What To Put Under Intex Pools - 4 Ideas For Longevity And The One Mistake To Avoid » Own The Pool (2024)
Last Updated on October 20, 2021
Intex pools are a great way to add family fun to your backyard this summer. Swimming pool games will be a great memory for your family! If you are ready to buy your Intex pool (or you already have it) you may be stuck on the question – “what should I put under my Intex pool?”
This article will cover 4 ideas of what to put under Intex pools:
GOOD: Use the Intex ground cloth
BETTER: Use a third-party ground covering
BEST: Use interlocking foam tiles for the most protection
ALTERNATIVE: Use a roll of old carpet – it’s FREE!
What to use at a glance
Our Favorite
The standard INTEX ground cloth is OK
Third party pool pads are a BETTER option
Foam Tiles are the BEST option to protect your pool
After reading this article, you’ll be able to answer the following questions.
What kind of products or materials can I put under my Intex pool?
What are the products or materials you should avoid putting under your Intex pool?
Where’s the best place to put my Intex pool?
Why Do You need to put ANYTHING under your pool?
Temporary above-ground pools like Intex, Summer Waves, Bestway, or Coleman all have one thing in common. They have a thin vinyl liner that is susceptible to punctures if installed incorrectly. Roots, stones, pebbles, and anything else on the ground below the pool are potential sources of leak-causing punctures.
For this reason, it is important to not put your temporary pool directly on the grass, dirt, or concrete.
No matter what style of Intex Pool you are installing, this decision can make a big difference in how long your pool will last.
Avoid this common mistake – SAND
One of the most common mistakes that new Intex pool owners make is that they put sand under their pool. We understand why! It is easier to level, which is very important for your pool. However, sand easily washes away from under the pool during hard rain. For this reason, Intex VOIDS THE WARRANTY if you in fact had sand under the pool! Please read the warranty carefully to avoid this problem.
Related Articles:
My Intex Pool Is Unlevel By A Few Inches - What Should I Do?
Intex Ultra Frame Pool Review: Is This The Best Intex Pool?
Best Vacuums For Intex Pools In 2023 - Top Picks And Reviews
Pool Fence Ideas: 10 Ways To Improve Your Pool's Security…
Here are 4 Ideas of What to Put Under Intex Above Ground Pools
There are a handful of things you can put under your Intex pool to make sure that it lasts longer, but we only recommend the following materials to put under your Intex pool. Keep in mind that Intex pools vary in size. See our article on Intex Pool Sizes to learn about all the different pools available.
The Intex Ground Cloth
The Intex Ground Cloth is included with most Intex Pool sets. It provides added protection for the pool bottom from rocks, twigs, or other items that could potentially puncture the liner. However, even though Intex Pools, in general, receive good reviews from the owners, the Ground Cloth is generally described as a sub-standard item and is too thin to provide much real protection. This is why many Intex Pool owners decide to opt for another option.
There are many companies that manufacture alternatives to the Intex Ground Cloth that provide more thickness and therefore more protection for your liner. Make sure you choose the right size for your pool. If your pool is 15′ diameter, then choose the 15′ diameter pad. There is no benefit to having a larger pad than the pool, and in fact, the excess can be cumbersome to manage and you will just have to cut it off anyway.
Gorilla Floor Padding Cut and Sized to Fit 15ft Round Above Ground Swimming Pool
Sits Underneath Your Pool Liner for Added Cushioning and Extra Liner Protection - Extends the Lifetime and Safety of Your Liner and Pool / Cushioning Eliminates Footprints from Forming
Extremely Hard to Penetrate - Specially Designed Geotextile / Strong Felt-Like Material Approximately 1/8in Thick
Impervious to Cuts from Sharp Objects, such as Glass, Roots and Rocks, Virtually Eliminating Vinyl Liner Bottom Leaks!
My Intex Pool Is Unlevel By A Few Inches - What Should I Do?
