Can I put an above ground swimming pool on a concrete slab?

Above ground swimming pools let families obtain the fun of a pool without spending large amounts of cash. Another attractive feature is that above ground pools can be installed on most solid, level surfaces, including concrete. A concrete slab can actually be a perfect platform on which to place an above ground pool. For example, putting the pool on a concrete slab eliminates any worry about the pool killing the lawn beneath it.

A properly built concrete slab can support a great deal of weight, including that of a house or swimming pool. It's a good idea, though, to have a soft surface under the pool's floor, to prevent damage to the floor. Above ground pools feature soft vinyl liners with floors that can be abraded by hardened concrete surfaces.

To cushion the floor beneath an above ground pool set on a concrete slab, find an appropriate underlayment. Underlayment is a layer of material that lays between two floors. In this case the traditional soft pool underlayment, sand, won't do. A good alternative is foam board insulation.

Foam board insulation is generally made of polystyrene or polyurethane. As an underlayment beneath an above ground pool sitting on a slab, it has several advantages. Foam board insulation is widely available and is easily cut and formed into shapes.It comes in several thicknesses, too. Foam board insulation isn't as cheap as sand, but you won't need much to cushion the slab.

Concrete slabs vary from 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches) thick. Even low strength concrete in a slab 10 cm (4 inches) thick can withstand 1,700 kg per square cm (24,123 psi). For example, an 5.4 m by 1.2 m (18 foot by 4 foot) deep round, above ground pool only weighs about 29 kg (64,000 lb), or 0.12 kg per square cm (1.75 psi). Any good concrete slab, then, is more than able to support an above ground pool's weight.

Any concrete slab you put beneath an above ground pool must be level. Don't put the pool on a slab with large cracks or frost buckling. Also, many hard-sided above ground pools need buttresses to support their sides, but soft-sided bladder types don't. If your above ground pool requires buttresses to strengthen its sides, the buttresses will typically require modification for duty on a concrete slab.