that are above grade?
And what size stones are they
I still have the intex 14 x 42 pool, I would like to upgrade to a 22 x 52.....very nice! I love mine, very easy setup
Nice..great job and thanks for the tips.
We are installing the same pool, which inlets did you buy on amazon. I saw a post from you that had the link but cant find it. Great job on video!
Just saved me a ton of $$ for sand. thanks for the tip!
Thanks! That's exactly what I'm doing
Great vid Paul! I’m in the process of setting up. This helped ease my mind :-)
Very, very helpful! Thanks!
Just tried this after nearly giving up. Was WAY easier than anything else I tried. When we put the liner in the legs didn’t quit match up to stones anymore. I did use the 4x8 stones so don’t take that shortcut! But it’s still measuring level. It’s filling with water now. Fingers crossed. 🤞
Keep us posted on results. !
Great information, just left the pool store the woman there informed me after putting the shock if if it’s turns green or brown that is a indication of trace metals present.
Tawnya Aldrich exactly.
Used your suggestion of adding pavers. Was a bit worried about the liner rubbing them though. Ended up using some foam pipe insulation on the edges and seems to work well.
zmann42 THATs a great solution! Thanks for the comment.
Did you posted my solution..!! Thanks so much..
We followed your set up instructions. Our pool is level!
OUTSTANDING!!!! so glad it helped.
Very helpful video...thanks! We just bought the same pool and hope to have it delivered by tomorrow. We'd like to set ours up just like yours and want to get a jump start on the other parts we need. Can you please let us know the models of your saltwater system, filter and skimmer. Just want to make sure we select the right one since they come in different varieties. Thanks in advance!!!
Hi. Excellent video thank you so much.
May I plz ask...when u leveled your pool initially did u remove your grass with a sod cutter and then try n eyeball to level?
Once u do that then u level each cement clock? Is that how it works. Plz help. Thank u so much
Wish I had seen video before I spent all day today putting down sand. Gonna go back now and put the bricks down under the legs.
WHOA! so if I am understanding correctly... you dont have to be concerned with leveling the ground underneath the pool but rather that all the posts are level with each other. this is huge. in the past I have had the intex with the blue ring at top and it was a HUGE PITA. had to make sure the entire underneath is level.
I'd like to see how and where on the pool you installed the skimmer
We put our intex round pool up last year and it was off by a couple inches for leveling. We took it down after summer and now I am going regrade the ground and put pool back up for good. Leveling is a pain, but it needs to be done right down safety. Enjoy
thank you now i can share this with my kids
hey, did you just bypass the b hookups on the pool? your return jet is in the a location and just left plugs in b location.
snap together 1in foam mats also work for under pool. and are pretty cheap and work super well
Definitely! I use them under my inflatable hot tub!
I used a similar concept. setup 12x12 pavers.. however one side of the pool the paver is too far underneath the liner. so now its starting to tear the liner!! I need to jack up the pool and pull the paver out so it doesn't cause extra damage.
Cut and install skimmer.... Mind Blown!!! Next year this is happening. I have this junk over the wall skimmer.... it works... But no where near the effectiveness of a through the wall. Too Awesome!!!
Matt Beil you will be very happy!! Lol. One of the best mods for these pools. So easy to vacuum as well.
Paul,excellent video,i have a 18 x 52 intex pool,it sits on a cement slab, there is a four inch difference from top to bottom on the slab,this is my sixth year on the slab,do you think your method would work to raise the pool four inches on the low end,i tried sand one time on the low end,a wast of sand and it did not work ,any suggestions ?
Excellent video thank you for sharing... how’s the quality of the pool can you let me know...
How much was the skimmer and pump upgrade. Where can I buy them and info on your ladder please. Thank you
Thanks Paul, looks gr8😁
rubyred thanks rubyred! Cant wait for spring!
I used a jack and a length of 4 x 4 to jack the post up a little. Scary but it worked.
Excellent job! I just purchased the the 18 ft version of this pool and I'm tryt to make sure I get the ground level before I put the pool up that's a lot of water to spill over if I don't get it right! I have excess to plenty of sand should I need it! I will for be using the concrete pavers
Eric D. Thanks for the comment! Best of luck.
Omg eureka! I have watch a ton of videos..my man and kids are lazy and im stressing about digging up the grass and leveling all the sand myself..im a 62 yr old female with health issues.. Now this I can do.. Who needs help? Not me I can get it level this way...Oh you just saved me weeks worth of work.. 😂
Great video... Thanks
what brand is your ladder. looking for a better one myself
We have this size pool with 16 inch intex sand filter and wide mouth Hayward skimmer. Not getting good suction and such with skimmer. Don’t know what to do. Any pointers would be appreciated.
thank you for sharing and do you have a link to buy those pump hole plugs? and any updates on your pool?
HI Paul, love this, I am putting up a 18' x 52' intex, have leveled the ground, but filled the low end, rather than dig out the high end. How much does this matter do you think? Heavy clay soil. Is most of the weight carried by the legs?
Peggy Earle guessing the heavy clay won’t compact like regular soil. At least not as much. How much did you have to add? What was the height difference?
Just wondering how much sod cutting / dirt removing you did before it became an acceptable level of 'level' to lay out the pool and start laying the stones? Thanks
Scott Corbin thanks for the question. For my it was just removing the sod and then raking the area smooth. I also removed any stones in the area. I didn’t remove or add any dirt. I just moved it around to get fairly level. Of course, if the spot you pick is off by several inches, you’ll have to do more work to get it to an acceptable point before starting to set up the pool.
Is this pool better than index pools and what extra parts do I need to get my first time
Great Video Paul thank you for your time. Could you share your model number of the pumps you upgraded as well as the saltwater generator you purchased? I would like to upgrade to salt as well? Thank you so much for your help!
Thanks Marisa! unfortunately, both the pump and saltwater chlorinator i used are no longer available. i will link some good alternatives for you. Very similar. www.walmart.com/ip/Intex-Krystal-Clear-Sand-Filter-Pump-for-Above-Ground-Pools-3000-GPH-Pump-Flow-Rate-110-120V-with-GFCI/34335817
www.walmart.com/ip/Intex-120V-Krystal-Clear-Saltwater-Pool-Chlorinator-Wall-Mount-Surface-Skimmer/411472134
this chlorinator comes with a surface skimmer as well.
thank u for the advice
Thanks alot. I was wondering about post to post. Now all I need is a 6 ft. Level
Paul, Great video! Where did you get the skimmer? Looking forward to get my pool up too. I purchased the Intex 22' x 52" as the 24 footer was no longer available. Thanks again for your great ideas and secret to leveling the pool.
Purchased the skimmer from Walmart.com. It's the Hayward large skimmer. Definitely need the big one for a pool this size! Easy to install as well. I will put up a video about it soon. Thanks for your kind words!
Wow...get out of my head! We had the 14 x 42 last year and we all loved it so much....We bought it spontaneously after it was put on clearance at walmart (intex ultra frame) for $180. we didnt level it either, in fact, I was on night shift rotation and set it up over night to surprise the kids next morning. We took it down and it was damaged from being not level and one of the pavers i used shifted and wore a hole in the liner. I have been searching for a bigger and better pool because we all just loved it. My back yard is over an acre and faces west so from like 0900 until dark, Its a solid swim day. I live in Louisiana so it stayed up until October. Anyway...I just found an intex 22 x 52 for $330 new so I am stoked. I set aside about $1500 this year for the pool so I will use the remaining $$ for lumber, beer, and maybe a couple boxes of Arturo Fuentes. Thanks for sharing!
Hey there- how do you know what upgraded kind of pump you can use? I have an 18ft summer waves elite frame pool and I’m a total newbie. I will definitely be using your stone leveling trick and we will be putting some sand underneath. I’ve heard these pumps stop working and definitely want a preventative plan. Thanks!
Generally best to figure out how many gallons of water your pool holds and then get a pump that’s rated to circulate that many gallons within 3-4 hours. That will keep your pool clean without having to run the pump constantly. For instance, if a pool has 10000 gallons you would want something rated for at least 2500 GPH. That would technically circulate all of your water in 4 hours.
One question, I have the 18x48 Coleman pool and for the filter pump it says the cord is a GFCI and we need to plug it into an actual outlet. However, there is no outlet in our yard. We're probably going to end up using an extension cord. I was wondering if you had the same situation and if you recommend using an extension cord. Thank you.
Mohamed Bankasliattar I use a heavy duty, outdoor extension cord. It does connect to a GFCI. No issues.
Paul DeSousa Oh ok, thank you. We've been confused for the past couple days on what to do and now we're going to use a husky brand 12 gauge outdoor extension cord for it. Hopefully nothing happens, thanks again.
Anyone use round pavers instead of square ones? Just curious if that would be a better option so as to not poke through the liner
Small rounds would work also,however since the pool feet has a flat side that goes toward the pool and they should be back away from the liner you may not get enough surface area for the foot. I used 7 "x 11" pavers. Either way you want to keep the edge of the blocks back from touching the liner. I packed sand in front of the pads to protect the liner as well as 9 mil plastic sheeting.
@@dongarrett7595 I ended up going with 10 x 10 x 2 inch square pavers instead. I also used foam in between the pool liner and edges of the pavestones.
So sense like you I have two suction lines, I was gonna use the little pump that came with my new pool for my fountain because I get so tired of unhooking my return every time we wanna use it. I have heard of some saying that when you’re not using both suction lines it weakens the flow coming from the return jet. Have you found this to be true with your sand filter pump which in your case like me is the main pump.
Magical Melody mine works just fine. I use the little pump for the fountain like you said. The sand filter has plenty of oomph. I also installed a slimmer which may be why there isn’t a problem.
This is the simplest process for levelling that I came across
Can you help me with as to how you added your skimmer, how you plugged the extra inlet, did you have to get extra fittings at maybe a hardware or pool store?
We have the Intex 15x48
Where we were putting the skimmer is where the old inlet was but we need that to be outlet & then we have two outlets more under water
Do we need to get fittings or adapters or plugs & how do we reverse this , we need one out at the skimmer & one in for circulation
NEED HELP PLEASE!!!
