Getting ready to install Intex 18x9x52 pool and have a couple questions

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xceebeex

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May 28, 2018
7
Endicott, NY
So as the title states and I getting ready to install the 18x9x52 intex pool and I am trying to make sure I do it right. I found a picture for the overall dimensions (including the supports) and the picture looks a little confusing and I am concerned that it is off a bit. I measured a total area of 11 feet by 20 feet, which according to the picture I saw should be fine, but I am concerned it doesn't cover one side of the pool with the supports based on the way it is drawn. Can someone confirm that the overall dimensions are 10'10" x 19'10"?

Secondly, they say to use 15" x 15" X 1.2" pressure treated support pads, for the life of me, I can't think of anything that is that size. The largest I can think of is a 2x12 which is obviously not 15 inches. What do people use?

I picked up some of these at Lowes:
Shop Cap Concrete Block (Common: 4-in x 8-in x 16-in; Actual: 3.625-in x 7.625-in x 15.625-in) at Lowes.com

These are 16" x 8" x 4", but my concern with these is getting them lined up perfect so the majority of the weight is in the center of the 8 inches essentially. Are these good for the pads? What else have people used?

Once figuring out what I will use, how to do you make sure everything is lined up? It sort of seems like a catch-22 situation, where I can't put the pool up til its level, but I can't figure out what level is until I lay out the pool and line everything up. The area I am installing it has tons of rocks buried in the ground making it EXTREMELY difficult to dig out after the fact, etc. So my thought was to get all of the pads level sticking a little above the earth to allow me to fill the rest of the area with sand.

This is kinda of hard to explain in text, but hopefully I conveyed the idea a bit. Any thoughts and/or help would be great!
 
I have had 3 different intex pools in the past and always used 16x16 pavers from Home Depot.
Mine were standard and ultra frame round 18’ and 22’ never any issues
I also used the black heavy gage plastic hard bottom to keep anything from damaging the bottom
 
giltyler said:
I have had 3 different intex pools in the past and always used 16x16 pavers from Home Depot.
Mine were standard and ultra frame round 18’ and 22’ never any issues
I also used the black heavy gage plastic hard bottom to keep anything from damaging the bottom
Click to expand...

I would be pretty concerned that normal pavers would crack pretty easy with all of that weight. Does anyone know what the reason really is to suggest a 15 inch square when there is probably less than 2 or 3 inches that actually contacts the pad?
 
The 4x8x16 solid blocks are far stronger than the 1 inch thick pavers most people use and typically cheaper. I always recommend the 4 inch thick solid blocks for supports.

The support legs don't have to be lined up perfectly. The supports just needs to be on the concrete and the block needs to be set firmly in the ground

The bottoms of the supports are about 1 foot farther out from the top rail of the pool. They sit at an angle and the bottom of the support is held in place by a strap that connects to the bottom of the liner.

It is perfectly fine to level the blocks and use sand to fill in the area in between them so that the ground is level. So long as you are using no more than 3inches worth of sand. The further you can sink the blocks the better they will be because sinking them into the ground prevents them from shifting.
 
CJadamec said:
The 4x8x16 solid blocks are far stronger than the 1 inch thick pavers most people use and typically cheaper. I always recommend the 4 inch thick solid blocks for supports.

The support legs don't have to be lined up perfectly. The supports just needs to be on the concrete and the block needs to be set firmly in the ground

The bottoms of the supports are about 1 foot farther out from the top rail of the pool. They sit at an angle and the bottom of the support is held in place by a strap that connects to the bottom of the liner.

It is perfectly fine to level the blocks and use sand to fill in the area in between them so that the ground is level. So long as you are using no more than 3inches worth of sand. The further you can sink the blocks the better they will be because sinking them into the ground prevents them from shifting.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response. I want to get them at least close to centered. So my other question is, is there a template for where they go around the perimeter? (i.e. how far away from the corner and how far in between each one). Right now I just kinda plopped them down somewhat spaced evenly to make sure the area is generally level, but right now I dug a trench along the perimeter with a rototiller because there are too many rocks to dig by hand so I want to get them set right and then I will fill the unused trench back up and tamp it.
 
xceebeex said:
Thanks for the response. I want to get them at least close to centered. So my other question is, is there a template for where they go around the perimeter? (i.e. how far away from the corner and how far in between each one). Right now I just kinda plopped them down somewhat spaced evenly to make sure the area is generally level, but right now I dug a trench along the perimeter with a rototiller because there are too many rocks to dig by hand so I want to get them set right and then I will fill the unused trench back up and tamp it.
Click to expand...
I’m putting up the 32x16x54 & I’m using the 4x8x16 blocks too. Too many stories about the 2 inch ones cracking. View attachment 80203
 

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Windylou said:
View attachment 80204

- - - Updated - - -

I’m not really sure why those pictures are blurry, it’s clear on my phone. Just do a search, it’s on the site. That’s where I got them.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I have seen those images, but what they don't tell you is how far apart each brace is. I guess another option is to frame the pool with those blocks since they aren't too expensive and I kinda trenched around the perimeter anyway and then each brace will definitely fall on at least one of them.
 
Intex specifically calls out pressure treated wood for the "footings" on the rectangular pools.

"If the ground is not concrete (asphalt, lawn or earth) you must place a piece of pressure treated wood, size 15" x 15" x 1.2", under each leg and flush with the ground. The U-shaped side supports must be place in the center of the pressure-treated wood and with the wood grain perpendicular to the support leg."

There is a reason they call out wood, rather than cement blocks. The wood is flexible, unlike cement blocks. This could lead to cracking.
The load on the Intex rectangular pool legs is higher than round pools or typical rectangular AGP, where the pool's bottom is at right angles to the sides. The load on the Intex rectangular pools was calculated at 550 lbs on each leg.

Cement blocks may work just fine-- if the ground has been compacted and the block is in complete contact with the ground. But if the ground compacts under the block at different rates, the load from the pool leg is unevenly distributed across the block.

The flexible nature of wood keeps the contact with the ground evenly distributed, which is the whole purpose of these footings.

Anyway, something to keep in mind.
 
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bse53 said:
Intex specifically calls out pressure treated wood for the "footings" on the rectangular pools.

"If the ground is not concrete (asphalt, lawn or earth) you must place a piece of pressure treated wood, size 15" x 15" x 1.2", under each leg and flush with the ground. The U-shaped side supports must be place in the center of the pressure-treated wood and with the wood grain perpendicular to the support leg."

There is a reason they call out wood, rather than cement blocks. The wood is flexible, unlike cement blocks. This could lead to cracking.
The load on the Intex rectangular pool legs is higher than round pools or typical rectangular AGP, where the pool's bottom is at right angles to the sides. The load on the Intex rectangular pools was calculated at 550 lbs on each leg.

Cement blocks may work just fine-- if the ground has been compacted and the block is in complete contact with the ground. But if the ground compacts under the block at different rates, the load from the pool leg is unevenly distributed across the block.

The flexible nature of wood keeps the contact with the ground evenly distributed, which is the whole purpose of these footings.

Anyway, something to keep in mind.
Click to expand...

I guess I never thought about it from the point of wood being flexible. I think the issue I have is I don't have enough room to fit the 15x15 pressure treated with what I roughed out. And this area is extremely difficulty to work with because it is basically a rock garden.

I would certainly make sure that the fill concrete block is in contact with the ground to alleviate some of those concerns and I don't think I have to worry about the ground settling too much more if at all given that it is already as hard as rocks, haha.
 
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