Above ground pool landscaping

8 years ago

We just got a 24 ft above ground pool put in. Our backyard is sloped so one side of the pool is about 18-24 in into the hill and the opposite side is 18-24 in above grade (less than 1/3 of the pool circumference is sitting above grade). The fill extends a good 6-8 feet beyond the pools edge. Installer strongly suggested doing retaining wall or loam (and grass) to spread the slope out. On the flat clear area around the pool going to do crushed stone. In the picture the red arrow shows the fill area. It's above grade form say 8 o'clock to 12 o'clock (going from nothing at 8 peaking at 18-24 inches mid way and back to nothing around 12 (if that makes sense). The slope is a bit exaggerated right now, they left the sod chunks as a temp barrier to help minimize erosion. So in dealing with this slope I have three ideas for solutions:

1.) Do a retaining wall

2.) Do the loam (installer questimated 10 yards should do it)

3.) Do the slope in rip rap or the like to prevent errosion

Any other suggestions? One better than the other? Cost benefits of one over others?

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Comments (4)

PRO
Yardvaark
8 years ago
The pool is centered within a circular area of cut and fill. Could you stand in the yard, off to one side such that you can best see the cut and fill at the same time (looking across it, not in line with it) and take a picture so we can see it?

If this was my yard I'd want grass, and possibly some plantings in the vicinity. But I wouldn't want rock mulch or gravel. You might need a minimal retaining wall at the cut, but it seems like you could blend the fill such that it is mowable.
Greg Rodenhiser
Original Author
8 years ago
Sorry had to wait for day light. Here's a picture showing both the cut and fill. The fill side looks a tiny bit higher due to the sod chucks built up there.
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PRO
Yardvaark
8 years ago
Where there is the greatest fill, it looks like a shelf projects outward for about 6' or so to where the photograph ends. I suggest that the shelf begin to taper downward at about 18" from the pool. The taper should begin with a rounded shoulder and be gradual and then extend into the lawn, blended, enough so that the grade could be mowable. This doesn't mean you must grow grass on it. It could be a bank of daylilies or groundcover or whatever poolside planting you want.

At the uphill side, I'd suggest grading the cut beyond the retaining wall such that there is a shallow swale above it, directing water around the pool and around the ret. wall, instead of straight at these features. This would help minimize the potential for erosion especially at the wall. I'm thinking you'll probably build the wall such that its top is sloped and it is flush with the cut and extend its length until the cut portion ends, whereas the wall would terminate flush with the grade. If you stop it short of this, you'd need to turn each end 90* and extend it into the grade until it is flush with grade. If the wall has a level top this will be more involved and still require returns and grading such that flowing water does not wash out the back of the wall. (Kind of hard to show all this in minimal sketches.) I don't know what you'll build a wall of but it could be of broken concrete or slabs of stone in the ball park of 18 x 24 x 3" thick.
PRO
Dig Doug's Designs
8 years ago
ideas: