INTEX Ultra XTR 24ft x 12ft x 52in Above: How Big Is It?
A close look at just how big the INTEX Ultra XTR 24x12ft above-ground pool really is, plus the frame, filter, and what to know before you set it up.
Reviewed by
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
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It’s 24 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 52 inches deep. Read that out loud in your backyard and then go pace it off, because the INTEX Ultra XTR 24ft x 12ft x 52in Above-ground pool takes up way more room than a number on a box suggests. The whole point of this video was to answer that one question people keep asking before they buy: how big is it once it’s standing in the yard?
Quick Verdict
24 feet long, 12 feet wide, 52 inches deep. That’s the answer to the question in the title, and once it’s up in the yard it swallows more space than the numbers make you picture. The Ultra XTR is a big oval pool with a galvanized steel frame and a real sand filter, not a splash tub.
Buy if you:
- Have a flat, level yard at least 30x18ft clear
- Want an oval pool the whole family can actually swim in
- Prefer a sand filter over a cartridge pump
- Want a frame that snaps together without tools
Skip if you:
- Underestimate the footprint, this thing eats the backyard
- Have a sloped or soft lawn you haven’t leveled
- Want something you can drain and pack away every weekend
| Dimensions | 24ft x 12ft x 52in (oval) |
|---|---|
| Frame | Galvanized steel, snap-together, no pins |
| Liner | 3-ply puncture-resistant PVC |
| Filtration | Krystal Clear Sand Filter pump (#26645EG) |
| Included | Filter pump, ground cloth, ladder, patch |
| Warranty | 2 years |
How Big Is the Ultra XTR, Really?
Twelve feet across is wide enough that two people can float past each other without bumping. Twenty-four feet long gives you actual lap room, not just a spot to stand and cool off. And 52 inches deep is above waist height on most adults, so it swims like a pool instead of a wading tub. That oval shape is the sweet spot for a lot of yards too, since it fits along a fence line better than a giant round pool.
What’s In the Box and How the Frame Works
The frame is galvanized steel that snaps together with no locking pins and no extra tools. That’s the headline feature Intex leans on with the XTR line. The components click into place, the T-joints are infused with a UV inhibitor for weather resistance, and the whole thing is engineered around a locking system meant to add stability over the older metal frame pools.
The liner is 3-ply puncture-resistant PVC. It’s the tougher material Intex uses on the Ultra tier, and a repair patch comes in the box in case a lawn chair leg or a dog claw finds its way to the wall. Filtration is handled by the Krystal Clear Sand Filter pump, model #26645EG, with a 6-function control valve that filters, backwashes, rinses, recirculates, drains, and closes the system. You also get a ground cloth and a ladder in the set.
Why the Oval Shape Changes the Yard Math
An oval reads differently in a yard than a round pool of similar water volume. A 24-foot oval runs long, so it wants a rectangular clear zone rather than a big circle. If you’ve got a narrow-ish backyard with a fence on one side, the 12-foot width tucks in where a 24-foot round pool never would.
The footprint isn’t 24×12, it’s whatever 24×12 plus a walkable perimeter looks like, and that’s bigger. The ladder eats a chunk on one end, the sand filter pump needs hose reach on another, and you still need to squeeze past all of it with a skimmer. Budget for roughly 30x18ft of clear, flat ground, and rope it off before you order so there are no surprises on delivery day.
The Part Everyone Underestimates: Leveling
The ground has to be level, and that’s the step that trips people up. A snap-together steel frame is easy. A perfectly flat 24×12 patch of lawn is not. Any slope shows up fast once you start filling, because 52 inches of water pushing on a tilted wall is exactly how above-ground pools fail.
The ground cloth in the box protects the liner from below, but it doesn’t level anything for you. That’s on you and a rake, or sand, or in a stubborn yard, a bit of digging on the high side. It’s not a flaw in the pool, but it’s the gotcha nobody wants to hear before a hot weekend. Rushing this is how a good pool goes lopsided.
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INTEX Ultra XTR 24x12ft Pool
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Who This Pool Actually Fits
This is a family pool for a household that wants a real swim season, not a kiddie splash. At 24 feet long and 52 inches deep, it’s big enough for adults to actually swim, for a bunch of kids to play without piling on top of each other, and for a summer’s worth of use rather than a one-week novelty.
