Smoke and follow my pool build surprise for the fam!

twistedgardener43

Well-Known Member
Hey all! Figured I'd have some fun doing this since I swore I'd never build another above ground pool. I'm a retired pool and pond builder but inground. Family is away and I have a few weeks to get this done. I'm disabled with 3 surgery broken back, seizures and this will be my final project promised in our new home. Gotta take the 3 bottom branches in this project as well. It's a 15 x 24 that will be cleaned by a 2hp, 72sqft de filter. I plan to smoke alot of reefer and gonna try to keep updates as they go. Should be fun. Kicking it off with some Muddy Waters20240621_112804.jpg20240621_111901.jpg20240621_111754.jpg20240621_111722.jpg
 

Herb & Suds

Well-Known Member
If I could go back in time when I first built my pool 16 x 32 I would never install a floor drain
That caused me leaks and liner repairs
There really is no need for it as I vacuum drain to waste anyway
It’s the only area that caused me issues and I have had to replace the liner more than once
Good luck
Btw I assume you are going to put sand under it ?
 

twistedgardener43

Well-Known Member
If I could go back in time when I first built my pool 16 x 32 I would never install a floor drain
That caused me leaks and liner repairs
There really is no need for it as I vacuum drain to waste anyway
It’s the only area that caused me issues and I have had to replace the liner more than once
Good luck
Btw I assume you are going to put sand under it ?
Yes. I'll be doing 3" of Mason sand. It'll be rolled then hand troweled like concrete. No bottom drain on mine. The new auto cleaners that run on 12v are like moving bottom drao s since they filter so well. The oversized pump and filter will do the rest. I plan on very little maintenance needs.
 

natureboygrower

Well-Known Member
I'm on my second "bestway" above ground and it's well worth the price of having to replace it every 2 years lol. I think I enjoy it just as much as my kids and just knowing it's at the house on a hot workday is a sweet feeling. I don't really understand how you're building this, but ima follow along. Is it a kit you do the masonry on yourself? What a surprise that will be for your family.
 

twistedgardener43

Well-Known Member
I'm on my second "bestway" above ground and it's well worth the price of having to replace it every 2 years lol. I think I enjoy it just as much as my kids and just knowing it's at the house on a hot workday is a sweet feeling. I don't really understand how you're building this, but ima follow along. Is it a kit you do the masonry on yourself? What a surprise that will be for your family.
The Mason sand is normally just spread and packed down under the liner on an above ground. I go a little further and do a wet hand trowel that gets it rock solid. I like a nice perfect flat bottom. The pool is what you would buy at a pool store.
 

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
Hey all! Figured I'd have some fun doing this since I swore I'd never build another above ground pool. I'm a retired pool and pond builder but inground. Family is away and I have a few weeks to get this done. I'm disabled with 3 surgery broken back, seizures and this will be my final project promised in our new home. Gotta take the 3 bottom branches in this project as well. It's a 15 x 24 that will be cleaned by a 2hp, 72sqft de filter. I plan to smoke alot of reefer and gonna try to keep updates as they go. Should be fun. Kicking it off with some Muddy WatersView attachment 5401810View attachment 5401811View attachment 5401812View attachment 5401813
Really looking forward to watching! I GCed my 16' x 32', 9' deep swimming/diving pool and 8' x 8' spa. I'd like to upgrade the plaster to Pebblesheen or all tile. We'll see.
 

twistedgardener43

Well-Known Member
Really looking forward to watching! I GCed my 16' x 32', 9' deep swimming/diving pool and 8' x 8' spa. I'd like to upgrade the plaster to Pebblesheen or all tile. We'll see.
I'm a big fan of the diamond bright surfaces. Their river rok line is beautiful. If you can find someone, a durazzo finish makes it stellar!
I'd love to do an inground here but my water table is high and I'm not wanting to pay thousands for well points.
 

natureboygrower

Well-Known Member
The Mason sand is normally just spread and packed down under the liner on an above ground. I go a little further and do a wet hand trowel that gets it rock solid. I like a nice perfect flat bottom. The pool is what you would buy at a pool store.
Ok, I gotcha now, I thought you might be spreading something on the inside.
I'm not a complete noob to pools, I've been certified twice lol and took care of a gunite pool years ago. It had the salt chlorinator which seemed to be a little rough on the boiler.
I've told my wife that we'll always have a pool now, even when the kids are moved out. Would something like this hold up in the northeast? I figure I'd have to drain it.
 

