If you want to set up a pool in the garden, you have to make sure that the ground is level. My guide explains why this is so important.
Temperatures well above 30 degrees are not the norm in Germany, but they can make us sweat a lot. As June 2022 showed, climatic conditions that we actually only know from the Mediterranean region are also possible here.
Anyone who has a garden or a correspondingly large plot of land will sooner or later play with the idea of setting up a pool. But before the bathing fun can begin, a few considerations are necessary. I can tell you from my own experience that there is no place for hasty action here, because once the pool is set up, it cannot be moved at all or only with great effort.
So that you don't have to get angry afterwards because the location was the wrong one, or the pool size or shape didn't fit, I decided to use this guide and will (hopefully) save you negative experiences with my tips .
The right location
First let me be clear that my tips are for installing inflatable family pools (quick up) or the increasingly popular frame pools. If you want to build a pool yourself, you have to consider more and different criteria.
To find the right location for the garden pool, you should answer these 5 questions:
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- What is the maximum size of my pool that will fit in the garden?
- Do I want a sunny or shady location?
The more sun your pool gets, the faster the water will heat up.
- Will the pool harm my surrounding plants and shrubs?
- Is the water connection close enough and/or is the garden hose long enough?
- Can the pool be placed on a paved or tiled surface?
The latter protects the lawn, because if you position your pool on the green area, you have to be aware that the lawn underneath will be damaged.
➔ Pool Screen
Your privacyis sacred to you? Then it is important to protect the pool from prying eyes. In the best case, your new Badeparadies is behind an opaque hedge, then the problem is almost solved. If this is not the case, you should take care of a suitable privacy screen, because between us, not every neighbor is keen on watching you splash around.
Planting a hedge might be an option for the future. Here I can recommend the glossy medlar. The evergreen shrub is fast-growing, but also has the disadvantage that it has to be cut at least every two years.
If you don't want to or can't wait until the hedge has grown sufficiently high, you can use the "non-natural variant". This means privacy screens made of wicker or wood, which really come in all sizes and shapes and are quick to set up. But a plastic privacy fence is also visually very appealing and, above all, practical, because the material offers the advantage that it is more durable and you don't have to do the annual wood maintenance.
The perfect underground
The location and privacy screen have been clarified, now it's time for the underground for the pool. This should be as level as possible because every inch of slope affects the water level in your pool. It is best to consider this point when choosing the location in your garden.
➔ Straighten pool surface
Probably very few already have a completely flat surface. So my advice: straighten the ground!
- Option 1
You fill up holes and bumps with sifted gravel or garden soil. - Option 2
You remove the top layer of soil or sod completely - use a straightedge or spirit level.
The "new" surface for your pool must be free of branches or stones. Even the smallest pebble can become "dangerous" to your pool and poke a hole in the pool wall or bottom.
If the pool is to be in the same place every year, it is worth paving or tiling this area.➔ Put a protective layer under the pool
If the ground is level and smooth, lay out a protective tarpaulin or use a ground fleece. This prevents weeds from growing under the pool and protects the material on the floor against possible pressure points that damage the plastic over time.
Set up the pool - when is the right time?
Dendoes not exist, because everyone has different preferences! It goes without saying that a pool in the garden is not set up in the winter months. May can be seen as a small guideline if the weather permits. It's best to wait for the ice saints, after which there shouldn't be any more frost.