8 Must-Know Tips for Filling in a Swimming Pool With Dirt
Make your pool a thing of the past
Highlights
Use dirt for fast, easy filling.
Filling must be done carefully to prevent future problems.
Holes are needed for proper yard drainage.
Layers of gravel and sand are placed before topsoil.
Planting trees and plants can help to keep dirt settled.
If you’re tired of maintaining a pool that’s barely used or simply want a landscape filled with grass and trees instead, it might be time to say goodbye to your swimming pool. Learning how to fill in a pool with dirt is the fastest and most affordable way to get rid of a pool because there's no need to remove your concrete or metal shell. This saves on both labor and hauling costs.
However, filling a pool with dirt is still a delicate process that requires careful preparation, drainage, and demolition.
The pool doesn’t have to be fully excavated.
It adds green space to your yard.
There’s no more need for pool maintenance.
You can do some of the work to cut down on removal costs.
1. Hire the Right Contractor
Hiring the right contractor is the first step toward filling in a swimming pool. To decide which contractor is right for you, search online or ask friends to find a local pool removal professional. The contractor you choose should be properly licensed, insured, and bonded, and above all, you should feel comfortable working with them.
Getting quotes from at least three pool removal contractors can ensure you’re getting the best price and give you an idea of their range of services.
2. Drain the Pool
This could go without saying, but we’re going to say it—make sure to drain the pool before you fill the pool with dirt. To do this, open the pool drain to allow the water to empty out. You may need to help some of the water push through the drain manually. A push broom is great for getting the last bit of water cleared from the pool once the pool is empty enough for you to stand inside.
Always be environmentally smart when draining a pool. Ensure that your pool water won't drain into storm drains if it contains chlorine. The local pool closing pros handling your pool decommissioning can assist with eco-friendly, legal pool draining.
3. Remove Accessories
Begin the dismantling process by turning off the electricity to your pool. Next, remove the pump. This is also the time to remove all lights, ladders, diving boards, and other accessories. Doing these things and draining the pool before the pool removal professional gets there may help cut down on pool removal costs.
4. Begin the Demolition
While filling a pool with dirt cuts down drastically on demolition, hauling, and excavation costs, it doesn't totally erase the need for demolition. It's necessary to break up some of your pool's concrete, but the good news is that you likely won’t have to cover the cost of removing all the concrete. Anyone who doesn't have the tools and experience for this part of the job should bring in the pros for this part.
You (or a pro) should start by making holes in the bottom of the pool using a jackhammer. This will prevent rainwater, snow, and other moisture from gathering at the bottom of the pool and making it more challenging to fill in. Aim for one hole every 4 feet.
Next, use the jackhammer to remove the pool's top edge. You'll be completely breaking off the edge that's situated above ground level. Be sure to shovel all of the concrete that's being broken apart as you're working. Cart debris piles away with a wheelbarrow to keep the edge completely smooth and clear.
5. Add Gravel
You need enough gravel to fill your pool up to the halfway point based on your pool's dimensions. Gravel can be dumped by truck.
Start with a hardy gravel base when filling a pool with dirt because the gravel allows water to travel to the drain at the bottom. This prevents backups and flooding in your yard.
6. Add a Layer of Clean Fill or Sand
Add a layer of clean fill or sand on top of the gravel. This layer should stop roughly two feet below the top of the pool.
7. Fill in the Pool With Topsoil
It's finally time to add the dirt for a dirt-filled pool. Fill in the point from the end of the fill/sand layer to the top of the pool with topsoil. It's essential to use topsoil instead of other types of dirt because topsoil allows grass and vegetation to grow over the pool area to create a natural, even look in your yard.
Ultimately, your topsoil layer will prevent the appearance of a strange "patch" in your yard where your pool once stood.
“It is important to make sure the new topsoil is a few inches higher than the existing grade of the lawn, as this area will settle over time,” says Tara Dudley, Angi Expert Review Board member and owner of Plant Life Designs. “This will hopefully prevent having a low spot in the lawn in the future.”
8. Add Trees or Plants
This last step is optional. However, adding trees and plants helps to hold the soil in place, and having more green space is one of the pros of filling a pool with dirt. You may find that adding more topsoil is necessary as time goes on if the spot begins to "sink." As you create your new garden, consider what plants, flowers, and trees will thrive in your area and which won’t.
Scott Dylan Westerlund contributed to this piece.