Before the freight truck leaves with your pool, take the time to open the boxes and make sure that you have all the parts listed on the inventory list and that none of them are damaged. Nothing is more frustrating than having a half-assembled above ground pool only to discover you’re missing a part and having to wait 2 weeks for the manufacturer to ship it. This guide shows you what the parts look like in the order they are assembled. Quantities will vary according to size of the pool and manufacturer.
1. Base Plates - The base plates are laid out first on each of the blocks embedded in the leveled ground. There can be 10 to 22 of these plates depending on the size of your pool. Note: This pool is being assembled in a warehouse for demonstration purposes so the blocks that these base plates should be placed are not shown.
2. Base Rails - The base rails are inserted into the base plates. The rails form the base circle in which the wall is inserted. There can be 10 to 22 of these plates depending on the size of your pool.
3. Wall - The wall comes in a coil which is unwound and placed into the bottom rail.
4. Joiner - The Joiner hardware is the metal strip used to screw the ends of the wall together.
5. Vertical Uprights - The vertical uprights provide some support for the wall and connect the base plates to the top rails. There are 10 to 22 of these uprights.
6. Coving - optional but recommended - You will need to have a 6" tiangular wedge around the inside corner of the pool to spread the weight of the water at the corner. This wedge can be made of sand the coving strip shown. The coving strips are easier to install and more permanant.
7. Gorilla Pad - also optional but recommended - Provides for a softer footing and protects the liner from sharp objects and stones that work their way up through the soil.
8. Liner - The pool liner in placed inside the pool to contain the water. When you open the box containing your liner, be very careful - do not use a sharp object. Unfold the liner and spread it out, making sure the ground is clear of anything that could puncture it. Check for any holes or tears and examine the seams to make sure they are properly sealed. This is very important as you do not want to discover a defect after you’ve filled the pool.
9. Coping - These are plastic tubes that fit over the liner on the top edge of the wall. They help keep the overlapping liner in place.
10. Stabilizers - 10 to 22 metal tubes that fit over the coping and connect to the top plates. They provide ridgidity to the upper edge of the wall.
11. Top plates - The top plates (10 to 22) sit on top of the vertical uprights and tie the stabilizers and uprights together.
12. Top rails - These 10 to 22 rails are placed between the uprights and are secured to the top plates. They form a 6 - 8" surface around the top of the pool wall.
13. Connectors/Top Caps- the connectors fit over the top plates to cover the union of the top plates, the uprights and the top rails. Note: these Connectors are also commonly referred to and sold as "Top Caps".
14. Pump - Many pool kits are packaged with an above ground pool pump to circulate the water.
15. Filter - Many pool kits are packaged with an above ground pool filter to filter the water circulated by the pump
16. Skimmer - A skimmer is installed on a rectangular hole in the upper part of the pool wall to supply water to the pump and to collect debris off the surface of the pool.
17. Return Port - A return port is installed on a 1 1/2 -2" hole in the side of the pool to allow water from the pump/filter to flow back into the pool.