Can You Put An Above Ground Pool On A Slope? (Yes, BUT…!)

Do you dream of owning a luxurious swimming pool in your backyard one day? Are you heartbroken because you reside on a hilly area and your backyard is unevenly sloped? Does that mean you wouldn’t be able to own a swimming pool? Luckily not.

The good news is that even on a hill slope one can install an above ground swimming pool and have fun while enjoying surreal views of the hills!

Finding it hard to believe? Continue to read this guide below to know everything about an above ground pool on a hill slope. Of Course there are challenges, but there are solutions as well. Here, we have discussed the various features and ways in which one can install an above ground pool on a sloped yard and make it safe for everyone’s use.

Can You Put An Above Ground Pool On A Slope?

Can You Put An Above-Ground Pool On A Slope

Yes, one can safely install an above ground pool on a hill slope, by hiring a skilled professional installer and following the right procedures. Installing a swimming pool on a sloped surface is certainly challenging. That’s why it’s important to hire a professional to ensure the swimming pool is properly installed.

The best part is both in ground and above ground swimming pools can be set up on a sloped land. You would be more thrilled to know that a pool on a hilltop will have similar function and aesthetics, like a pool built on a level surface.

Majority of homeowners worry about the safety of using a pool situated on the hill top. Their concern is well justified. Whenever we picture a pool on the hilltop, we can’t help but wonder what will happen if it collapses.

In fact, some people in hilly areas do not consider the idea of having a private swimming pool due to safety issues. Though it appears risky at first, a swimming pool installed on a slope in the right procedure is absolutely safe for everyone.

What Happens If You Install An Above-Ground Pool On A Slope

Needless to say, installing an above ground pool on a sloped yard has risks. If the pool is improperly balanced or too unlevel, it can break apart and cause major accidents. If the pool collapses while people are swimming inside it, the pressure of water will throw them off the cliff.

Imagining these scenes is scary. To avoid occurence of such accidents on a sloped pool, we have discussed some excellent techniques that reduce chances of accidents and make the pool safer for regular use.

Retaining Walls

Raising a retaining wall around the pool to ensure proper drainage is a great idea. It helps to hold back a mass of eroded soil from falling down. Without a retaining wall, continuous erosion can disbalance the basework of the pool and cause it to collapse.

Retaining walls also have another purpose. They can be used for decorating the pool.

Retaining walls are usually made up of poured concrete, masonry or stacked stones. These walls are built on the extending end of your pool. Retaining walls are like leveled surfaces that act as a continuation of the outer end of the swimming pool.

Not only are they important for holding back erosion or landslides but also can be used for enhancing the beauty of the pool. For instance, homeowners can put shrubs or plant bushes on the extended flat surface and improve the pool’s aesthetics.

Another major advantage of building a retaining wall is that it adds to your privacy. Retaining walls can be of varying lengths. Therefore, homeowners can select any suitable wall height which gives them their much needed privacy.

Terracing

Terracing is another excellent idea of retaining the soil and preventing loss of soil through erosion. It functions similar to a retaining wall. Terracing creates a series of step wise walls around the pool and keeps the hill slope stable. If the slope is extremely slanted, terrace is a great idea. It creates a steep down effect and can turn a simple swimming experience into a luxurious one.

The terraces cut on the hill slopes intercept the rainfall runoff and act as a barrier against the loss of soil. As a result, it holds back large masses of soil, reducing the rate of sheet erosion as well as rill erosion.

Terraces are a wonderful feature. Apart from preventing the slipping away of eroded soil, it holds them back and allows the washed off soil particles to settle at the end of the basin while slowly discharging the excess water through a subsurface drain. By cutting out terraces on the hillside, there can never be floods or unwanted accumulation of water.

Hence, we see how terracing is useful in several ways!

Terracing can also be used to enhance the aesthetics of the swimming pool. People can grow plants and shrubs on the terraces of their choice. Not just that, they can grow a garden, carve waterfalls and pool slides. Depending on the size of the terrace, you even have the opportunity to place a hot tub or second pool.

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Is It Safe To Put An Above Ground Pool On A Slope?

Is It Safe To Put An Above Ground Pool On A Slope

Yes, it is safe to install an above ground swimming pool on a sloped yard. Apparently, it might appear risky and unsafe. But if the pool is correctly installed along with safety features like retaining walls or terracing, it can be an excellent one!

