Hello everyone, I plan to build a ConZero steel wall pool along with a terrace this year.
I have clay soil. On the neighbor’s side, there are approximately 1.5m (5 feet) deep L-shaped concrete blocks in the ground. The pool will be free-floating according to the ConZero instructions, which specify at least 45cm (18 inches) of gravel backfill around the pool.
Now I need your expertise,
I would like to have a level surface adjacent around the pool at the end. Do you think this approach is feasible (see attachment)? What improvements would you suggest?
Alternatively, I could create a slope only in one direction as shown in the sketch, just for the large area, so I wouldn’t have to cut the paving slabs diagonally to maintain the transition in both directions.
What do you think of my idea, or am I overthinking it?
I have clay soil. On the neighbor’s side, there are approximately 1.5m (5 feet) deep L-shaped concrete blocks in the ground. The pool will be free-floating according to the ConZero instructions, which specify at least 45cm (18 inches) of gravel backfill around the pool.
Now I need your expertise,
- I am considering first roughly compacting the ground around the pool with 0/32 crushed stone, which will later serve as the terrace base, and only then excavating the hole. My concern is that I might damage the pool if I do this after the pool is installed. So I thought to do a rough compaction first and then another one later.
- I am uncertain about the slope (drainage) planning.
I would like to have a level surface adjacent around the pool at the end. Do you think this approach is feasible (see attachment)? What improvements would you suggest?
Alternatively, I could create a slope only in one direction as shown in the sketch, just for the large area, so I wouldn’t have to cut the paving slabs diagonally to maintain the transition in both directions.
What do you think of my idea, or am I overthinking it?
Hi,
too many thoughts… rather the right ones, but focused in the wrong place, to put it bluntly. Compacting with 0/32 gravel all around first and then digging the pit sounds logical for "protecting the pool," but in practice, you ruin the clean separation of layers. The edge area tends to loosen up again, and that’s exactly where your load zone will be later. I would clean up the excavation and then build up and compact layer by layer; everything else is kind of double work with limited benefit, even if it initially feels safe.
Regarding the slope… perfectly level around the pool looks nice, but in terms of drainage, not so much. Water just pools, especially with clay soil, where you quickly get puddles that don’t drain away. A slope of 1.5–2% away from the pool is barely noticeable visually but makes a huge functional difference. Or do you plan to use a squeegee after every rain?
How are you planning the edge restraint—classic with back support or more “floating”? That’s often where theory and practice diverge a bit.
too many thoughts… rather the right ones, but focused in the wrong place, to put it bluntly. Compacting with 0/32 gravel all around first and then digging the pit sounds logical for "protecting the pool," but in practice, you ruin the clean separation of layers. The edge area tends to loosen up again, and that’s exactly where your load zone will be later. I would clean up the excavation and then build up and compact layer by layer; everything else is kind of double work with limited benefit, even if it initially feels safe.
Regarding the slope… perfectly level around the pool looks nice, but in terms of drainage, not so much. Water just pools, especially with clay soil, where you quickly get puddles that don’t drain away. A slope of 1.5–2% away from the pool is barely noticeable visually but makes a huge functional difference. Or do you plan to use a squeegee after every rain?
How are you planning the edge restraint—classic with back support or more “floating”? That’s often where theory and practice diverge a bit.
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