Sabrina Smith I cut the hole for the skinner right above one of the inlet. Then I went to the pool store and purchased a rubber stopper they make specifically for the inkers. Fits perfectly. Without knowing what pump you have it’s tough to tell what adapters you’ll need. But generally, you’ll want the water going back into your pool at one of the HiGH points. Not the lower ones. Those can just be plugged as well.
hey hope you can help on the stopper plugs for the intake tubing to the filer is the nipple part faced inside of the pool or outside my hose will not stay hooked up even with the clamps??/rrrrrrrrrrrrrr
thank you
Hwa Youn Kim I have mine facing out.
Did you make the video for the hayward wide mouth skimmer yet?I want to get one and install it this year.
I'm also wanting to see that video.
Me too!
Won't the pavers rub holes into the liner?
Great tip! I'm seeing mine up this weekend, I did have a question though. The stones didn't puncture the lining being that they have sharp corners? Thank you sir.
I put multiple tarps between the liner and the stones. Never had an issue.
I tassume the stones werent under the actual pool liner but only around the outer edge for decorative purpose and a weed barrier.
@@tedthornton7791 the only stones I used were under the lags of the pool. I put rubber mulch around the exterior for a barrier.
Hey! Fantastic video!
Just wondering how the pool is holding up after a few seasons?
Also, I live in Southern Ontario, do you disassemble these pools every year and store them?
Thanks so much for the info!
Sonny Ryan thank you!! I kept it up year round for 3 years. The frame rotted out and I had to get a new frame. I think the salt water may have contributed. If you check my other videos I have a couple I made before I took it down. Shows the rot.
Question:
You stated that you knew the distance between your support poles so you could insert the pavers, that’s helpful. But how did you measure to get the angle since the pool curves slightly all the way around? Did you set up the pool frame to get the exact measurements?
Great video!!
kcewilson thanks for the comment! I measured the circumference by measuring 11 feet from center. 22 feet total. Use a chalk line or marking paint to Mark the area.
if the ground isn't somewhat level wouldn't it be more of a strain on the liner in lower spaces?
yes. i still worked to level the ground beneath the pool itself. I just eye balled it. I didn't get it machine leveled. You would have to at least do that much.
Did the paver edges wear a whole in your pool from being up against the liner?
Sic Wit It Bodybuilding they didn’t. I had two tarps between the liner and the pavers
Thank you I will do this
Which ladder did you purchase?
2466shan... I actually bought the old lady stairs that cost over $200... sigh... here's the thing... as soon as I went online and found a platform for around $20 or so for the top of the original ladder, it solved the stability problem with the ladder.. now, I have the stairs for when I'm REALLY old..
we just bought the same 22' coleman and not able to get,the cover on. any tips? ours has w spots with drawstringss but when we pull cover across pool, it just falls in. so frustrating!
Matt Maurer threw mine out after one week! Pain in the butt. No advice on that one. Sorry.
Do you need a township permit for this , NEW JERSEY AREA
Did you set the frame up to figure out where to set up your stones? I’m doing mine this week and was trying to figure out extenders my stones are going to be.
i just used a section to measure it. gives you a pretty solid idea of the distance
Hi Paul, did you take it down and put it up again this year? We are in Maine and worried about Winters.
Jason Hatch I did not. Left it up and had no issues. Granted... this winter wasn't too brutal in Southern MA. But it was typical.
just got one and I would like to know how to put the skimmer on. Also thinking of getting a sand filter how do I install it and do I have to use the filter it came with combined with the sand filter. love your videos. I was so afraid to get this pool because of the bad reviews. Hoping mine turns out good. also is there other types of skimmer I could use?
Maribel Rivera to install the type of skimmer I have... you use the garnet as a template and cut the liner with an exacto knife. Then install according to the skinner directions. It was actually very easy. They do have surface skimmers that attach to the side of the pool. No cutting necessary. My brother has one and he really likes it. You do NOT have to use the filter it comes with. They are generally not very good! A sand filter will attach easily to any pool. If the hose size is different than the old filter, you may need adapters. Any pool store can help you with that. Good luck!
Thanks for the advice. I was under the impression that I to do some Rick and Morty grade leveling before I saw this video.
Hopefully this method works well for you!
@@paullywalnutz thanks, I’ll let you know 😄
Wow using the paver stones under the legs is a brilliant idea.
Eric Charles thanks! It made it so much easier to level the pool. PLUS the legs don’t sink into the ground from all the weight.
@@paullywalnutz How many legs does this pool have? What is the size of the pavers you used?
@@ericcharles2699 I don't remember exactly how many legs the pavers were 10 x 10. A couple needed more than one because of the depth of the soil
My thing is not wanting to remove the sod. I wonder if I could get away with doing the pavers like you did, and ysing a tarp and pool pad over the ground and just letting the grass die. Any feedback on that? Thank you!
I’m sure that would work as well. Save a lot of time and energy. Might have a bumpy pool floor.