Intex Ultra Frame Pool Review: Is This The Best Intex Pool?
Best Vacuums For Intex Pools In 2023 - Top Picks And Reviews
Pool Fence Ideas: 10 Ways To Improve Your Pool's Security…
Interlocking Foam Tiles – OUR FAVORITE
This is a good way to add a decent amount of padding under your pool bottom. Without lots of padding, you can feel every texture of the ground under your feet in the pool. This bothers some people and foam padding feels great under the pool. It also makes cleaning the bottom of your pool using an Intex pool vacuum much easier since you have a more uniform surface without dips and divots for the dirt to get trapped.
Pro Tip: A common question is whether your pool legs should rest directly on the foam tiles. The answer is NO. Your pool legs should rest on wood blocks or concrete pavers that are set level with the foam pads. This avoids undue stress on the liner.
You simply need to calculate how many squares you need for your pool. Here are some quick calculations using 2’x2′ foam tiles.
DURABLE MULTIPURPOSE FOAM FLOOR TILES: High density, foam tiles available in 24” x 24” tiles in 3/8” thickness for firm cushion to lessen the impact of exercising and playing.
EASY INSTALLATION & CLEAN-UP: Assembles in minutes over any hardwood floor or flat indoor surface for extra padding needed throughout the home. Wipe clean with soap and water and air dry to finish.
KIDS PUZZLE MAT FOR PLAYROOM SAFETY: Designed for peace of mind when kids play on the floor. Use in playrooms, daycares or classrooms, for extra thick padding that makes playtime safe.
VERSATILE USAGE: For all lifestyle and activity needs, our Multipurpose flooring provides safe cushioning for light fitness exercises, yoga, playroom flooring, Cosplay costumes and support while...
“we put it on a concrete slab with only a tarp and regretted it“
“I put down a tarp and the pool but I could feel little clumps of dirt that were hard enough to feel like rocks. So then I put down the interlocking gym pads and a tarp (since I already had it) on top. I’m glad I did. When I walk around in the pool it’s nice and cushiony.“
“So far ours have held up really well. Tape them together with the wide black gorilla tape“
Old Carpet – A free option!
This is another good material that will help you decide. We really like this solution since it can be FREE if you can find someone disposing of their old carpet. Just put the carpet down under the pool, with the plush side up. The carpet provides good protection from the stones and pebbles that could cause a tear in the liner, but it does not provide as much cushion and uniform surface for cleaning as the foam tiles do.
What To Put Under Intex Pools - Own The Pool
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use sand under my Intex Pool?
The folks at Intex are fairly clear that you should NOT put sand under your pool. The sand can easily wash away, causing voids under your pool and risking your pool leaning and even collapsing.
Where’s the best location to put my Intex Pool?
The most important point for choosing a location for your pool is that it must be a flat, level, and stable surface. That is the most important thing when choosing a location.
Can I put my Intex Pool on the driveway or concrete patio?
YES. As long as your driveway or patio is level, this is a great place for an Intex Pool. If you do choose to put your Intex Pool on your driveway or patio, then we highly recommend the We Sell Mats interlocking foam floor tiles mentioned above as a way to provide cushioning for the bottom of the pool.
What should I put under other types of above ground pools?
These tips are the same for any type of above-ground pool. Bestway, Summer Waves, and Coleman are great alternatives to Intex Pools and this advice is the same for those brands.
What should I put under the legs of my Intex pool?
The stability of the legs is vital to a sturdy Intex pool. You should NOT put the legs directly on the ground, they will sink in once the weight of the water is pushing down. You SHOULD put a wood block or concrete paver under each leg. The paver should be at least 1ft x 1ft in size and should be level with the ground.
Conclusion
Those pretty much sums up everything we could discuss on this topic, and hopefully, we were able to answer your question earlier, “what to put under Intex pools?”.
Intex Pool Reviews and Buying Guide
If you want to upgrade your Intex Pool, you should check out this comprehensive review we made just for you.
