The cheapest insurance the liner will ever get

The best pool ground cloths for 2026

A ground cloth goes under the pool, and it is the least interesting purchase on this site until the day it is the reason the liner has not been punctured. It does three things: it stops sharp material in the ground reaching the liner, it stops damp ground cooling the water, and on a lawn it stops the grass dying into an anaerobic mess. The specification is the material and its thickness, and this shelf divides cleanly: woven polypropylene sheet, which is cheap and resists puncture by spreading load; extruded polyethylene foam, which insulates and is what most branded underlays are; and interlocking EVA tiles, which do both and cost more. The second figure is the size, and the rule is the opposite of a cover — the cloth should be slightly larger than the pool footprint and then trimmed, because a cloth that stops short leaves the pool edge sitting on bare ground, which is exactly where the load is highest. tillvex publishes the pair plainly — "570×300 cm, bis 540×270 cm Pools" — and that is the form to look for. Then drainage, which is the argument against a solid impermeable sheet: water that gets under the pool has to leave, and a closed film holds it against the liner. We compare material, thickness, size against footprint, puncture resistance, insulation value and whether the sheet drains.

These parts, one figure beside another

1. 

   BeMaxx EVA Poolunterlage 18 tiles

   Eighteen interlocking EVA foam tiles of 32 × 32 × 1 cm plus edge pieces, covering 1.67 m² in total. That is less than a third of the smallest pool footprint in this catalogue.

   Material

   EVA foam with a textured surface, stated moisture- and chlorine-resistant

   Thickness

   1 cm per tile

   Size against footprint

   18 tiles of 32 × 32 cm plus edges, about 182 × 92 cm = 1.67 m². The smallest pool in this catalogue has a 6.0 m² footprint, so this set covers about 28 % of it

   Puncture resistance

   No figure published. Stated to protect against stones and unevenness

   Insulation value

   No figure published. Stated to insulate against cold from the ground

   Sheet drainage

   Not applicable — interlocking tiles, not a sheet. No drainage published

   Amazon reference

   B0C9L49799 (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   5060522602095

   • Publishes its total area outright — 1.67 m² — which two of the four tile sets here do not make so easy to find
   • The tiles are cut and rearranged freely, so awkward shapes are covered exactly
   • At 1.67 m² it cannot cover any pool in this catalogue — the smallest needs 6.0 m²

   Best for: A paddling pool, a hot tub footprint, or extending a tile set that is already down

   Check price on Amazon
2. 

   Montafox Poolmatte 8-tile set

   Eight extra-large EVA puzzle tiles of 60 × 60 × 1 cm covering 2.88 m². The largest individual tile in this family, and under half the smallest pool footprint in this catalogue.

   Material

   EVA foam, stated hard-wearing, easy to care for and dirt-repellent

   Thickness

   1 cm per tile

   Size against footprint

   8 tiles of 60 × 60 cm = 2.88 m². The smallest pool in this catalogue has a 6.0 m² footprint, so this set covers about 48 % of it

   Puncture resistance

   No figure published. Stated to protect the pool liner against stones and roots

   Insulation value

   No figure published. Stated heat-insulating

   Sheet drainage

   Not applicable — interlocking tiles, not a sheet. No drainage published

   Amazon reference

   B08Y1SB6HM (one reference across 5 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   4251379363050

   • 60 cm tiles are the largest here, so fewer joints cross the pool footprint
   • Names stones AND roots specifically, which is what actually goes through a liner
   • 2.88 m² covers less than half the smallest pool in this catalogue

   Best for: A paddling pool, or two or three sets combined under a small frame pool

   Check price on Amazon
3. 

   Arebos Round EVA Mat Set

   Sixteen EVA tiles of 51 × 51 × 1 cm that interlock into a round protective surface 200 cm across. The listing states it is for spa and hot tub pools, and the area confirms it.

   Material

   EVA with a closed waterproof surface and a T-structure for grip, stated abrasion-resistant

   Thickness

   1 cm per tile

   Size against footprint

   16 tiles of 51 × 51 cm forming a round surface 200 cm across = 3.14 m². The smallest pool in this catalogue has a 6.0 m² footprint, so this set covers about 52 % of it — but the listing states it for spas and hot tubs

   Puncture resistance

   No figure published. Stated to protect against scratches, pressure marks, moisture and wear

   Insulation value

   No figure published. Stated noise-, vibration- and shock-damping

   Sheet drainage

   Not applicable — interlocking tiles with a closed waterproof surface. No drainage published

   Amazon reference

   B0GNSTJDH1 (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   4252023129138

   • The only listing in this family to state the SHAPE its set makes — a 200 cm circle
   • Names spas and hot tubs as the intended use, which matches its published area honestly
   • 3.14 m² is about half the smallest pool footprint in this catalogue

   Best for: A round hot tub up to 200 cm across, standing on a terrace or a patio

   Check price on Amazon
4. 

   bonsport Pool Unterlage 60-tile set

   Sixty EVA tiles of 38.5 × 38.5 × 1 cm plus edge pieces, covering 8.71 m² — 379.5 × 229.5 cm — and supplied with a free 185 cm leaf net. The only tile set here large enough for a real pool.

