How Many Gallons in a 28 ft Round Pool?
A 28 ft round pool with a 52 in wall holds about 17,000 gallons at a normal 90% fill line, not 25,000. We could not find an Intex, Bestway or Coleman 28 ft round model with a factory capacity, so the numbers here come from geometry and our frame-pool correction.
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On this page (8 sections)
Many searches for this size end up on pages that list a number far too high. The reason is simple: 28 ft is a big pool, and volume grows with the square of the diameter, so people expect a bigger figure than the pool actually holds. The data block below shows the real range.
Quick answer: 28 ft round pool gallons by wall height
The data block lists 48, 52 and 54 in walls at 90% fill, in gallons and liters. Use the plain geometry column for a pool that is filled to the line you measure, and the frame-pool column (our 0.93 correction) when you do not know your exact fill level. At 52 in, geometry gives 17,964 gallons and the frame estimate gives 16,706.
| Wall height | Geometry | Frame pool estimate (× 0.93) | Inflatable estimate (× 0.87) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 in wall | 14,509 gal54,924 L | 13,494 gal | 12,623 gal |
| 48 in wall | 16,582 gal62,770 L | 15,421 gal | 14,426 gal |
| 52 in wall | 17,964 gal68,001 L | 16,706 gal | 15,629 gal |
| 54 in wall | 18,655 gal70,616 L | 17,349 gal | 16,230 gal |
Geometry = π/4 × diameter² × water depth × 7.48. Real pools hold less than the nominal size suggests. The factors are medians of 26 manufacturer capacities (our own calculation).
| Change | Amount |
|---|---|
| +1 ppm FC (12.5% liquid chlorine) | 16 fl oz467 mL |
| +10 ppm TA (baking soda) | 2.15 lb980 g |
| +10 ppm CYA (stabilizer) | 1.3 lb584 g |
Closest full chart: 15,000 gal dose chart.
Why we have no factory capacity for this size
The big retail ranges stop short of 28 ft. Intex's current Ultra XTR Frame round list on its website runs from 14 ft to 24 ft. For Bestway and Coleman, we found 22 ft but not 28 ft in the data we checked. Larger round pools exist as hard-sided and custom pools, and they are sold by dealers who quote a size and a volume for each pool. If you have one, your dealer's sheet or your manual is the best source. We could not confirm a capacity for any 28 ft model from a manufacturer's page, so we do not list one.
For comparison, our nearest pages with confirmed or estimated numbers are the 27 ft round pool and the 30 ft round pool. If you only know the size is "about 28 ft", the table in the data block is a fair bracket.
Is a 28 ft pool 25,000 gallons?
Not at a normal wall height. The area of a 28 ft circle is about 616 square feet. To hold 25,000 gallons, which is about 3,342 cubic feet, the water would need to be about 5.4 ft (65 in) deep. Above-ground walls in the data block stop at 54 in, and the water line sits below the wall. A number around 25,000 does match a much deeper pool, such as an inground pool with a deep end. Check which kind you have before you use a chart.
Calculator: your exact depth
Enter 28 ft, then the wall height and fill level. Because the diameter is large, a 1 in change in water depth moves the volume by about 380 gallons, so a measured depth is worth more here than anywhere else on our size pages.
Doses at this volume
The closest full chart is the 15,000 gallon dose sheet. A 28 × 52 pool at 16,706 gallons is about 11% above it, and at 17,964 gallons, about 20% above. Scale every amount up before you pour, or read the starting doses in the data block, which use the exact volume. Always follow the product label.
Large pools make chemical cost visible. Liquid chlorine, stabilizer and acid are bought by the gallon or by the bucket, and the weekly use for 17,000 gallons is much higher than for a 10,000 gallon pool. Price it with your own readings in the chemical cost calculator. If you are weighing a salt system, the pool salt calculator shows the salt bags for your volume.
Weight and ground
At 8.34 lb per gallon, 16,706 gallons weighs about 139,000 lb, roughly 70 tons. Frame and wall pools this big need a level, compacted base and a pool maker's wall support. Follow your manual's site steps, and ask the installer if you are unsure. Do not guess about ground bearing.
Safety. Add liquid chlorine in front of a return jet with the pump on. Add acid at a different time. Measure in clean, dry, labeled containers. Never mix chlorine with acid or with another chlorine product. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222. Always follow the product label. It is a violation of federal law to use a pesticide product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.
FAQ
How many gallons is a 28 ft round pool?
About 17,000 gallons with a 52 in wall at 90% fill: 16,706 by our frame estimate and 17,964 by plain geometry. Other wall heights are in the table above.
How many gallons is a 28 ft round pool at 48 in?
Between 15,421 (frame estimate) and 16,582 gallons (geometry) at 90% fill.
Is there a 28 ft Intex or Bestway pool?
We could not confirm one. Intex's current Ultra XTR round list on its website ends at 24 ft.
Which dose sheet is closest?
The 15,000 gallon sheet is nearest, but the pool is larger. Scale up by about 11% to 20% depending on the volume you use, or read the doses in the data block.
Sources
- Intex Ultra XTR Frame round pools (14 to 24 ft list), read 2026-10-06: intexcorp.com
- Volume formulas, correction factors, and dose math: methodology