Im going to do all the work myself.. What do I need to watch for? It's a 33ftx54" round with j-hook liner. What is wall foam,cove, and floor pad? Do i need these? Thank you.
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Im going to do all the work myself.. What do I need to watch for? It's a 33ftx54" round with j-hook liner. What is wall foam,cove, and floor pad? Do i need these? Thank you.
The most important work is before dealing with pool materials. Its the site choice, leveling and compacting of the area, unless the site is a leveled, hardsurface patio area. If the site has grass, don't "dig" it out. Rent a sod cutter which will uniformly slice off the top layer without leaving behind the uneven disturbance caused by picks and shovels. Rent or buy a cheap rotational laser leveler (some are only $120) and during dusk (laser light will be invisible during daytime) use a 2x4 to scrape the area completely level and flat before tamping with a hand tamper or waterbarrel roller (both rentable). Water moderately, let the surface dry to touch. Even out the surface, check for leveling, and tamp again. Putting up the pool itself is kind of nuts and bolts, puzzle matching - you can't go wrong. Preparing the area is where all the sweat should go. Its hard work and there is no substitute for experience. I think its a smart compromise to have a pool contractor prepare the site only, and leave the pool assembly to do yourself. Yes, you'll want wall foam, coving and floor pad - there are plenty of youtube videos about installing these, but few about preparing the soil surface. Any place you order it from can explain their function and help you with selecting the correct type and dimensions. The cove is essential to provide a transition from the floor the the wall, as you don't want a 90deg angle. Not good for the liner, not good for cleaning, and will bruise toes as you walk to toward the wall. The wall foam is just for cushy comfort and heat-loss insulation. Try to use Gorilla pad for the floor - its a tough, fibrous felt material which is preassembled to your ordered dimensions. Prevents rocks, roots, even nutgrass from pentrating through the liner. If you use generic foam pad, which is flimsier and more prone to tearing, you will have to tape it together yourself, and we are talking about over 200 feet of seaming on your knees - save your back and order the Gorilla.
The bigger question is what kind of heater and filter system, and whether to hard plumb to a remote location for access to gas and electricity, and to keep the pump noise away from pool users. You don't want to run 20 or 30 feet of hose, especially if its for a semi-permanent installation. I recommend a 300k nat. gas heater and 1-1/2hp system. Cartridge systems get the pool cleaner and are quicker to service (remove cartridge and spray out, replace each season), but sand systems last longer between servicing and you'll never have to purchase filtering media as the sand is infinitely reusable via backwashing. Sand systems are bulky and once filled with sand, really heavy and rather immovable. Then you'll want a saltwater generator. I didn't see the need to spend $1k, as my cheapy $200 Intex works fine for my 18'. I'd rather use two of these in parallel for a larger pool rather than buy a "respected" brand, as the charging cell which has to be replaced every 4-6yrs costs $400-600. If you use a solar cover, you'll need a reel system. If no cover, you can leave a plastic ladder in place, but with a cover the ladder will be a pain to remove each time you finish using the pool. You'll want stationary steps if you use a pool cover.