Now that you’ve decided on putting sand under your Intex pool, you may wonder what’s the best type of sand to put under it.
You probably already know that there are lots of different types of sand out there. Course sand, concrete sand, masonry sand, and kids play sand just to name a few.
What Kind of Sand Do You Need for an Intex Pool?
It’s best to use masonry sand under an Intex pool because it’s finely graded and doesn’t have sharp bits in it. This goes for Bestway and above-ground pools, too.
Masonry sand is also known by several other names such as as mason sand, mortar sand, plasterer’s sand, bricklayer’s sand, and screeding sand. The name does change depending on what country you’re in and even what state you’re in.
The sand you want to use as a base under your pool is fine sand that has been graded and cleaned of dirt, clay, or organic matter. It’s used when making mortar, can go between pavers, and is finer than concrete sand.
As a side note, sand shouldn’t be used to level or even out the ground under your Intex pool. It’s only to provide a surface that feels nice under the feet and protects your pool liner. There are many options for what to put under your above ground pool.
Masonry sand has several advantages over other types of sand for Intex pools. That is:
- Easy to level & work with Masonry sand is easy to spread and level with a rake or board. After you’ve leveled the sand for your pool, you’ll need to tamp or compact it.
- Will not puncture liners: Coarse sands can have larger sharp pieces in them, which can puncture the pool liner. Masonry sand is fine and has had all the large pieces screened out, making it safe for pool liners.
- Readily available: Masonry sand is widely available and can be found at building supply stores and landscaping suppliers. Since it’s so commonly used, it’s also easy to have it delivered to your house. This is important since you’ll need quite a lot of sand to go under your pool.
- Does not contain organic material: When it comes to sand under your pool, it must be free from organic material. Organic material compacts over time could cause your pool not to be level, resulting in a wall blowing out. Organic material also contains moisture, which you want to avoid if you can.
Other Types of Sand
There are plenty of other types of sand used in construction. Should you use them under your Intex, Bestway, or above-ground pool? Let’s find out.
Beach Sand
Beach sand is not ideal for use under Intex swimming pools. It has not been graded like masonry sand. It may contain salt, shells, rocks, or other debris that could puncture the pool liner or scratch the pool surface.
Construction Sand
Construction sand is not a good choice to put underneath an Intex, Bestway, or above-ground pool. It may contain cement, lime, or other additives that could react with the pool water or damage the liner. Construction sand can also be too coarse or irregular to provide a smooth base for the pool.
River Sand
River sand is a bad choice for use under an Intex, Bestway, or any other type of above-ground pool. River sand is very coarse and could damage the pool liner. River sand is primarily used for mixing concrete.
Screeding Sand
Screeding sand shouldn’t be used under an Intex pool. It’s coarse sand, unlike mason sand, specifically for mixing with screeding cement used underneath floors. It may damage pool liners.
Mixed Sand
You may be wondering if you should mix the sand with something else. When preparing sand to put under your pool, do not mix the sand with any other sand or anything else. You want to use straight-up mason sand.
Mixing it with other sands can introduce course stones into the mix, which may damage the liner. Mixing it with topsoil or other soil may mean that the sand compacts causing low spots in your pool.
Besides Sand, What Else Can I Put Under My Intex Pool?
The first thing you need to do is level off the site for your pool. As part of this process, you may need some proper fill material like crushed rocks, which have been compacted. Others choose to use concrete or pavers.
After you’ve got a solid base for your pool, you can add some padding. There are many alternatives to sand under a pool. This could be foam pads, carpet, a pool liner, or other materials.
