Summer Fun: Setting Up Our Intex Pool

Summer is almost here. The warmer weather had caused our children to start asking about swimming. A family member purchased an Intex metal frame pool for the kids. With temperatures hitting the high 80s, we decided to set the pool up. It was the perfect time for the kids to have fun and get some exercise while cooling off. This was our first metal frame pool. The box included a 10′ x 30″ metal frame pool and filter pump. A ground liner, pool cover, or ladder was not included. Accessories and pool chemicals were bought separately.

Pros:

The Intex 10′ pool came with an owner’s manual and an instructional DVD. We watched the DVD even though some parts covered in it were common sense. The manual recommended a team of 2-3 people set up the pool. We completed the set-up with 2 people in about half an hour. The manual suggested letting the pool liner warm up in the sun to improve the ease of handling it during set-up. It was easy for us to manipulate without warming first.

Most of the metal horizontal beams slid easily into the sleeve openings around the top of the Intex pool liner. The T-joints also slid on without any problems. The instructional DVD warned that the last horizontal beam may be difficult to slide into the connector, but it slid easily into position.

The vertical metal beams for the legs slide through a belt loop and then through the bottom of the leg sits inside a rope that runs along the bottom of the pool. The metal legs slid smoothly through the belt loop and connected quickly with the spring loaded pins to the top of the pool liner.

We chose to smooth out the bottom of the pool from the outside. We put one inch of water in the bottom of the Intex pool. I reached under the Intex pool and pulled the floor outward. The wrinkles came right out. I was surprised.

The Intex metal frame pool assembled much more quickly and easier than I expected. We did not run into any problems. The predrilled holes lined up. The beams slid right into place. It was not the unpleasant experience I was anticipating. In fact, I regretted not having set it up a week earlier.

The filter pump comes with its own owner’s manual. The instructions were easy to follow. The pump was up and running in minutes. I like the fact that the filter can be rinsed off with a water hose and used again unless it becomes excessively dirty or damaged.

Cons:

We luckily set out all the pool parts to check that we had everything needed to assemble the pool. The metal vertical beams have spring loaded pins that snap into the T-joints along the top of the pool liner. The pins were not in their proper positions inside the beams; so we pushed them up to where they were supposed to be.

The T-joints had easily slid into place on the horizontal beams, but the connector pins were slightly more difficult to maneuver through the pre-drilled holes. We had to keep checking the connector pins while filling the Intex pool with water because some of them kept popping out. Once the Intex pool was full, the connector pins stayed in place.

While the metal leg beams were smoothly slid through the belt loop and attached to the pool’s top liner, the legs kept sliding out of the rope around the bottom of the pool. After all the legs were in place, I went around the bottom putting the legs back behind the rope. I kept checking them until the Intex pool had enough water in it to hold the legs in place. We were unsure of how tight to tie the rope until some water had been added.

The instruction manual stated that a coin could be used to tighten the hose clamps connecting the filter hoses to the pool. This didn’t work so well for us. We ended up using a standard screwdriver.

Tips:

Here are a couple of tips that helped us speed up the assembly process. We pushed the spring-loaded pins into place on the vertical metal beams. We placed the seal onto all of the connector pins. We considered sliding the leg end caps on the vertical metal beams, but decided that might interfere with getting the leg through the belt loop and rope.

Accessories:

The Intex pool ladder was quick to assemble. It is nice and sturdy. Our youngest son has bumped his knee on the step above a couple of times while using the ladder.

The Intex pool maintenance kit came with a pool vacuum and handheld skimmer that interchange on one shaft. They seem a little cheaply made, but they get the job done. I was unable to squeeze the plastic spring tips enough to slide it onto the shaft. I had to get my husband to assemble it for me.

Overall, I am pleased with the Intex metal frame pool. The assembly went smoothly. There isn’t an inflated ring around the top getting in the way. There are overspill areas around the top of the liner. The filter does an excellent job. If we ever buy a bigger above ground pool, we will definitely buy an Intex metal frame pool.