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Why Can't An Above Ground Pool Be Backfilled?


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We had our first above ground pool installed 2 days ago...it was our first one so we trusted our installer to let us know what could and couldn't be done but that was a mistake. He dug into a hill 3 feet and left us a 1-2 foo space from the edge of the ground and the pool. Too late to build a reataining wall so waht are the options now? I know that backfilling wikk void the warranty but why? Is it because of the pressure or because of rust? If because of rust then if we treated the 1/4 of pool that would be backfilled wouldn't that prevent rust? There is a plastic coating over the steel wall so wouldn't that prevent moisture from rusting the wall? We were going to back fill with gravel to allow for drainage and evaporation. A deck was going to be built over this area.

Also they told me to put 10-12 inches of soil around the base of the pool to prevent the sand from washing out...won't that trap moisture against the wall of the pool?

Has anyone successfully backfilled an above ground pool with no porblems? I just canot believe that we are in this prediciment and no one said anything as they were taking our money for the pool!

Thanks for any help or advice.

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I have. Out of all pools we've built for customers half of them required backfill, some were even fully buried in ground to look like inground pools.

It doesn't void the warranty over here. I guess it will depend on the type of pool you have, if you have something like intex metal frame, then it's probably not suitable to be backfilled.

But normal pool with a metal wall in rails can be backfilled with no problems.

When you backfill avoid gravel, dirt stones etc.

Use special backfill mix, which is 3-1 sand with cement if i remember correctly. Put it in, about 20 cm deep, then water it, put some more, water some more. You would want water to be in the pool when you do it, otherwise the walls might cave in. Also make sure nobody steps on backfilled area until it has set or the walls will push in. After a couple of days it will set properly and then you should be able to walk over it, put tiles or whatever else you like.

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I have. Out of all pools we've built for customers half of them required backfill, some were even fully buried in ground to look like inground pools.

It doesn't void the warranty over here. I guess it will depend on the type of pool you have, if you have something like intex metal frame, then it's probably not suitable to be backfilled.

But normal pool with a metal wall in rails can be backfilled with no problems.

When you backfill avoid gravel, dirt stones etc.

Use special backfill mix, which is 3-1 sand with cement if i remember correctly. Put it in, about 20 cm deep, then water it, put some more, water some more. You would want water to be in the pool when you do it, otherwise the walls might cave in. Also make sure nobody steps on backfilled area until it has set or the walls will push in. After a couple of days it will set properly and then you should be able to walk over it, put tiles or whatever else you like.

I don't care about the warranty becasue I read it last night and it only covers defective product for 3 seasons and then it is pro rated to practically nothing. The pool has a plastic coating on the steel walls and the post are steel but also have the plastic coatinga baked on finish that is suppose to stop rust. It wouls only be backfilled at 36" and then taper down quicky to 2 feet them levels out. I was told to put 12 inches of dirt around the base of the pool to prevent the sand from washing out and wondered I couldn't just backfill some more...is it because of rust?

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I belive that sidewall material and structual support may also play a part in the being able to be backfilled. Thin rolled steel walls would be suspectable to collapsing, no?

Would frost heaves and ground freezing also be an issue?

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I belive that sidewall material and structual support may also play a part in the being able to be backfilled. Thin rolled steel walls would be suspectable to collapsing, no?

Would frost heaves and ground freezing also be an issue?

I was always told not to backfill a above ground pool, because the force of the water keeps the pool standing and if you backfill and the force is greater than the water it could collapse the pool.

Radiant bran pools are the only ones I know of that let you backfill.

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I'm not sure of the distinction between putting an above ground pool partially or completely in the ground and "backfilling" but our experience is that vinyl clad steel above ground pool walls that are under surface of the ground will rust.

We had our above ground pool intentionally over half way buried - warranty VOIDED - we didnt' care - we wanted it buried. After 14 years we replaced it due to liner losing its' elasticity and wrinkling badly. When the old liner was removed approx. 80% of the wall structure was solid rust because of it being buried.

We replaced it with a new pool buried just like the other one because, to us, we felt like we got a good value for our investment even if it had to be replaced sooner.

We paid only $4,500 back in 1989 for first pool (27ft. round) including having a gunite floor with a 6.5 ft. center depth with main drain using an extended liner and we are now in our 5th year of pool number two erected over same depth structure for $3,000 so we figure $7,500 for 19 yrs and counting was a bargain compared to what a 27 ft round in ground concrete pool would have cost which would be about a zillion $$$ plus re-marcite every 6 to 10 years for about $6k to $8k.

HOWEVER, the first pool would have lasted a lot longer had we not buried it. Moisture from normal ground moisture and made worse from rainfall will intrude beyond the thin vinyl cladding and without question cause corrosion which will, without question, shorten the life of the pool which is why burying them voids warranties.

Call it backfilling or burying unless you pay significantly more for a 100% aluminum pool (which we would have done except at the time we couldn't find one with expanded liner) your pool will be likely to begin to rust sooner than if not buried.

At the least I would coat the exterior side wall that will be buried/backfilled with a thick coat of waterproof roof coating or asphalt - it should help stave off the rust.

We wouldn't worry about ground pressure causing walls to collapse. We have approx 20,000 gallons of water in our pool and a little ground pressure isn't going to create nearly as much inward pressure as the outward push of the water - at least that's what our contractor told us 19 years ago and, our humble opinion, he was a genius to construct an above ground pool on top of an inground pool floor, pump and filter system - he knew what he was about.

Backfill or bury and don't worry - be happy and enjoy the pool!

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when I was shopping for my new pool, the Esther Williams rep claimed the thier model with the alluminum slatted walls was one of the few, (if not the only one) in New England that could be backfilled, and then only to a depth of 3 feet.

Yes, if the water stays in the pool, the wall will not collapse, but what happens if you have a leak or need to drain the pool for what ever reason?

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when I was shopping for my new pool, the Esther Williams rep claimed the thier model with the alluminum slatted walls was one of the few, (if not the only one) in New England that could be backfilled, and then only to a depth of 3 feet.

Yes, if the water stays in the pool, the wall will not collapse, but what happens if you have a leak or need to drain the pool for what ever reason?

When you backfill (assuming you did it with the special mix as a i described earlier) the backfill will set within couple of days, and it becomes as hard as concrete. So no matter if your pool is full or empty - walls will stay where they are.

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