Landscaping Around An above Ground Swimming Pool To Protect The Wall

by Robbin
(Nashua, NH)

What is the best way to landscape around your pool?

I just had my 11 year above-ground swimming pool replaced. I've used beach rocks (about 1" diameter smooth surface) about 5-6" deep going out about 2 1/2 feet out from wall on my old pool. The installer said that I should not put the rocks butted to the wall since they'll scratch it and, in time, wear away the powder coating and exposing bare metal.
(This is true)

I've got all these rocks (about $1000-$1500 worth) and am going to reuse them but I'm not sure how to protect the wall before I push them back to the wall.

One other thing, at the end of the installation, one of the crew guys shoveled a lot of the left over sand mixed in with the rocks that had been pushed aside (for re installation) up to the track. As he was doing it I questioned it because of what the other installer (his co-worker there with him) said about scratching the wall. He replied that he had to for the interim so I could fill the pool.
(I have heard something like this. You always want to check with the manufacturer to find the best ways to handle this. If it was only for the interim, he should be able to come back and smooth things out)

Now I have to shovel all that left over sand mixed in with the rocks out of there, sift the rocks from the sand and shovel the rocks back in (I do not want dirt in with them because weeds grow and I don't like the look). I checked out about a 4' section last night to see what I was dealing with. I shoved the rocks/sand away from the track. A lot of the smaller rocks were stuck up under the track. I dug them out as well as getting a lot of the tiny pebbles out of the small gap between the track and wall.
(I would have the installer back to take a look at that. It seems as if you're doing alot of digging and scooping. Why didn't he fix the issue?)


Then I shoved up pure sand under the track and a little overlap. One of the problems is that I noticed that the installer did not cove it properly. The booklet said 8" long and 4" up for the curved cove. When I questioned the installer after he left, he said that he put a cove there. But walking around the edge in the pool last night I felt that there is hardly a cove - almost up 90 degrees from floor.
(This is my understanding:
For Beaded Liners, create a packed triangular cove which is 4" high and 4" wide against the pool wall.

For Overlap Liners, create a packed triangular cove which is 6" high and 6" wide against the pool wall.

Lightly sweep over entire cove to remove any imperfections.

I would bring the contractor back, have him read the booklet, then prove to you that what he did matches what it says in the booklet. If it's not the same, ask him why not? Why is his way better than the manufacturer's requests?)

So needless to say, there is not much sand under the liner where the track is - maybe hardly any so the liner would be very close to the track.
I am very distraught and don't know what to do.
(Different above ground pool manufactures have different, but very similar, rules concerning this issue. Check with them, then give that proof to your contractor and ask him if his specs. match the manufactures specs. If he is doing something different, ask him why?)


I was thinking of putting that landscaping material up against the wall before I put the rocks back rather than plastic (or the hard plastic edging rolls as he suggested) so it could butt right up to the wall/track but still allow water to drain (rather than plastic).
(Many pool owners do that. I know exactly what you're talking about If you want rock up against the pool wall, there should be a barrier between the two.)


Thank you for your help.

That's alot to write about Robbin, so what I'll do is go through your post and give answers in there.