This is the pool for someone who’s done renting a vacation house with a pool and wants that same swim-season energy at home, without pouring a concrete deck. The 2-year warranty and galvanized steel frame assume you’re leaving it standing from Memorial Day to Labor Day, not hauling it in and out of the garage. If your yard clears 30x18ft, you’re the target buyer. If it doesn’t, no frame upgrade fixes that.
Ultra XTR vs a Basic Intex Metal Frame Pool
The two upgrades that actually justify the XTR price tag: the snap-together galvanized steel frame with its locking system (no pins, more rigidity than the standard metal frame), and a 3-ply PVC liner instead of the thinner single-layer walls on entry-level sets. Neither of those is marketing language, a heavier liner is measurably harder to puncture, and a locking frame shows less flex under a full water load.
The other real difference is the pump. This bundle ships with a Krystal Clear sand filter, while a lot of cheaper Intex sets come with a cartridge pump. Sand filtration means you’re backwashing instead of buying replacement cartridges all season, which is where a basic set nickel-and-dimes you over time. The trade-off is that the XTR costs more up front and takes up serious yard space, so a smaller cartridge-pump round pool still wins if you’re tight on room or budget.
Advice Before You Clear the Yard
Measure twice before you buy. Lay a rope or a garden hose out in a 24×12 oval and stand back. That’s the footprint, and you still need walking room and a spot for the ladder and pump on top of it.
Level the ground properly, learn the 6-function valve on the sand filter before you need it, and keep that included patch somewhere you’ll remember. Setting a pool this big up on a sloped lawn is the single most common mistake, and it’s the one that turns a great summer into a headache. Do the boring prep and the Ultra XTR 24ft x 12ft x 52in Above-ground pool rewards you with a full season.
Pros
- Big at 24ft x 12ft x 52in, deep enough for adults to swim
- Galvanized steel frame snaps together with no pins or tools
- Tough 3-ply puncture-resistant PVC liner with a patch included
- Comes with a real sand filter pump, not just a cartridge unit
- Oval shape fits narrow yards better than a big round pool
- 2-year warranty on the set
Cons
- Footprint is bigger than the numbers make you expect, plan for buffer space
- Ground must be dead level or the wall risks failing under 52in of water
- Not something you drain and store weekly, it’s a season-long setup
- Higher up-front cost than basic metal frame sets
Frequently Asked Questions
How much clear space do I need for the 24×12 Ultra XTR?
Plan for more than the 24x12ft footprint itself. You want walking room on all sides plus a spot for the ladder and the sand filter pump, so a clear area of roughly 30x18ft is a safer target. Measure and rope it off before buying.
Does the ground really have to be level?
Yes, and it’s the most important prep step. With 52 inches of water pressing on the walls, even a small slope can push the pool out of shape or cause it to fail. The included ground cloth protects the liner but does not level anything for you.
What kind of pump comes with it?
It includes the Krystal Clear Sand Filter pump, model #26645EG, with a 6-function control valve. That valve handles filter, backwash, rinse, recirculate, drain, and close. Sand filtration means backwashing instead of constantly buying replacement cartridges.
Do I need tools to put the frame together?
No tools needed for the frame. The galvanized steel components snap together with no locking pins, using the XTR locking system. The time-consuming part is leveling the ground first, not assembling the poles.
Can I add a canopy for shade?
Yes, this bundle is set up to accept the 28054E Protective Canopy for extra sun coverage. It attaches to the pool for shade over the water. Check the current listing to confirm the canopy is included in the specific bundle you’re buying.
What happens if the liner gets punctured?
A repair patch is included in the box for exactly that. The liner is 3-ply puncture-resistant PVC, so it resists everyday wear, but a patch handles the occasional lawn chair leg or claw. Keep the patch somewhere you’ll find it later.
Is it meant to stay up all season or come down often?
It’s built as a season-long setup, not a weekly put-up-and-take-down pool. Between the size, the water volume, and the sand filter plumbing, you’ll want to leave it standing through the swim season and close it properly at the end.
How long is the warranty?
Intex includes a 2-year warranty on the Ultra XTR set. Register and keep your purchase details in case you need to make a claim. The UV-inhibitor T-joints and galvanized steel are the parts aimed at long-term durability.
Will it fit a narrow backyard?
An oval fits a narrow yard better than a round pool of similar volume, since it’s only 12ft across but runs 24ft long. Run it parallel to a fence line and it tucks in where a big round pool couldn’t. You still need buffer room around all edges.
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Get it now
INTEX Ultra XTR 24x12ft Pool
Get the best price on Amazon →This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
About the reviewer
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
