DIY: Above Ground Pools Using Blocks

Consult your local building codes about their pool ordinances. Each municipality has its own standards for how much sod to remove around the pool, and how far away to situate the pool from power lines. Get a building permit and display it in accordance with local ordinances.

Mark the boundaries of your pool once you have found an appropriate location for it by spraying a line on the ground with spray paint. Dig within this boundary down to a depth of 2 inches. Wherever the frame posts are going to be located, dig to a depth equal to the height of your cement blocks plus 2 inches. Remove all of the sod for as many feet on the outside of your pool area as your local ordinances require.

Level the foundation of your pool by using a carpenter's level and digging out any high spots. Do not try to fill in low areas, as the enormous weight of the water on top of them will just compress the fill, making the foundation uneven again.

Lay the cement blocks in the holes that you dug for them. Check that they are level both front to back and side to side. They cannot be more than 1/16 inch off level for safety reasons.

Cover the bottom of the pool foundation with 2 inches of sand. This protects the pool liner from rocks and other sharp objects and helps cushion it. Sprinkle nut grass killer over the top of the sand.

Cover the sand with a layer of Gorilla floor padding, which is a type of tough felt-like material. This provides an extra layer of protection for your swimming pool liner.

Place the bottom panels of the pool over the bottom of the foundation and attach them in manner specified by the manufacturer. Place the frame posts over their concrete blocks and attach the wall panels, again in the manner specified by the manufacturer.

Peel the paper from the adhesive strips on the peel-and-stick pool coves, and stick them to the inside base of the pool wall. Do not leave any gaps between adjacent sections. This pool cove prevents the liner from slipping out underneath the wall.

Sweep all of the sand and dirt from the inside of the pool. Put the pool liner inside the pool and secure it in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Install the skimmer and ladders, also as instructed. Fill the pool with water.