Pool Kits Dig Installation

Use this guide to help with your inground pool kit dig planning.

Start with a layout of your pool and then establish your sight or laser level. You must also determine your benchmark, which is a reference point for setting the pool at a certain elevation. Take for example, if you wanted your pool kit three inches lower than your back door sill, then you would make your benchmark that sill. Next you would aim your sight or laser level at your benchmark to determine a zero point. Whatever number you get will be your zero point and will represent how many inches off the ground your level is.

Your zero point is very important because you will need to add this to the different depths at each dig station. If you had a zero point of 35" and your inground pool's shallow end is 3'6" (or 42"), then you would add 35" to 42" to get a dig depth of 77". One more thing to consider is if you want to have an over pour or cantilever deck for your pool kit. If you do, then you would need to account for an additional 3" and add that to your dig depth (our example would become 80" then).

Concrete that is lightly textured will have a pitch of ¼" to ½" per foot. Therefore, you must give this some consideration and raise the pool ¼" — ½" per foot depending on the distance between the pool and the benchmark or deck drain. For example, if your inground pool is six feet from the house and you plan to pour your deck up to the house, you would need to raise the pool 1½" to 3" higher, and also remember to subtract this amount from the dig depth.

Let's try an example pool kit:

Benchmark:		35"
Down 3" for Step Down:	+	3"
Down 3" for Over Pour (Cantilever):	+	3"
Up 1½" for Pitch:	-	1½"
Total Dig Depth:		39½"

So, we would need to add 39½" to each of the dig station numbers. Remember when you bring the pool up, you subtract from the depth, and when you take the pool kit down you add to the depth.

You can use this example form below as a guideline for planning inground pool kits digs

ADD 3" to LOWER your pool 3" SUBTRACT 3" to RAISE your pool 3"

Benchmark location ______________________

Benchmark # = +_______________

Step down = +_______________

(if pool steps down from benchmark add here)

Over pour/pavers = + _______________

(typical is 3" for over pour)

Subtotal =_______________

(add three numbers together)

Pitch= -_______________

(minus ¼" to ½" for pitch)

Dig number= _______________

Your dig number is to be added to the pool depth number for each station of the pool dig.

Pool dig number= _________________

Depth of station # 1 _________________

Add together _________________ =station #1 dig depth