A hill slope in fact offers several advantages that one must utilise. For instance, retaining walls and terracing cannot be done on a leveled land. Not only do they protect the pool from breaking down but also serve to enhance the aesthetics of the surrounding. These two are amazing ways of utilising what people might see as a “problem ” or a challenge.

As long as there’s careful planning and landscaping involved, an above ground swimming pool can be safely installed on a hill slope. One can opt to raise the lower side of the pool, trying to reduce the gap between the low lying side and the higher side. This procedure doesn’t require the installer to dig out the entire slope and make it flat. Instead, it is a smart approach that reduces your hassle and time.

Most homeowners with a sloped backyard are currently installing semi in ground pools. As the same suggests, these swimming pools remain partly in-ground while partly above the ground. For this kind of pool, you simply need to excavate an even surface. When it’s a semi in-ground pool, there’s no risk of the pool collapsing from the pressure of water.

Also, these swimming pools are more convenient to work with and their installation is cost friendly. All you have to do is level up the slope by digging it and set up the pool with a protective pool pad.

Safety Tips: Things To Know Before installing an above ground pool on a slope

Before you proceed to install any kind of swimming pool on a slope, there are several things to consider. One can try out different techniques and add various features to the swimming pool on slopes. Therefore, it’s better to know how you would want your pool and decide accordingly.  While keeping these considerations in mind, what’s more important is to ensure the pool is safely installed.

We have put together a list of some of the safety tips that one mustn’t forget while experimenting with the pool and utilizing the hill slope to one’s advantage. If you intend to install a pool soon in your backyard, this list is for you. Let’s go through the safety measures one by one.

Inspect the terrain thoroughly

One must know the kind of terrain on which the pool will be installed. Yes, it’s possible to install above ground swimming pools on hill slopes. However, not every slope is easy to work with.

Therefore, a thorough study of the area is extremely important. If the surface contains heavy rocks or gravel underneath, it would be a better idea to dig out those materials and lay the pool on a level surface.

The steepness of the slope is another factor that homeowners must consider. If the inclination isn’t much, the installation process would be easier. However, if the hill is quite steep, one must opt for terracing to keep the pool safe.

If you have a steep slope and want to install a swimming pool, you must consider the kind of pools that are best suited for that terrain. For instance, getting an infinity pool would be an excellent idea.

Grade the Slope with Construction Equipment

Another safety measure is to remove the slope and make it less steep. This reduces the risk of installing a swimming pool on a hill slope. You can reduce its steepness by adding soil to the low lying area.

When there’s a steep slope and you do not want to take the risks of installing a swimming pool on a hilly terrain, the best idea is to level out the ground to some extent and reduce the inclination.

However, if the steep is extremely steep, this method wouldn’t work. An extremely steep slope calls for a different method of swimming pool installation.

Check the drainage

When installing an above ground pool on a sloped backyard, one must ensure proper drainage of the water. Remember that digging out a slope increases chances of soil erosion. Therefore it’s important to build walls around the pool to prevent the loss of soil but ensure smooth flow of the discharged water at the same time.

We have already mentioned that both retaining walls and terracing are great ideas that help in proper drainage. If you are willing to recycle the water, you can direct it towards your garden.

You must be wondering why drainage is so important for a sloped yard above ground pool. That’s because, after a heavy downpour, water run-off can wash away the top layer of soil and create mudslides.

This will damage not only the region but also make the pool unstable. The debris or soil can also enter the pool. In that case, you have to clean the pool after it rains. By making terraces or building a retaining wall, one can ensure that the debris doesn’t drain into the pool.

Build Retaining walls

The retaining walls act as a sturdy, protective barrier against soil erosion. It holds the soil back and helps it to settle down with time.

Without a retaining wall, the water run-off would take away the topsoil along with it. With time, this continuous erosion of soil will make the pool unstable, causing it to collapse any moment.

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The Bottom Line

Isn’t it wonderful to know that installing an above ground pool on a hillside is possible? What’s even better is that you can enhance and improve the aesthetics of the pool side by incorporating different features.

The terraces and the retaining walls can also be used for decorating purposes. Thus, you can enjoy your ideal swimming pool on a hilltop with a majestic view in the background.

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