The Tomcat Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I have a 4' above ground pool and building a small deck around part of it. My question to anyone who has an above ground pool. Is the top of your deck below the top of your pool, even with it or a few inches above? Also did you bury your 4x4's or use the cement block? Any help/insight is appreciated.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 It was 11 years ago but we had a deck built 1/3 of the way around our 4ft above ground pool. Our deck is dead even with the lip of the pool with about an inch of space so we can put the winter cover on the pool. Our codes require concrete footers for all the pilings. I assume you have a solar cover? After years of pulling that thing onto the deck, I discovered it's much easier to pull it off away from the deck and leave it bunched up at the base of the pool. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnionAMG Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Our's was dead even with the lip of the pool... so you could stand with your heels on the deck and toes on the pool edge and not even notice a change. Concrete footers were also used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomcat Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 It was 11 years ago but we had a deck built 1/3 of the way around our 4ft above ground pool. Our deck is dead even with the lip of the pool with about an inch of space so we can put the winter cover on the pool. Our codes require concrete footers for all the pilings. I assume you have a solar cover? After years of pulling that thing onto the deck, I discovered it's much easier to pull it off away from the deck and leave it bunched up at the base of the pool. PTR I wonder if there is a code here about footers as well. Didn't thinik of that.... Leave space for the winter cover...check. didn't thik of that. I have a solar cover but bought one of those "wind up" rollers that takes the solar cover off and I hang it on a fence. Works pretty slick..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I wonder if there is a code here about footers as well. Didn't thinik of that.... I'd be surprised if you would need a building permit. But check. Pool accidents are mother's milk to personal injury lawyers - if something happens and you failed to follow all the regulations...codes included...you are dead in the water - so to speak. And your homeowner's insurance will toss you into the ditch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obie_wan Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Our's was dead even with the lip of the pool... so you could stand with your heels on the deck and toes on the pool edge and not even notice a change. Concrete footers were also used. This may be true year 1. However, it is likely something will heave during the winter and throw things out of whack. May be better to have the deck over the pool. Prevents kids from pushing off the pool sides when jumping in as well. Leave room for the winter cover. The deck overhang also provides good anchor for a ladder Also be carefull with concrete and posts. Don;t use pressure treated posts with concrete poured around the post. The wood will shrink and create gaps. If using a concrete footer, you need to anchor the post to the concrate with bolts and not just rest it on the footer. Since kids will jump off the deck in to the pool, there will horizontal and upwards foces on the posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWVaBeach Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Our is about 2" above the top lip of the pool and extends to the inside edge of the lip. This allows enough room for the cover when the pools closed for the winter and also allows for sitting on the deck w/feet in the water cold beer in hand when the pools open in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomcat Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Our is about 2" above the top lip of the pool and extends to the inside edge of the lip. This allows enough room for the cover when the pools closed for the winter and also allows for sitting on the deck w/feet in the water cold beer in hand when the pools open in the summer. Now we're getting somewhere! I do want to figure out a cool way for drink holders.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Now we're getting somewhere! I do want to figure out a cool way for drink holders.... I am not sure how it would look and they would have to be put in aesthetically apealing places, but: Measure the diameter of your average cup holder and cut with hole saw along the edge where the deck over hangs the pool... The pool would be the bottom support for the drink, can, etc... That way you can sit on the edge and your drink will nicely be craddled away from inadvertant spills! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 This may be true year 1. However, it is likely something will heave during the winter and throw things out of whack. May be better to have the deck over the pool. Prevents kids from pushing off the pool sides when jumping in as well. Leave room for the winter cover. The deck overhang also provides good anchor for a ladder Also be carefull with concrete and posts. Don;t use pressure treated posts with concrete poured around the post. The wood will shrink and create gaps. If using a concrete footer, you need to anchor the post to the concrate with bolts and not just rest it on the footer. Since kids will jump off the deck in to the pool, there will horizontal and upwards foces on the posts. Eh. Let the kids have their fun. Neither this pool or deck are things meant to last through decades AFAIK. Were it me, if the deck heaves up or settles in a year or so, I'd hack at it, shim it, whatever. I wouldn't obsess about it being perfectly square. Everybody into the pool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Eh. Let the kids have their fun. Neither this pool or deck are things meant to last through decades AFAIK. Were it me, if the deck heaves up or settles in a year or so, I'd hack at it, shim it, whatever. I wouldn't obsess about it being perfectly square. Everybody into the pool! Hey... Aren't you the guy who hates "whelps"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Pardon my ignorance but why does everyone back east seem to put their pools above ground? Is it a cost thing? To me there's nothing better than an in-ground pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterhill Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Pardon my ignorance but why does everyone back east seem to put their pools above ground? Is it a cost thing? To me there's nothing better than an in-ground pool. and the 15x the cost and maintenance thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 and the 15x the cost and maintenance thing I understand the cost thing but what's the difference in maintenance? I've never seen an above ground pool out here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomcat Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 I understand the cost thing but what's the difference in maintenance? I've never seen an above ground pool out here. Thats all we have here in Western NY....The initial cost is HUGE.........unless you've got some nice coin (most do not)...it would have been $25,000 compared to $2,500....I don't think its any easier/harder to maintain. Its the whole below, level or above thats killing me mentally! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Pardon my ignorance but why does everyone back east seem to put their pools above ground? Is it a cost thing? To me there's nothing better than an in-ground pool. You can take the above ground down when you get sick of it. My father has one of those fiberglass type in ground pools... Been almost 30 years now... It is rather easy to maintain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Pardon my ignorance but why does everyone back east seem to put their pools above ground? Is it a cost thing? To me there's nothing better than an in-ground pool. Probably cost most of all In the NE, not many have California kind of money to throw around on something you can't use more then 4-5 months of the year. There might be a difference though in maintenance for the winter, since in the NE, you have to worry about the ground freezing, but in California, theres no worry of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Thats all we have here in Western NY....The initial cost is HUGE.........unless you've got some nice coin (most do not)...it would have been $25,000 compared to $2,500....I don't think its any easier/harder to maintain. Its the whole below, level or above thats killing me mentally! Thanks. I can understand the cost issue. I'm really not crazy about the above ground pools. I grew up with an inground pool in our back yard in WNY that my dad had put in over 50 years ago. So if it were me I'd figure a way to spring for the inground. And I really didn't think the maintenance thing would be an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 This may be true year 1. However, it is likely something will heave during the winter and throw things out of whack. May be better to have the deck over the pool. Prevents kids from pushing off the pool sides when jumping in as well. Leave room for the winter cover. The deck overhang also provides good anchor for a ladder Also be carefull with concrete and posts. Don;t use pressure treated posts with concrete poured around the post. The wood will shrink and create gaps. If using a concrete footer, you need to anchor the post to the concrate with bolts and not just rest it on the footer. Since kids will jump off the deck in to the pool, there will horizontal and upwards foces on the posts. I have like a 8*10 alongside my above ground pool. 12 years and has not heaved. I used 4 posts 36" into the ground, filled with 30" stone and a concrete collar. The stone pulls water away from the collar. A little cross bracing and that thing isn't going any where no matter who dives off it I would use that post and anchor method if I was attaching another end to something stable, like your house. I did do that with the large 2nd deck behind and attached to my house My pool side rails had like a 2 " bevel. I brought my deck over the bevel so as to not have a gap between the deck and pool, leaving enough space for the cover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 As long as we are on the pool topic, how does everyone warm their pool? Solar cover? No cover and direct sun?. My pool has no shade cover until about 6pm it starts to move into shade. Still my pool never really gets that warm, 83 tops. I tried no cover lately during a hot spell, and it seemed to do better than with the cover. Maybe the sun shining all the way through the water? My wife insists on running the filter on sunny days with the cover on and I think that defeats the solar cover purpose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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