Need some help on leveling out yard for installing a pool..?
Question:Can anyone tell me what is the best way to level out a yard,a spot big enough for a pool? Without getting heavy equipment involved. Just man power :) . And how can you tell if it is completely level? Thanks
Answers:
Mark off your area [about 3 feet bigger than size of pool. I use a rototiller to loosen up the soil and rake it into the low spots. Cut the high points and fill the low points until the area is reasonably level. Till up the areas that were high so the soil is the same density all around. Rake and lightly compact the soil.
You may want to slope the bottom toward the center from a few inches to a foot or more. A little more complicated but you can do it by setting the outside edge and the center and then using a long straight edge [actually, a board with a curve turned down would give you a nice bowled out contour] to work the area between them out.
Add a layer of sand. and tamp it down
There are several methods you can use for level control. Laser level, transit or a water level [a $5 length of clear tubing filled with water, water will be at same level at both ends of tube].
For a water level you'd stake one end up and use it as the control point and move the other end around and measure from the water down. You need to make sure you don't raise or lower one end to far and have the water run out [caps on both ends help when you are not using it]
Find the low spot. That becomes your bench mark. Rent a laser level (or buy). For this project you can get one for $30. Start digging, and check frequently. You probably need some sort of bedding for the pool - sand, etc. Make sure you account for that in your depth. Can't rent/borrow a Bobcat?
Drive stakes in the 4 corners wher the pool will be.. then tie strings to each one like a square... for about 2$ at walmart or any hardware store u can buy a string level. Its just a bubble level that hangs on the string.It will tell you when its level..just dig from the high end and move the dirt to the low spots.. eventually it will level out.Once its close to level, fill with sand. Sand is very easy to level out the rest of your project and a good bottom for the pool...
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