06/15/2026
Ok we just got our pool up and I want to share everything we did to get it in. This group was so helpful so I’m sharing our experience.
We got the 14X48 bestway steel pro max pool. We knew not to use the pump it came with so we upgraded to the sand filter with vidapool, we did the 15 inch. We also got a puncture resistant mat for under the pool.
For prep we cleared this large gravel area of our backyard. We installed conduit to the back left of our block wall and have an electrician coming to put in an outlet box so we aren’t using extension cords. Then we put in 2x4x15 wood for a frame to hold up the gravel from dropping towards the pool. After that we ordered 2ton of natural fine pool sand. We packed it in with a jump plate and then laid down 1 inch pink insulation foam board from Lowe’s (8x4x1). After that we put the black 15 ft pool puncture resistant mat down. Then the pool came up.
As we filled the pool we straightened the the legs and pulled the bottom out so the wrinkles would come out. We didn’t fill more than an inch while doing this. Once the walls and floor were wrinkle free, we started filling. Next to the pool we have an emergency high pressure water spigot that is from our main waterline off the street that we plumbed into our backyard so we hooked a hose up and started filling it at 1:30PM. By 5PM it was full. That high pressure water really helped!
Afterward we tested the water with Clorox test strips. We started with a PH down because our hose water was extremely high PH. We let our pump filter for 1 hour. After that we put a test strip in and our PH was perfect. We then dropped 2 3inch chlorine tablets into our floating chlorine container and put a little shock into the pool and let the pump run for 2 hours. I tested water this morning and levels are looking great.
I hope this helps those of you who are new to pools as we are and like a clear list in order of how you set this up. I’m sure we can do better/things differently but this wasn’t as bad as we thought. Took 2.5 days!
Now we are trying to figure out what material to put in the boarder around the pool that won’t puncture. Any suggestions? I was thinking rubber mulch.