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.
Old carpet could be nice, although it will get moldy over time, giving it about a year. Cardboard boxes will work for a few weeks, until they fall apart. A few old blankets could also work, but they won't last a year.
By far the best material to place under a swimming pool liner is Armor Shield or Gorilla Pad. These materials are breathable allowing moisture to escape and are extremely tough, keeping insects and moles from coming through and piercing the vinyl pool liner.
Sand is a cheap option that is easy to install, but it can become destabilized. A durable option is concrete slab, but put a pre-cut pool pad or foam on top to avoid the concrete wearing down your pool's liner over time.
Because of the small particle size, sand will not feature any voids which could cause the material to settle and result in an uneven surface after the shell is set into place. As such, sand is the most popular option for establishing a solid base for underground swimming pools.
A steel pool is by far the strongest. While rust has been a problem in the past, newer steel pools have a hot-dipped galvanized coat that resists rust and come with vinyl coatings. Aluminum pools have become popular over the last 10 to 15 years because of their ability to handle inclement weather.
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.
Concrete patios are a dependable and easy-to-care for addition with your swimming pool. You can achieve a clean and uncluttered look that is sure to last a very long time. Paver patios are a perfect way to get a truly unique and elegant landscape.
Styrofoam sheeting is often used as the bottom base below the liner of an aboveground pool. The foam provides a smooth surface for the liner and protects it from sharp rocks that may puncture it.
Apply landscaping fabric around the perimeter. Install a border or edging against the pool wall to keep rocks, mulch, or debris from reaching underneath the pool wall. Place mulch or rocks on top of the landscape fabric. Add a border or edging on the outside edge (boulders, rubber edging, steel, wood, bricks, etc.)
Did you know that running your swimming pool pump is the second most expensive thing to operate on your home after the HVAC units? It is most certainly THE most expensive part of maintaining a swimming pool.
First being that the crushed stone acts as a barrier from letting hard rains to penetrate underneath the pool wall and deteriorate the base. Second is that having crushed stone against the wall instead of dirt will allow water to dissipate and dry quicker.
It is commonly recommended by above ground pool manufacturers to have a 2" sand base inside the pool, under the liner. This will help protect your liner, and provide a soft floor that provides comfort while walking in your pool. Always use masonry sand, which is a washed sand, free of rocks and debris.
If possible, refrain from using mulch in planting beds in close proximity to the pool. Mulch can be displaced rather easily and, if used near the pool, will inevitably end up in the water. Save yourself the hassle by using decorative rock or gravel in its place.
Aluminum pools have become popular over the last 10 to 15 years because of their ability to handle inclement weather. Aluminum is rust-resistant and is often coated to prevent corrosion and oxidization.
Elephant pad is for undergrowth protection, not for cushioning. You will not be able to tell (or feel it) once it's installed; it is working from the bottom up to protect your liner. Helps To Protect and Prevent Rocks, Roots, & Nut Grass from punctures that would damage your liner.
The Rhino Pad is a pool pad designed to keep an even, flat protective surface on your pool floor below the liner and to defend your liner against cuts and punctures from rocks, roots, nutgrass, glass and other harmful debris found on the ground.
Masonry sand is the usual base for aboveground pools. Play sand is too fine, and construction sand has small pebbles, so masonry sand is used, also called concrete sand or brick sand.
Gravel is used for backfill for pools. Gravel is permeable and helps in drainage in the areas it is used. Gravel packs very well and is preferable to sand or dirt. Gravel is easier to use then sand that needs to be washed in or dirt that needs to sit for weeks or months to reach a desired compaction rate.
Pavers. A classic choice for their durability, ease of use, and varied looks, pavers, and tiles are one of the most common pools coping options. There are many different stone materials used to make pavers, such as sandstone, travertine, and marble, and porcelain is another popular paver material.
