Oval Pool Set up with pics and tips?

[Aranon]

I will be installing my pool in a couple of weeks with a beaded liner. Tahitian 18' x 40' x 54" buttless resin frame with aluminum track. Made by Sharkline. I am thinking of using Styrofoam for the bottom with cove foam and gorilla pad.

I have several questions, especially about after the frame is set up and I add 2" of Dow Chemical Blue Styrofoam board (Blue Board) will my beaded liner be to high to fit, or do they make the liner shorter by design and assume you are going to add 2" of sand in the bottom. Please explain.

Does anyone have any pictures of setting up an oval. hrsdennis had some great pics of setting up a round pool on sand. Maybe Dennis has some of setting up an oval, or anyone else. I am sure several people here would benefit from these. And if possible, does anyone have pics of using Styrofoam for the bottom that could show some pics. Maybe someone is putting one up in the next week that could take pics of the install and share them and any tips, tricks and any other information on installing a buttress-less oval. And tips on the beaded liner would help too.

Thanks,
Aranon

Tahitian 18'x40'x54" Resin/Metal (Sharkline)
Rolling Rock beaded liner 25 ga
Pentair 150 cartridge w/ 2 speed 1 1/2 Dynaflo
Dolphin Pool Rover
Diamond solar cover

[matt4x4]

My Recommendation to you is to build a 2" wall base out of compacted screenings (crusher run), this will "lift" your walls to accomodate the 2" of styrofoam and put everything back on the same level. The compactor will likely run you about 30 bucks for the day, you'll probably need 2-3 yds of screenings since you'll want them to go well beyond the edge of your bottom rail.

[Aranon]

Compact Screening, Cursher Run? I'm so confused. Whats is that. Please describe. I thoght I might just pour a small concrete rail about a foot wide to set the rail and post on. What is Compact Screening?

Thanks

Aranon

[hrsdennis]

Aranon, I will go through some old photos. I am sure I have some that might help you. I don't feature an oval on my site because there are just to many styles of side brace setups. I think it would be to confusing.

Beaded liners are supposed to allow for a 2" base. But as I have said before that does not mean much. It could be big, small or just right. With an oval pool you cannot raise the outer level to allow for the foam. I believe you have straps with your oval pool and those must lay at ground level. And they must be covered by sand or foam.

later, Dennis

[Aranon]

This sounds like good news. You saying that I just put my pool up on my Laser Leveled ground that I scraped with a tractor and blade and used mason sand to make perfectly level.

If I understand you right I set my rails on the level ground and I will set my buttress-less post on leveled concrete or patio stones. I will try and get the patio stones perfectly level and at the same height within and 1/8 of an inch of each other. I have a couple of lasers ( rotary and split-beam) and a transit.

After I set up my track and sides. I lay (cut to fit) my 2" Styrofoam Blue board. Stick my foam cove on it and put in my liner and it should line up with the beaded receiver track because it expects 2" of something under the liner within the walls. Correct? When do I put in the Gorilla Liner? Do I put it on top of the foam cove or under it. I am assuming I go in this order:
1. Leveling sand
2. Styrofoam
3. Gorilla Liner
4. Foam cove
5. Liner
6. Water
7. Margarita
8. Suntan Lotion
9. Sun glasses
10. Jump in

Does sound about right Dennis?

Thank you,
Aranon

[chazzilla]

To be honest with you, I would skip the gorilla pad. Mine came in today, and I was kind of disappionted. It seems to me that it is just heavy duty felt, and yes it is a cloth, that is about 1/8" thick. The pictures on most website make it look like it is thick or has some substance, it doesnt. I am not saying it will not do it's job (protecting the liner!) whick is why we intalled anyway, but if I had it to do again I would have just used styrofoam instead. In my opinion you shouldn't need to use both.

Good Luck
Chaz

[hrsdennis]

Chaz, thanks so much for that update on the gorilla pad. In the nick of time.

I installed a pool yesterday where the customer had ordered a pad like that. I had the option of putting it above or below the sand. He bought it to protect the pool from gophers. It was a good heavy fabric but since it would not lay flat I opted to put it under the sand. I felt I could smooth the sand much better than the fabric. As for the gophers, I think it was an excellent idea.

I wasn’t sure if the Gorilla pad was fabric or foam. Foam pads do make a nice base for liners. I am not crazy about fabric. Just a little tough to get smooth.

Aranon, Once your wall is up of course, I would do the pad then the foam and then the coving and then that other good stuff.

It sounds to me like you have it well under control. I could be much more helpful if I had photos to work with. If of course you were to need it.

As for the liner, if it does not seem to fit correctly, there are work a rounds.

Later, Dennis

[Aranon]

So I have the order down right? At least at the beginning. Is this how you would do it? Still waiting to see if I'm going about this correctly. Gee, it seems that that is an awful big liner to be fighting with. Any ideas on how to lay it out and set it up and where to start with the bead and I can't figure out how a vacuum would help hooked up on one end and the other end of the pool is 40 ft. away. Please help with all of the above. Please. Aranon

[chazzilla]

Man, I hear ya. Maybe Dennis can drop us some hints. The first liner install we did 4 years ago, we tried the vacuum thing, and it didn't seem to do anything. It was a jhook, but still. We just did our best, and had wrinkles all in it. Sure makes you respect all the Professionals out there. Our family has nothing to do with thinking that I can do as good of a job as them, and save a boat load of cash while Im at it, but more for the challenge that it presents. Ive always thought if I can do it half as good as them, then Ill be satisfied. The main thing is thinking realistic!

[huskerfan]

Here's a pic of the base framework of our 18x34 buttressless oval pool. The most important part of setting up any type of pool is getting the patio blocks set as close to perfectly level as possible, and use larger ones on the sides under the side uprights as that's where the most of the pressure will be. If you have to "fill" in anything - use stone dust/ aka crusher, screenings... like Matt said. I had to drive 3 hours to a Quarry to get some in Nebraska. Local gravel places... don't carry it here. It's basically crushed limestone. Not powder limestone, though- don't confuse that. As said- you can't build up an oval because of the strapping system underneath it. you can see the metal straps in the photo on ours.

After assembling the walls- we put on the wall foam, coving strips on the bottom (the kind with the peel away tape are wonderful), then spread our sand and compacted it good, then put on a blue wave pad, liner, water, steps... we were too tired for the margarita part, lol. The pool pad helped to keep footprints out of the sand, but it was really hot the day we put ours up, and the liner didn't slide well on it. Don't forget to pile your sand and liner inside the pool area before putting up your walls. Not sure exactly why you want to use styrofoam??? Also- make sure you have some slope running down and away from your pool.

Matt gave me very good instructions for vacuuming the liner while you fill it - it worked great for us and saved us a bunch of wrinkles. My 9 yr old manned the switch on the vac for me, as it'll make an aweful sound when all the air is out, and you'll have to shut it off then. Wait a little bit- then run it again.

For us - the strapping system and the extra details that come with an oval, took as long to assemble as probably a whole round pool. Just a price you have to pay if that's all your yard will accomodate. Professionals charge more too- for that reason, to install an oval vrs. a round. I'm confident mine is every bit as sturdy and secure as any round out there.

DIY is a lot of work - would I do it again, probably not, lol, mainly because my hubby isn't fond of our pool, and it was a big job, don't kid yourself! Great pride in it now, though! Even my 9 year old helped a lot with both our pool and deck, and tells everyone who comes to swim. It's all worth it in the end!