2" Dow Blue Styrofoam under Pool?

[Aranon]

I have heard some put 1 1/2" Dow Chemical Blue Board Styrofoam Board under their pool instead of sand. I was thinking of doing this too. I have a lot of it. I install walk-in coolers and freezers and we put two layers (total 4") under 4" of concrete for insulated slabs for walk-in freezers.

I was thinking of using sand to perfectly level my yard where the pool will go. A Tahaitian (SharkLine) 18' x 40' x 54" deep. Then put 2" Blue Board on top of that. I was wondering should I extend the 2" blue styrofoam out a couple of feet around the pools and install the supports on the styrofoam? I thought of using 1/8" Aluminum deck plating under the supports between the styrofoam and the supports. Maybe, say a 8' x 10" x 1/8" under each one on the styrofoam to disturibate the weight some.

Also I am using the plastic pool cove and a Gorilla pad. Does anyone think this will be a good set up? Thanks.
Aranon.

[hrsdennis]

Hi Aranon, The last pool I installed for myself I used 1 ½” foam. It was a 15 x 30. I set the braces into the ground as normal and used the foam just on the inside of the pool. I used a lot of duck tape on all of the joints and it turned out great. It seemed to be just the right density. Not to hard on the feet and no foot prints.

More in line with what you are thinking about is the way we install Doughboy ovals in stores to be used as displays. Since we cannot dig trenches and set blocks for the brace systems Doughboy supplies a strap conversion kit for indoor set ups.

We start by assembling the braces and straps connecting them. We use 1” foam under the straps and around the brace assemblies. It is a lot of piecing but we cover the entire bottom, out beyond where the track will go, with this 1” foam. This brings us to the level of the top of the brace channels. This is still 2” below the bottom rail. The next layer of foam is 2”. It goes over the straps, brace channels and pressure plates. Again it goes out beyond where the bottom rails and footplates will be. The rest of the pool is built on this 3” of foam. We add the foam cove before installing the liner. When the pool is complete we trim the foam off at about 1’ beyond the bottom rails and do a little rockscape over it with a nice edging to hold it all in. This makes for a nice display.

My concerns with your install are mainly the brace supports. They usually need to be trenched into the ground and set on blocks. I know the pool frame can easily rest on the foam with out a problem. The braces need to be well supported.

I can’t picture the side supports for your pool in my head. They are all so very different. I will try to look it up, maybe have more ideas then.

I hope this helps some. Dennis

[Aranon]

Thanks Dennis. I would not have a problem installing foam in just the pool area, but I am concerened my liner would be up too high. Its a 25 mil beaded liner by Sharkline. I have never installed a beaded liner so that is what concerns me. If I had an overlap, I would not have any worries. I can just imagine my liner being two inches too high and wrinkles all around it. The Pool I am getting is a Tahitian. 54" high resin/metal with aluminum frame. Its got a 60 year warranty on the liner and frame except for the aluminum track and its got a lifetime warranty. 9" resin top rail. From what I gather or at least from what I am told by Inyo and others is Sharkline has a private label brand it sells only or thruough internet online stores. They have other names for their pools for brick and morter stores, like Atlantis, etc. I am told by Inyo and Aqua-Warehouse/Americamerc and others, this is the top of the line pool of most of the brands. Have you ever heard of them or installed them, and is a beaded liner easy to install and a very good system. Thanks again.
Aranon