Best Above Ground Pools:

Above ground pools have been around for decades and one of the originals was the Doughboy pools, also called portable pools. There is much more competition these days from other manufacturers as yards have shrunk nationwide and there is no room in most yards for a traditional in ground pool. Therefore, demand has shot up for above ground pools and the styles and designs have become more varied. We went to the Doughboy-pools.com website and were delighted that they had full color pictures and features of each pool they offer in PDF format, but they forgot the price (or should I say they left it off intentionally). They want you to contact a local dealer for availability and pricing so all we can do is list the top models - Diamond 52" Resin, Copper Canyon 48" & 52" Steel, Desert Spring, Intrigue, Morning Dance, Prestige, Sand Dollar II, Silver Lake, Tuscany, Whispers, and Oasis. Doughboy has a 100% lifetime guarantee on the seams of their liners and they are the only above ground pools that produce virgin vinyl liner.

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Abovegroundpools.com makes purchasing an above ground swimming pool easy with all the information and prices they provide on their site. They carry 48-inch, 52-inch, Fanta-Sea, and Easyset pools. Their selection of 48" above ground pools are the Islander ($599.99) made by Swim n Play, The Willow Cove ($449.99) - made by Artesian Pools and has diamond coated walls, LiquiLok Epoxy Wall Backer, hot dipped galvanized steel, and z bolt double track wall bolt pattern. The Concorde ($399.99) - Swim n Play model. From an unbiased 3rd party website we read some disturbing information on installations of above ground pools (especially the cheaper ones - $2500 or less). The pool repairmans website noted that there are commonly mismatched pump and filter equipment, improper filter media, proprietary equipment that is impractical or impossible to repair, and poor quality walls or liner. You get what you pay for in many cases and we are only passing along information that a reputable source put online. Moving on now to the 52" above ground pools, The Grand Canyon from Lomart pools is $599-$1999 (depends on shape and size), The Riviera ($1099), The Premier ($1199), and the Pines ($1299). Most of the prices quoted are for the smallest pool sizes, so be prepared to pay more the larger you go. The Fanta-Sea on ground pools come in 2 types - Solar Pools and Antigua Pools. The Solar pools have a 2 ft solar deck around the swim area while the Antigua pools ($10995) have a 2ft aluminum non-skid deck on 3 sides with an 8 foot deck on the side. You can also get privacy fencing, pickets or vinyl lattice. The last category are the EasySet portable pools that are broken into 2 subgroups - the leisure fun pop-up pools or the summer fun pools. Both types are cheaps (less than $200), but beware that many do not come with covers or ladders. Getting in and out of these portable pools is not easy, so having a ladder accessory is important. RECOMMENDED - We suggest shopping online at Amazon.com. Yes, they carry quite a few pools that are meant to be installed above ground. Pick from rectangular, circular, or oval shapes and choose from brands like Intex. What we really like about Amazon.com are all the owner reviews posted for each product. You can read all the feedback and make a better buying decision. You can browse their top selling above ground pools here. They range in price from $150 to $2000.

How to Install an Above Ground Pool:

The installation of a vinyl above ground pool will take from 1 to 2 weeks to complete. You need to first dig up all sod from the area beneath the pool and then level the site. Most yards have a natural drainage to them but in some cases you may need to add drainage ditch with a drain pipe to allow for proper water flow. You will then work with the frame foundation and site leveling block. Make sure to check the city for any local ordinances that might call for special procedures during the install of the pool. Although most above ground pools can be installed by homeowners, we suggest having a professional do it right the first time. There was a local guy who installed his own above ground pool with his in-laws and within a week the pool was draining water at such a fast rate that the pool was emptied within 2 hours due to faulty installation. Check with the above ground dealer that you purchase from for installation prices. Often you can do some of the legwork mentioned above to get things ready for the pool install.

Pool Liner - Cover - Pump

Above ground pool liners give you the chance to add a little personal style to your pool. At Poolcenter.com they offer solid blue, swirl bottom, aquarium, and glazed tile vinly pool liners that start at about $75 and go up to $500+ for the largest pools. An above ground pool cover is really cheap - you can get an 8 ft aboveground pool cover for $10 and only pay $20 for a 15 ft pool cover. You may need to replace the pool pump given the common issue of pool pump and pool filter not matching properly. A Bestways Above ground pool Filter/Pump System goes for $29.65 and filters 500 gallons per hour. Keep in mind that replacing the pool pump may not solve all your problems if the filter never matched initially with the pump system. Often it's best to replace both the pump and filter together to make sure you get a good match that is compatible. RECOMMENDED - Buy top rated above ground pool pumps here.

Ladder - Slide - Steps

Other above ground pool accessories include things like ladders, slides, or steps. An above ground ladder is about $30 for a 30 in ladder, $37 for a 36 inch ladder and $45 for a 42 inch above ground ladder. The Biltmor Above-Ground In-Pool Step ($169) comes with double handrails and is slip resistant. Interfab's Zoomerang Slide is the best above ground pool slide and retails for about $750 from Propools.com.

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