How to Use a Laser Level for a Pool

Swimming is one of the most engaging sporting activities. In addition to improving coordination, flexibility, and strength, swimming, especially in your private swimming pool, helps families bond, relax, alleviate stress and have fun. 

Are you a homeowner who would like to install a swimming pool today? Thankfully, you don’t have to break the bank to set up a swimming pool in your home, and you can begin by leveling the ground on which your pool will be set. 

This short guide will discuss how you can level the area for your pool to ensure a safe and pleasurable swimming experience. 

Before You Begin

You must understand that this project will take a bit of your time. So it would be best if you were patient and thorough. You will spend between a few hours and a few days to achieve a well-leveled area. The time spent will depend on the size of the site to be leveled. In addition, you’re also going to need the following tools:

  • Rake
  • Wheelbarrow 
  • Shovel 
  • 2×4 Planks 
  • Sod Cutter 
  • A laser level 
  • Tarp
  • Twine
  • Hose 
  • Stakes 
  • Hand or rolling tamper 
  • Sand

Ensure that you are proficient in the use of the tools mentioned above. Also, read the manufacturer’s instructions to learn how best to install the above-ground pool. It would be best if you also considered that grass and other ornamental plants near the pool would be destroyed due to the spilling of chlorinated water. This should help you make an informed decision in citing your pool in the suitable collection. While it may seem straightforward and less tasking to install your pool on a surface, you need to consider that the surface may collapse under the weight of water. 

Finally, if you do not have the technical prowess or equipment or if there’s a lot of sand to be displaced, you can simply contact a professional to do it. 

Tips for Laser Level for a Pool

  • Get a quality laser level that can withstand water and debris splashes. 
  • Work on an area of your land that doesn’t contain mud or loose soil, as this would reduce the amount of work to be done. 
  • Choose the flattest plain on your lot for easier leveling. 
  • Avoid areas with large trees; not only would the leaves clog the pool, but the tree’s roots may interfere with leveling the ground. 

Safety Considerations

  • Avoid an area that has buried cables, or that has buried septic pipes
  • Ensure that the site you choose is at least 6 feet away from enormous obstacles. 
  • Carefully follow all safety precautions, including wearing gloves, boots, and helmets if you have to. 

STEP 1: Determine Your Location and Remove Any Large Rocks or Debris 

The first thing you should do is to choose the most naturally leveled area in your yard that is safely away from large trees, obstacles, receptacles, sewage pipes or lines, cables, and power lines. Ensure that the ground is firm and sturdy — you want to avoid mud, dirt, silt, or loose soil, as this would significantly hamper your progress. 

Next, using a rake (or your hands where necessary), remove any large debris, rocks, and objects that could damage your pool: gather them in a safe place. If the area has vegetation, you can use a shovel, sod cutter, or tarp to remove grasses and shrubs and, finally, use a wheelbarrow to remove all the dirt you gathered from the site. 

STEP 2: Place 2x4s on the Site and Place a Level on the Top 

After clearing the land, the next thing is to begin the actual leveling. To do this, you will need levels and 2×4 planks. 

Using as many planks as possible, start from the center of the pool site, then place the planks side-by-side until you reach the site’s border. Place a level on each plank, and use that level as a guide to determine where the ground is uneven. Before digging to fill these unleveled spots, use stakes to mark them out. 

Be aware that you want to be as accurate as possible in this second step. Therefore, do not use your eyes only. Use the levels to determine the unevenness of the ground concisely. Proper execution is critical because if you’re off by just an inch or two, your above-ground pool is in danger of being ruined. 

Alternatively, you can use stakes and twines with the levels to determine the flatness of your site. You can do this by placing a stake at the center of where the pool is sited and another at the outer edge, afterwards tie the stakes together using the twine, remember to use your levels to determine how straight the rope is. 

STEP 3: Add or Take Away Soil Until the Ground is Level 

You can start digging if you know where the ground is uneven. For this part, you will need a sturdy shovel and a wheelbarrow. Be advised that this part is also very tedious and time-consuming, but you want to be very thorough and accurate, so take your time. First, identify the deepest spot in your yard; this is the part where the rest of the area will need to be leveled out to meet.

As a general rule of thumb, you want to dig the pool area at least two inches into the ground if the site is to be leveled out with sand. 

STEP 4: Repeat Until the Whole Area is Flat 

As earlier said, this process is time-consuming, but you must get it right, or else not only would your above-ground pool be uneven, but you could potentially damage your pool because the ground is not level. Therefore, you must painstakingly add or remove soil until the entire area is flat. Using soil from raised areas to fill lower areas is better than getting new soil to fill up lower areas. 

You want to continue moving your 2×4 levels as you move soil from raised to lower areas to ensure that all areas are leveled nicely. If your pool site is a circle, take a 2×4 and, starting from the center of your pool site, rotate it to the outer edge (while holding the center pivot in place). If the level is consistent during the rotation, then the ground is level. 

STEP 5: Rake Any Left Over Rocks 

During this harrowing leveling ordeal, you must have dug out some rock and debris. But now that you’re done, simply use a rake to clear the area. Be careful not to ruin your hard work by raking too hard inadvertently. 

After the area is free of rocks and debris, moisten the soil with a hose (this will take about an hour to do correctly, depending on the size of your site), and then using a hand or rolling tamper, compact the surface. 

There’s the option of smoothing out the area with sand after compacting the surface, but it is essential to refer to your above-ground pool’s instructions before doing this. 

STEP 6: Contact a Landscaping or Pool Professional

Leveling the site for an above-ground pool can be a difficult and tedious task, so you may want to consider contacting a professional to assess your site and confirm that the ground is truly level. The unleveled ground can damage your pool’s walls and liner. 

Additionally, you can contact a landscaping company to spray fungicides or herbicides on the area to prohibit excess growth of weeds near the pool. 

After assessing your DIY, a professional can offer more insights or help you tie up loose ends. Moreover, if you are concerned about your safety (or don’t just want to go through all this hassle), you can start at step 6: Hire a professional to help you level your ground and install your above-ground pool in no time. 

Final Thoughts

A well-leveled ground is a foundation for a solid above-ground pool. By now, you should already be acquainted with the knowledge to do this relatively fast by using a line laser level. However, to hasten the process and save time, you should contact a professional for gorgeous and safe above-ground swimming pools.