Choosing lighter pool colors can create the illusion of more space and make your pool more of a focal point within your backyard. Pearlescent white shades or lighter grays and blues can really make your pool pop and stand out more!
Extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam has a number of unique features that make it ideally suited for demanding applications such as underneath pools, and as ground floor insulation in buildings.
This could result in the walls of the pool collapsing altogether. An uneven ground also means that your water level will be off, and your liner can become damaged if it's not lying flat. This can result in tears or rips within your liner, which is certainly something you should avoid.
To Fix An Unlevel Pool Without Draining - firstly Remove the leveling blocks, Pry up the wall, then Reinstall the blocks and repeat the process. Click to check how to clean the pool effectively.
Sand is the recommended base for an above ground pool, but not all sand is the same. Different types of sand are used for different applications. And it's important to use the right one for your above ground pool. Moulding Sand: Also called foundry sand, this sand binds together more closely when moisture is added.
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.
Sand is a great stabilizing material and the most popular material to use for above ground pool foundations. The weight of the pool will push down on the sand and create a firm, level foundation to sit upon. While there is potential for sand to shift or erode with consistent heavy rains, it's not common.
The market average life of an above ground pool may be shorter than you think at about 7-15 years. However, when you buy from a quality brand and maintain your pool properly it will last many years longer than that. After all, you can't expect much if you buy a piece of junk and let it rust in the yard.
Leaving your Intex pool out in colder temperatures can completely rupture your pool lining. That's a mess you don't want to clean up or repair. And if the damage is bad enough, you may not be able to repair it at all.
And for this reason, many people ask, “Can above ground pools be partially buried?” in hopes of receiving the best of both worlds. The short answer is that “Yes, they can!” However, there are some things that should be taken into account if you're going to go down this route.
The pool bottom can easily be damaged by an ordinary stick, stone, rebar, or glass. For your above-ground pool to serve you for a long time, it is necessary to put under it a substrate. It can be concrete, sand, a pre-cut pool pad, flooring underlayment, or interlocking foam tiles.
Inflatable pools are by far one of the easiest to install and take down. With a pump, some can inflate in less than 5 minutes. Other designs, like resin or semi-inground pools, require installation similar to an inground model. The ground must be leveled and sand laid down so the pool doesn't get punctured.
The most common used swimming pool base throughout the years has been a mixture of sand and portland cement. Portland cement is available from your local hardware store and can be mixed with sand to form a hard floor.
The two most common materials for the bottom of your pool are vermiculite and grout. Whichever material you choose, you'll apply it right on top of the soil with a round-edged pool trowel, and then the liner goes on top of it.
A concrete pool has the highest lifetime cost and takes the longest to install (approximately three to six months), but it can be built to any specifications. They are the most difficult to maintain, but they also last the longest.
The easiest and most trouble-free are chlorine pools with sand filters. The chemical levels for these are easiest to test and adjust, and the sand filter only needs to be cleaned out once a season. If a pool has a D.E. filter and uses salt, it will be more complicated to maintain.
Once the pool is opened and the floor and walls have been brushed the first chemical you should add is chlorine to shock it. It's recommended you add a gallon of liquid chlorine or pound of granular chlorine for every 5,000 gallons of water in the pool. You can also add more chlorine at the end of the opening process.
Underlay is an important part of fitting a liner. Felt underlay on the floor will soften out any impurities in the pool shell and will give a softer feel underfoot. Foam is an alternative to felt and can be used on the pool walls.
To be structurally sound, a concrete pool shell should generally be 6 inches thick. Depending on the engineer and the soil condition, it may be more. (On top of that, the plaster interior finish should be at least ⅜ inch thick.)
The bottom of a vinyl liner pool is usually built from grout or vermiculite. Grout is a mix of sand, cement and water. It's durable and relatively inexpensive but has more danger of shifting with the soil. Vermiculite, which comes pre-mixed or unmixed, is a mix of vermiculite, cement, and water.
Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
