Stacy, we had some difficulty removing the horizontal bars, too. If the bar is stuck to the actual liner, turning it will sometimes help loosen it. If you are trying to dislodge the first horizontal bar , then try raising the vertical bars at an angle until you can slide one end of the horizontal bar out. It is a tricky thing to do – but once the first one is out, the rest of the bars are easy. There are a number of similarly sized above-ground pools that compete with Intex’s 12-foot set, and one of the top options is the 12-foot x 33-inch Summer Waves Active Frame Pool.
Hi Rob, we actually had the same thing happen to our vinyl liner. After about 2 years of use, it developed a few holes. We did find a replacement liners, but the replacement liners cost as much as buying the entire pool kit again! I wish the liners would come down in price, as it is very wasteful to have the poles and hardware thrown away when an entirely new pool kit is purchased. A pool water monitoring kit is necessary to adjust the chlorine and pH levels of the pool. Chlorine, alkaline pH adjusters, and acid are available at any local hardware or pool store.
Once that was done, we simply snapped together the hard plastic support pieces of the frame with the metal ones and secured it with the thick band to give the framework a little bit of extra security against rambunctious kids. The paper instructions were plenty sufficient to get the job done, and it took less than half an hour from start to finish. We let a line of rambunctious kids hop in and out and back in again, day after day. In order to get the main part of the frame built, we had to pin the side supports in the corners and then pin the beams, which only works if you have one person pinning while the other person is holding the pieces in place on the opposite end.
Much to my dismay, my budget and financially-responsible husband don’t allow me the liberty of throwing money around as I please. Plus, installing a pool in my yard is definitely out of the question. Which is why, when I discovered above-ground pools and intex frame pool the shopping hysteria surrounding Intex, I became absolutely certain that this was the product I needed to realize my summertime dreams. We used the pool with the pump off the majority of the time and switched it on after heavy use by dirt-covered kids.
Once the ground is leveled, it is wise to lay a weed-preventing cloth over the dirt. This will prevent any grass from growing into the pool liner. Some types of grass (specifically, St. Augustine and Bermuda) have been known to puncture the pool liners of Intex pools. The Easy Set pools come in sizes ranging from 8′ across x 30″ deep to a rather large 18′ across x 48″ deep. These pools require an absolutely level surface prior to set up, or the pool may collapse and cause injury or property damage. The Easy-Set pools may also fail due to a puncture of the top inflatable ring.
The sizes of the two pools are comparable; the Summer Waves pool is only 3 inches deeper. At under $200, this above-ground pool is a steal, and it can often be found at a discount. The construction is solid, and the pump system works like a charm to combat the dirt, grime, and gunk that comes with having kids jump in and out of a pool. The flat surface we found in our yard was pretty far from the side of our house, but we were able to connect the pool pump to a power source via an extension cord. As for water, we had to run a hose from a spigot on a second-story patio down to the pool. It took between six and eight hours to fill the pool to the fill line, which is about 90 percent of the 1,718-gallon capacity.
The Summer Waves pool is certainly nicer looking, thanks to the woven details on the exterior, but it is slightly more expensive. Overall, the Intex won us over with its quality construction and reasonable price. The filtration system was simple to use, and it proved to be effective at keeping the water clean. We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Angelica Leicht is a product reviewer for The Spruce who specializes in reviewing home, decor, and family products.
The same goes for the liner—we needed one person to hold the heavy-duty pool liner up while the other person slid the metal beams through the liner sleeves. As expected given the minimal amount of parts in the box, setup was essentially snap-and-go. All it took was two people, some patience, and some elbow grease—we didn’t even need the DVD to get the frame built. I spent the first hours that the kids were in the pool, yelling at them not to bump into the pool walls or create too many waves; I was sure it was going to explode and wash them out into the yard. This 12-foot by 30-inch round Intex pool was the perfect fit for this family. Owning a swimming pool has always been a dream of mine.
I also cannot stress enough that Intex metal-frame pools must be set-up on ground that is extremely level and that attaining this may require extra work and costs. To test the pool’s resilience, we let a line of rambunctious kids hop in and out and back in again, day after day. A 70-pound child who wasn’t quite tall enough to step over the side to get into the water kept hurling herself up and over, often catching a piece of the frame on intex purespa her foot. She even bounced while sitting on the side at one point—which, looking back was perhaps not the safest move, and we wouldn’t recommend—but still, she didn’t warp or damage any of the pieces. Intended to be assembled and then maintained in place for extended periods of time, Intex metal-frame pools lend themselves to the concept that you can obtain the benefits of an installed swimming pool without the pricey expense of one.
Repeat this process as necessary to achieve a crystal-clear Intex pool. Once the pool has begun to clear, remove the filter and spray it with a hose to remove the DE. Mix the DE and water in the bucket to create a suspension.