How to Level Inflatable Pool on Concrete

Inflatable pools can help you cool off during hot weather when you properly set it up in your backyard.

To make sure you have set it up properly, you need to level the area where you intend to install the inflatable pool.

Otherwise, it will make it unstable and increase the chances of collapsing and damaging the inflatable pool and the risk of injury to those inside or around the inflatable pool.

To have a safe swimming experience, you need to ensure the inflatable pool is placed on properly leveled ground.

Once you have found a suitable place that is free from utility lines, then the next thing you need to do is using a leveling tool to determine the elevated slopes in the area and using marking out the spots using markers like a stake.

After you have identified all the high slopes or spots in the area, the next thing you should do is use a leveling tool like a spade or shovel to dig out the higher slope and make them level.

It is more effective to level the higher slopes than adding earth to the lower slope to make an area level.

After leveling the higher slopes, you need to use a leveling tool to make sure the higher slopes are now at the same level as the lower slopes after you must have gotten rid of the debris like roots, twigs, branches, leaves, or rocks in the area using a rake.

The next step after removing the debris with be wetting the area using a hose or a source of water. Your area can be more compacted if you do this.

After wetting the area properly, you can now use another tool like a hand tamper to carefully compact the area, making it level and firm.

After compacting, the next step will be adding your base material, such as sand, to the tampered area.

It is not advisable to install an inflatable pool in an area with sod; you need to get rid of the sod to make sure the area is stable.

To remove sod from a particular area, you need to kill the grass in the area first by covering the surface for at least two weeks with a plastic material like a trampoline or any plastic sheet, then wet ground and use a grub hoe or a sod cutter to remove the sod.

What to Use in Levelling an Inflatable Pool on Concrete

1. Sand

When leveling an inflatable pool on concrete, sand is one of the first things that easily come to mind. It is easier and cheaper to level sand on concrete than leveling the ground itself.

When using sand as a leveling material or base, you need to spread the sand on the area and compact it evenly. This will give you a level installation spot.

Some problems you can encounter when using sand as a leveling material include that it serves as a good habitat for insects such as critters. These insects can damage the liner of your inflatable pool through their activities.

Another thing to consider is that sand can easily be washed away or dislodged by water splashes, making it unstable as a leveling material.

Using sand as a leveling material on concrete is generally not advisable because the sand tends to move freely and dislodge at a time, making your inflatable pool unstable.

2. Solid Foam

Another material you can use to level your inflatable pool on concrete easily is solid foams. They are either polystyrene or polyurethane, which serve as a good protective layer between the inflatable pool and the concrete slab surface.

Solid foams also come in different sizes and thicknesses, but you can also cut them to the size you want if need be. The only problem with using solid foams as a leveling material on concrete is because they are quite expensive.

3. Crushed Stone

Another material you can use when leveling an inflatable pool on concrete is crushed stones. Stones such as limestone can be easily crushed and used to level inflatable pools on concrete.

It is better than sand because it doesn’t serve as a good habitat for insects. Still, you need to ensure they are properly crushed to minimize the damage it could cause to the underliner of the inflatable pools, which leads to like in future and it doesn’t get easily washed away by water splashes which makes it more stable.

Can You Put an Inflatable Pool on Concrete?

You can install your inflatable pool on concrete pads. Most of these concrete pads are already level, so you do not need extra work to level them, and they are also strong and stable, making them a good site for an inflatable pool.

Suppose you decide to place your inflatable pool on concrete. In that case, you need to place something in between or underneath the inflatable pool to protect the liner from tear because the concrete pads are often rough on the surface and can damage the liner of your inflatable pool with time.

You can place something like foam, commercial pads, sand, or old carpets to help protect your inflatable pool to make it last longer.

Intex Pool on Unlevel Concrete

It is advisable to install your Intex pool on level concrete because if the concrete is not leveled or has a slope, it can lead to some risks or challenges.

The Intex pool can be successfully set up on a concrete surface if the slope is less than 2 inches; the is called the slope tolerance level.

When the slope is more than 3 inches, you need to do some work on the site to level it a bit and reduce the slope.

Even though the Intex pool is designed to tolerate a little slope, installing it on a site that is as level as possible is always advised to avoid the risk of damage.

Problems That You May Encounter When You Install your Intex Pool on Unlevel Concrete

When you set up your Intex pool on unlevel concrete, it will make some parts of the pool lower or higher than the other sides and thus leads to uneven distribution of pressure on the walls of the Intex pool.

Installing Intex Pool on unleveled concrete makes the weight of the water in it concentrated on one side of the pool, which can eventually result in rapture or permanent damage of the pool over time.

Another problem you may encounter for setting up your Intex pool on unlevel concrete is damage to the liners.

This happens because the liner tends to fold and wrinkles when the Intex pool is not set up on the level ground, and these wrinkled or squeezed areas become the major areas for tears, especially when you clean your pool vacuum.

Conclusion

Generally, you can use a concrete slab or pad to level an inflatable pool; it is strong and reliable and makes your inflatable pool stable.

But the major problem you might face when using concrete slabs alone is the damage it causes to the underliner of the inflatable pool with time due to abrasion with the rough surface of the concrete slabs.

That is why it is advisable to place another material such as a commercial pad or foam under the pool and not directly on the concrete surface.