12’x24’ oval above-ground swimming pools are the most common small oval size in the Orlando area. This is mainly because manufacturers make more of them AND they are a good versatile size.
Most yards in Orlando and surrounding towns are big enough to hold a 12×24 oval pool. This is considered a small-sized oval.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT INSTALLING A 12’X24’ OVAL ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN ORLANDO
1 Oval above-ground pools are hard to assemble
I think it’s important to get this fact known, accepted, and expected up front so everyone involved can have a better time with an oval installation.
With my now 37 years of experience with installing above-ground pools, I can tell you that anyone who says ovals are easy to install doesn’t have much experience with them.
Knowledge is power, so knowing that an above-ground oval-shaped pool will cost more to buy and have installed, be harder to assemble, and won’t come together as well as round-shaped above-ground.
My goal here is to set everyone’s expectations lower so there will be less disappointment.
2 12×24 ovals can have 2, 3, or 4 buttresses depending on the model
There are many different oval designs on the market and I have installed every one. Buttresses stick out along the outside of the pool, so they require more yard space.
The more common Wilbar and Doughboy 12×24 models will have 3 buttresses. A few have only 2, and a few will have 4. I have installed a couple with 5, but that is too rare to consider.
Knowing how many buttresses may matter if the pool is going in a very tight spot or is going up against an existing deck.
3 Typically, a 12ftx24ft oval pool will need a cleared area of 17ftx26ft
The most common oval buttress designs are made by Wilbar and stick out about one foot, seven inches (19 inches) from the outside of the pool’s wall. The clearing dimensions above are based on this common size.
Some of the less expensive oval models can have the buttresses stick out as far as three feet, three inches (39 inches). With that design, you will need a cleared yard area of 20 ft x 26 ft, which is considerably wider.
4 12’x24’ oval pools are a good size for households of two or three
The area of a 12×24 is the exact area that an 18’ round pool has. Ovals sound like they are bigger pools, but they aren’t.
Some have claimed that they can swim laps in a 12×24, but I don’t know about that. Most will say the 24’ length is not long enough for laps.
Still though, a 12×24 swimming pool is a great size that is big enough for most.
5 Installation of a 12’x24’’ oval pool usually takes a full day
Barring a lot of grading or some big mishaps, an installation crew of two should have no problem getting a 12×24 done in one day. We are talking about an oval here though, so install snags can push the install to two days.
This does not include the time to fill the pool.
6 I charge $1500 to install a 12’x24’ oval above-ground pool
This is about the average cost to have a 12×24 oval pool installed in Orlando (In 2023-4) My price includes PVC hard piping the equipment and up to 12 inches of off-level grading.
Some other pool installers may not include the hard piping or that much grading, so it’s good to know what is included as you don’t want any cost surprises.
NOTE: This is a price for metal-walled(hard-sided) type above-ground pools. Soft-sided Intex, Coleman, and Bestway made pools are different. With those, I only offer a ground-preparation service.
7 Installing a 12’x24’ oval above-ground pool takes at least two people
Ovals are technically harder to assemble, but they have buttresses that help keep the wall up during installation, which is great.
Occasionally if someone doesn’t show up AND the weather is going to be good, I will install a 12×24’ oval by myself. And solo, I do it in two days
DIYers can install a small oval with 2 people or more. You don’t need as many people to keep the wall secured (because of the buttresses), so that is good.
8 A common 12×24 foot oval semi-inground pool will require at least an 18’x27’ hole
Setting an above-ground pool partially in the ground has become quite common in Orlando.
A pool needs room in the hole to be assembled, so making the hole 1.5ft wider than the pool size all the way around will give enough room to build. This includes making room for the buttresses.
9 Protect your liner from nutgrass
Nutgrass in Orlando and surrounding areas can be a real problem for above-ground pools.
It’s essential to remove all of the root mass with the grass (sod) AND apply a quality GRANULAR ONLY nutgrass killer to the ground before installing the liner