   Material

   100 % EVA foam, stated non-toxic, easy to care for and easy to clean

   Thickness

   1 cm per tile

   Size against footprint

   60 tiles of 38.5 × 38.5 cm plus edges = about 8.71 m² (379.5 × 229.5 cm). It covers the 6.0 and 7.07 m² pools in this catalogue outright, and falls short of the 10.52 m² ones

   Puncture resistance

   No figure published. Stated to protect against pointed objects such as small stones

   Insulation value

   No figure published. Stated heat-insulating so the water does not cool as fast

   Sheet drainage

   Not applicable — interlocking tiles, not a sheet. No drainage published

   Amazon reference

   B08BTL1V2G (one reference across 1 Amazon marketplace)

   EAN

   4260634978342

   • The only tile set in this family large enough to cover a pool from this catalogue on its own
   • Publishes the covered rectangle — 379.5 × 229.5 cm — not just the area
   • 38.5 cm tiles mean far more seams than the 60 cm tiles elsewhere in this family

   Best for: A 300 × 200 cm or Ø 300 cm frame pool, covered by one delivery

   Check price on Amazon
5. 

   Bestway PE Ground Cloth 335 × 335 cm

   A single square sheet of robust polyethylene, 335 × 335 cm, published as fitting above-ground pools up to Ø 305 cm. The cheapest way to put something under a pool, and the thinnest.

   Material

   Robust polyethylene

   Thickness

   Not published

   Size against footprint

   335 × 335 cm = 11.22 m², stated for pools up to Ø 305 cm. A Ø 305 pool occupies 7.30 m², so the sheet extends about 15 cm beyond the wall on every side

   Puncture resistance

   No figure published. No protection claim is made in the listing at all

   Insulation value

   Not published

   Sheet drainage

   Not published. A PE sheet is impermeable, so water reaching it runs to the edge

   Amazon reference

   B0CDXN85QM (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   6941607354537

   • One piece for the whole footprint, with no seams for grit to work through
   • Publishes the pool range it fits — up to Ø 305 cm — as well as its own size
   • No thickness published, on a product whose whole job depends on it

   Best for: A Ø 305 cm pool on an already smooth surface, where the sheet is a barrier rather than a cushion

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6. 

   VEVOR Round Pool Pad 5.5 m

   A round non-woven geotextile pad 5.5 metres across — 23.76 m², the largest single sheet in this family — cuttable to fit and stated to promote drainage rather than trap water.

   Material

   Non-woven geotextile fabric

   Thickness

   No figure published — described as extra thick

   Size against footprint

   Round, 5.5 m = 23.76 m². That covers every pool in this catalogue, the largest of which occupies 23.67 m². Multiple sizes are stated available

   Puncture resistance

   No figure published. Stated to prevent damage from sharp objects such as stones, tree roots and glass

   Insulation value

   Not published. Cushioning is stated for walking comfort

   Sheet drainage

   Stated — the design promotes water drainage and prevents water contamination

   Amazon reference

   B0DZBGFN71 (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   0197988509950

   • The only product in this family large enough to cover every pool in this catalogue
   • The only one to publish drainage as a design property rather than ignoring it
   • No thickness and no weight per square metre, where a rival geotextile publishes 400 g/m²

   Best for: A large round pool — up to and including the 549 cm one in this catalogue

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7. 

   tillvex Premium Pool Unterlage 400 cm

   A round 400 cm geotextile underlay at a published 400 g/m² — the only weight per square metre in this family — stated for pools up to Ø 370 cm and reusable across several seasons.

   Material

   High-quality geotextile, stated breathable, light-suppressing and dimensionally stable

   Thickness

   Not published as a millimetre figure. Published as 400 g/m² — the only weight per square metre in this family

   Size against footprint

   Round, 400 cm = 12.57 m², stated for pools up to Ø 370 cm. A Ø 370 pool occupies 10.75 m², so the sheet extends about 15 cm beyond the wall all round

   Puncture resistance

   No figure published. Stated to protect against stones, branches and weeds

   Insulation value

   No figure published. Stated to minimise heat loss and save heating costs

   Sheet drainage

   Stated breathable. No drainage rate published

   Amazon reference

   B0GVG5N8MX (one reference across 5 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   4262498582697

   • The only product in this family to publish a weight per square metre — 400 g/m²
   • Publishes both its own diameter and the pool range it covers
   • Covers the Ø 366 cm pools in this catalogue but not the Ø 488 or Ø 549 cm ones

   Best for: A Ø 366 cm frame pool on grass, put away and reused each season

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