Why Georgia’s Famous Red Clay Could Make or Break Your Pool Construction Project

When planning a swimming pool in Georgia, understanding your soil conditions isn’t just important—it’s absolutely critical to the success and longevity of your investment. Georgia’s famous “red clay” is the result of long-term weathering processes that leave behind iron oxides, which give the soil its distinctive color. The red clay’s mixture of silicon, aluminum, and other elements, including iron oxides, is called saprolite, which erodes easily when trees and other vegetation are removed. While this iconic soil defines much of Georgia’s landscape, it presents unique challenges that can significantly impact pool construction.

Understanding Georgia’s Soil Landscape

From the stubborn red clay of the Piedmont to the sand-soaked plains of the coast, Georgia’s soil is as unpredictable as a plot twist in your favorite thriller. And in Georgia, that can vary wildly from clay-packed red hills to soft, beachy sand that seems better suited for a sandcastle than a construction site. This is one of the most prevalent Georgia soil types, known for its fine texture and high water retention capacity. It can be challenging for foundation soil due to its tendency to expand and contract with moisture changes.

Georgia’s diverse geological makeup means that soil conditions can vary dramatically even within small areas. Soil conditions can be vastly different even within a small area. “We built 40 pools in a Calabasas neighborhood, and in some lots we found native soil; some had fill soil,” Cohen says. “In some we were breaking rocks.” His team found that even locations just across the street from each other had the potential to present pool contractors with very different soil types.

The Clay Challenge: Why Georgia’s Red Clay Matters

Clay soil presents some of the most significant challenges in pool construction. When installing an inground pool in clay soil and other types of expansive soils, there are unique challenges due to their tendency to swell when wet and shrink when dry. One is the installation of pools in expansive clay soil, which is prone to absorbing water, swelling as it does. “Building on it is like building on top of a sponge,” Cohen says. “Those soils can shrink and expand substantially depending on how much moisture is introduced into it.”

The consequences of not properly addressing clay soil conditions can be severe. As you can imagine, even a minimal volume change in the soil supporting an inground structure can create movement that leads to cracking, uneven heaving or settlement of the pool shell, as well as damage to piping systems. Clay tends to present an uplifting force due to cyclical moisture content of the soil that require foundations to withstand both compression and tension loads. This cycling of forces translates to cracks which lead to leaks for pools.

Professional Solutions for Clay Soil Challenges

Experienced pool contractors understand that building in clay soil requires specialized approaches. Common design solutions for expansive soils include over-excavation and replacement of expansive material with suitable soil, and/or structurally supporting the pool shell with deep foundations. Its properties can make the difference between a simple slab-on-grade design or a more elaborate structural solution requiring deep foundations, over-excavation, soil conditioning, subsurface drainage and other measures.

Several proven methods exist for managing clay soil challenges:

• Over-excavation and replacement: When over-excavation is necessary, the geotechnical engineer will recommend the depth to which high plasticity or expansive soils must be removed, so it can be replaced with “select fill” that exhibits the necessary properties to limit swell potential and support the structural design approach. It is also very important that the fill material be properly placed and compacted.
• Deep foundation systems: When the solution calls for a deep foundation, such as drilled piers or friction piles, the pool often is constructed over a void space, where soil can swell without affecting the pool. These foundations support pools by distributing the load vertically or bearing on deeper, more stable soil, such as bedrock.
• Moisture conditioning: A slightly less common approach to mitigating the swell potential of expansive soils is moisture conditioning. The goal is to saturate the soil before construction and maintain the moisture content throughout construction and the life of the facility.

The Importance of Professional Soil Analysis

An early step in the design of any earth-supported structural system is to study the site’s soil conditions. This must be done by a qualified geotechnical engineer, who will provide data on the soil properties and recommendations for the foundation’s structural design. While comprehensive soil analysis can be an investment, Full soil tests, which can run as much as about $4,000, aren’t needed on every project. Cohen says his team has “every pool excavation bottom inspected to confirm the soils are competent before we install our pool shell.”

Why Local Expertise Matters in Douglas, GA

When considering pool construction Douglas, GA, working with experienced local contractors becomes even more crucial. Deep Waters Pools was built on over 30 years of hands-on pool construction experience. After decades of working in concrete, plumbing, and custom pool builds, we decided to start our own company focused on quality, honesty, and personalized service. What began as one man’s passion has grown into a trusted local business that designs and builds strong, beautiful in-ground pools for families across South Georgia.

Local contractors understand the specific soil challenges present in South Georgia. If you’ve ever worked with Georgia clay, you already know it can be as stubborn as it is strong. But when that thick, red clay gets saturated with water, it becomes one of the worst materials to try and build on—especially when it comes to hardscaping projects like retaining walls, paver patios, and drainage systems.

Construction Method Considerations

The type of soil directly influences construction methods. Soil type may determine the most appropriate construction method for the shell. For example, construction methods where the concrete is sprayed — shotcrete, gunite — are most efficient when excavators can achieve a vertical cut in the soil, so the concrete can be shot directly against earth. But when very sandy or soft soil is present, the sides of the excavation are more likely to collapse or degrade. In these situations, pool-wall construction may require other methods to support the concrete placement, such as formwork or a stainless steel panel and buttress system.

Long-term Success Through Proper Planning

By identifying the presence of expansive soils, controlling moisture levels, and employing proper foundation design, you can mitigate the risks associated with ground movement and ensure the longevity and stability of your structures. Understanding how expansive soils behave and how to manage them can save you from potential structural damage and costly repairs.

Successful pool construction in Georgia’s challenging clay soils requires understanding that it’s much more expensive to build pools to withstand expansive soil. But failing to do so can exact a steep cost, not only financially, but in time and headaches as well. The investment in proper soil preparation and specialized construction techniques pays dividends in the form of a pool that will provide decades of enjoyment without costly structural issues.

When planning your pool project in Georgia, remember that the soil beneath your feet is just as important as the design above ground. Working with experienced professionals who understand local soil conditions and employ proven construction techniques will ensure your pool investment stands the test of time, regardless of what Mother Nature throws at Georgia’s ever-changing clay soils.