We Finally Dug Our Ground (Pics)

Hello.
We got all the blocks done today and they are level. Next we dug the trenches for the rail and outer straps to lay on the ground. We also added some small gravel in there for drainage.
It rained today and our soil is all clay and man does it hold the water. We didn't want our bottom rail and outer straps sitting in water so thats why we put the gravel down.
The gravel layer for the rail is less than an inch but it has to be better than them sitting on clay ground.
Now we just have to dig out some of the center so it is level with the top of the blocks.
We have to wait until it dries out though so we can use the tiller in there. I hope we don't regret not using some crusher run under our 2"x8"x16" blocks for the uprights.
Updated photos are in the photo book. Heres the link again:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/veteri.../ph//my_photos
Any advice or opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks
Rhon

Hi, after spending some time on you photo site I think I would have done the leveling a little different. This is to late for you but it may help others. I would have got the ground, overall, much closer to being level before starting the blocks. I would level the ground to well within an inch before touching the pool parts. Your only option now is to remove a lot of clay from the pool area the hard way. In the beginning stages you would have had options of crusher run fill or machinery for digging.

You are doing a great job, don't get me wrong. I just looked at all of that leveling that still needed to be done to get the entire pool area at or below block level, my heart felt for you.

You will make it I know and thanks so much for the pictures.

Dennis

You are so very right. We are still moving along nicely though. And guess what??? We not only got our missing parts package from Swim N Play today, we also got the oval end bottom rails too. We called them last Monday or Tuesday about the missing bolts...we called them on Wednesday regarding the rails and incidently left a message with the part number on their answering machine.
Well today...Everything came in. AND IT'S RIGHT. You cannot believe how happy I was with that quick service and it didn't cost us a dime.

So anyhow about tonight. My daddy let us use his rototiller and DH tilled the high spots inside the pool (which is like 3/4 on a slight uphill grade), then used a long cement rake to rake all the dirt and hidden stones that popped up to an area that I can shovel out. This being done...you would not believe the difference in the level already. Also I shaved down the "plateau" that was in front of most of the blocks so now we just have to make another pass with the tiller and we are level with the tops of the blocks.

The mistake we made was not being out there with the transit stick while Tom was digging. That would have told us that we were slightly uphill on the length of the pool. One side is level but it gradually goes uphill.

I dug a small trench between the blocks (shown in the last pictures) and put some small size gravel in them for the rail to sit on. I did this because when it rained the other day...I realize the rail would be sitting in water. Even though they have a Plastisol coating on them, I was just imagining those thing corroding at the speed of light. I cannot believe how long it takes clay to drain and dry out. It takes forever.
Do you think this is a good idea with the gravel because I went to Lowes and asked for Crusher Run and they had no idea what I was talking about. I know there is another name for it but I can't think of it.

Also, after the pool is done, we still have the surrounding area to grade out yet. We have a large dirt wall close to the buttresses on one side. Brian wants to do a retaining wall but we would still have to dig out to "push it back" about 2 foot.

I would like to say that I am happy to have the blocks level first so now we know that when the "pool" area dirt is down to the top of the blocks, we then know that it is level as well BUT you are right...it shoulda been done the other way. My only justification is that I am losing weight rapidly with all this digging. Plus with the parts error, we wouldn't have been able to put it up anyways.
Right now from the looks of things...we should be starting the actual build in about 2 days. So we are not that far behind. But your right and don't tell my DH I said that because he will expect that from me all the time. ;-)~

Thanks again for your insight and helpful hints.
Rhon

It all sounds good, especially the right parts. Always a good thing. Just one more thought. If you are using sand for a cove I think I would go with the plastic strip under the cove area to prevent any sand from settling into the rocks below the rail.

For anyone else following this thread, I am unable to get into the picture file from the link above. The link on page 2 works fine.

Hope to see more soon, Dennis

Sorry about the link. I must have copy/pasted the wrong one. Here's the correct one:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/veteri...m?.dir=a97bre2

We have some plastic to install on the walls. Our directions say to go 12" up and 12" out onto the floor. They say it is optional but we are doing this.
We also have some 4 mil black plastic that we are gonna put on the ground before the pool gets built, it will go under the sand and extend beyond the pool boundry. Here is our sequence:

After ground is more level (too hot to work outside today) we will
1. Lay out the black plastic even over the blocks. This will go across the entire pool surface. Cutting excess where necessary.
2. Layout the bottom track over plastic.
3. Bring in the sand and pile in the middle to allow room for "wall" plastic to go onto floor.
4. Install the wall.
5. Tape the other plastic onto wall with duck tape and run all the way onto pool floor.
6. Smooth out the sand and build the sand cove. Mist with water and tamp.
7. Liner and water.
8. Thank Jesus we are filling our pool and that we got through it.
9. Swim until the sun comes up.

Looks good on paper huh?
It was so hot here that you can hardly breathe when you go outside. That is just a bit too dangerous for us. It is supposed to be almost this hot tomorrow too but we have to go somewhere so we will work when we get back around 7:00pm. Tilling, scraping and shoveling.

Our goal is H2O by Sunday eve.

Rhon

Swimming on Monday or bust. :) :)

I would only do one thing different. I would lay out the bottom rails and connect them. Next I would unroll the plastic and put sand in middle area. I would then use the bottom rail as a blade guide and cut the plastic so that it fits just inside of your bottom rail. I would then pull the plastic over the sand and away from the bottom rails. Plastic just becomes a mess if you try to unroll a side wall over it.

And the drainage you created with the small stones will become useless if you lay plastic over them. The water will sit on top of the plastic and rust the rail.

After the wall has been installed, put the plastic back into place. Then tape into place your cove barrier and start spreading the sand.

Just my thoughts, Dennis

Hi,
Well we got the ground as level as its gonna get last night. No work today due to rain.
We also have the rails set up too. I also ran the transit around to check for level again so I can sleep before we build. Next goes the plastic barrier which is 4 mil and I hope that is enough. We will cut this inside the rail once we pile the sand in the middle.
I was confused about putting plastic over the sand but I reread it and you said to "pull" the plastic over the sand then install the wall. Makes perfect sense now. Then put the plastic back to the walls again.
We will also put some barrier up the walls about 12 inches after that so that around the edges, there will be double protection as it will be double thick.
New pictures are in the book.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/veteri...m?.dir=a97bre2

More to come.
Rhon

Hey Rohn, progress is looking good. Yes, you got the plastic thing right. The ground looks good and it should be ready for sand.

The only link to your pictures that is working for me is the one from my post on page two???

Let's try this and see if it works.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/veteri...97bre2&.src=ph

I can't wait to see that wall up. Get the blender ready, it's almost time.

Dennis

So today we got the plastic laid down and the sand on top. Man that is alot of trips with the wheelbarrel.
Tomorrow the wall goes up. We are technically on vacation now and you wouldn't believe how fast I drove home.
More pics to follow.

Dennis...I hope this is what you where talking about with the plastic. Please tell me it is!!! : )~

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/veteri...97bre2&.src=ph

Will our yard ever look decent again??

Rhon

Perfect so far. Be sure to assemble all of your side supports and pressure plates before you install the wall. I do this before the sand but that should not be a big thing. They are needed to hold the wall up as you are placing it into the bottom rail.

Hope for more photos tomorrow, Dennis