Above-ground pools should be placed on pool floor padding for two important reasons: Installation of padding underneath the swimming pool liner protects it from stones, roots, or other sharp debris that might cut the pool liner and cause a leak.
Concrete pads are excellent to use as a base for your above ground pool, but you'll want to add another cushion between the two. Concrete is an abrasive material and will wear on the liner if it's in direct contact. Concrete is the best choice for a solid base because it is perfectly flat.
Concrete is probably the best option since it is usually 100% level and smooth. Also, grass can't grow through concrete and animals and bugs can't damage or burrow through it either. Grass or dirt is also another great option, as long as it has been properly leveled and you've killed off the grass first.
Plywood can serve as a level foundation for a swimming pool.
Gorilla Pads are pre-cut floor pads designed to protect and cushion the bottom of above ground pools. Unlike old pool foam padding, which can be easily be cut or pierced by grass, roots, or rocks under your above ground pool liner, Gorilla Bottom pool floor padding is impervious to almost any sharp object.
Plastic sheeting is the absolute worst material to place under an above ground pool during installation. It does not prevent weed growth and does not control bugs and critters. But the biggest reason to avoid plastic sheeting is the fact it causes a swimming pool to rust out very quickly.
Traditional felt carpet padding is usually frowned upon as a pool padding material, according to the Pool Homeschool blog, but modern closed-cell foam carpet pads can work well. Those marketed as "memory foam" pads work for an above-ground pool sitting on concrete.
For your pool's base, you want sand that's very fine and free of any rocks or pebbles. This type of sand is referred to as mason sand, masonry sand, or sometimes mortar sand. While mason sand is the most popular choice, another option is concrete sand.
If cutting costs without cutting corners is on your agenda, do yourself and the planet a favor by padding your pool with newspapers and cardboard. Both materials are readily available -- and free for the asking -- from recycling centers, store refuse containers or your own recycling bins.
The Styrofoam lowers the cost of protecting the bottom of the pool liner and possibly offers better protection than the pads. Install the Styrofoam pad after the sides of the aboveground pool are installed. Place four-by-8-foot sheets on the ground and fasten them together with duct tape.
An outdoor carpet for pool decks should be weather, mold and mildew resistant and able to stand up to any condition the outdoors brings, and this one does. It's made of high quality polypropylene fibers that are resistant to staining, fading and wear and tear.
Sand is the recommended base material upon which an aboveground pool should sit. Sand is used under an aboveground pool to protect the pool's vinyl liner from rocks and objects that could tear the liner. Also, sand under an aboveground pool acts as cushioning for its floor, making it more comfortable for feet.
The Right Way: Mark the perimeter of your pool, and add 1 foot of extra space to all sides. Use a line level to measure at 12-36 points around the pool. Then use flat shovels or a sod cutter machine to remove turf and lower the high spots. Add a one inch layer of sand.
As long as it's flat and level, a concrete pad is a perfect base for an above-ground pool. If you don't have the budget or space for a built-in pool, an above-ground model is a great alternative.
Many wonder though if above ground pools are exclusively used over grass, sand, or soil only and if installing it over concrete is impossible (for fear of it getting punctured). The good news is, yes, you can install your above ground pool on concrete if a sand or soil base is not possible.
A pool or hot tub ground cloth or sheet is an essential to ensure that you protect your pool and the ground beneath. Providing insulation as well as a place to stand when you exit your pool, a ground sheet is a simple, practical and effective way of prolonging the life of a Bestway Pool.
Liner Durability
A 20 gauge vinyl swimming pool liner is thinner than a 25 gauge liner. Though the thickness of a vinyl pool liner doesn't always guarantee long liner life, a thicker liner is usually more durable than a thinner model.
The durable Rhino Pad® is a pool pad designed to keep an even, flat, protective surface on your pool floor below the liner. The Rhino Pad® acts as a vapor barrier to keep water away from your pool's metal components, minimizing corrosion.
Wood for a seasonal pool should be fine. Pressure treated wood even better than cedar fence boards, but the fence boards can also work.