Herb & Suds

Well-Known Member
Yes. I'll be doing 3" of Mason sand. It'll be rolled then hand troweled like concrete. No bottom drain on mine. The new auto cleaners that run on 12v are like moving bottom drao s since they filter so well. The oversized pump and filter will do the rest. I plan on very little maintenance needs.
My apologies I missed the part about your experience level
I may need to call you someday lol
 

twistedgardener43

Well-Known Member
Ok, I gotcha now, I thought you might be spreading something on the inside.
I'm not a complete noob to pools, I've been certified twice lol and took care of a gunite pool years ago. It had the salt chlorinator which seemed to be a little rough on the boiler.
I've told my wife that we'll always have a pool now, even when the kids are moved out. Would something like this hold up in the northeast? I figure I'd have to drain it.
It certainly would hold up. Simple to winterize. No drain out. Just cover and put and ice breaker in the skimmer.
 

twistedgardener43

Well-Known Member
Screenshot_20240621_192531_Chrome.jpg
This is what it will look like when done. Nothing g fancy. I do plan to build a deck from the back door to it. Next I'll buy a hot tub she'll and drill it out and plumb it the way I want it. So many nice spas out there but they are over jetted regardless of custumizi.g valves. My last pool I plumbed a 3 hp hot tub blower into the bottom drain. 6' deep ingrou down blowing crazy bubbles from the bottom. All my daughters friends loved it. It rose 2' out of the water. It was hilarious watching them try to swim across it. They got tossed! Lmao.
 

Herb & Suds

Well-Known Member
View attachment 5401916
This is what it will look like when done. Nothing g fancy. I do plan to build a deck from the back door to it. Next I'll buy a hot tub she'll and drill it out and plumb it the way I want it. So many nice spas out there but they are over jetted regardless of custumizi.g valves. My last pool I plumbed a 3 hp hot tub blower into the bottom drain. 6' deep ingrou down blowing crazy bubbles from the bottom. All my daughters friends loved it. It rose 2' out of the water. It was hilarious watching them try to swim across it. They got tossed! Lmao.
That’s a Midwest in ground :lol:
 

neosapien

Well-Known Member
Mid day seizure slowed me down. I have plenty of time. Trying out som pineapple from a broken branch...Foe a week in the jar, it's fire. Taste causes lip drip it's so good. Guess it's time to play with the ferrets!View attachment 5401913View attachment 5401910View attachment 5401911View attachment 5401912View attachment 5401913
Man! You are high! I think that's ferrets you're smoking in that jar not weed!

Haha.

Yeah I'm in the pool industry too. Service and repair side. We build custom in ground vinyl. But I only help build when they're short handed.

Excited to watch!
 

twistedgardener43

Well-Known Member
Man! You are high! I think that's ferrets you're smoking in that jar not weed!

Haha.

Yeah I'm in the pool industry too. Service and repair side. We build custom in ground vinyl. But I only help build when they're short handed.

Excited to watch!
IG vinyls were my favorite to build. Dropping in the liner and hooking up the vacuum to watch the liner suck in and show a wrinkleless job.
Never smoked ferret but may have had some Labrador! Lmao!
 

neosapien

Well-Known Member
IG vinyls were my favorite to build. Dropping in the liner and hooking up the vacuum to watch the liner suck in and show a wrinkleless job.
Never smoked ferret but may have had some Labrador! Lmao!
Yeah I'm 3rd generation. Grandpap started it 1972. So 52 years for a seasonal company and still killing it. I'm in the NE. So we shutdown like Dec-Feb. We used Hayward for 40 years. Then switched to Jandy because of quality control issues. But everything sucks nowadays. Going to Mexico in December for a dealer/vendor trip. Usually what keeps me going are those vacations!
 

twistedgardener43

Well-Known Member
Yeah I'm 3rd generation. Grandpap started it 1972. So 52 years for a seasonal company and still killing it. I'm in the NE. So we shutdown like Dec-Feb. We used Hayward for 40 years. Then switched to Jandy because of quality control issues. But everything sucks nowadays. Going to Mexico in December for a dealer/vendor trip. Usually what keeps me going are those vacations!
Sou ds alot like me. I was digging holes at 10 and never stopped til I shattered my lower spine.
Always been a jandy fan. Pentair as well. I hear ya on the expos. And the winter shutdown. I worked 8 months and had mid Nov til mid March off. On top of residential I did alot of commercial work. Openings closing, repairs and installs. NE as well. Yeah, Hayward went to absolute crap 15 years ago. I couldn't stand their reps at the trade shows. They were pretentious holes. My favorite peeps were the loop loc reps, jandy and American leak detection crew. The Polaris reps were a blast at the after parties
 
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