Contractors often use sand to backfill swimming pools, but in certain conditions, it can cause issues such as wall bulges if it gets too wet. If you have soil that retains a lot of water, you might want to consider gravel or another alternative for backfilling. If you want to use sand around your pool for decoration, just keep in mind that adding sand to your soil can make it uninhabitable for some plants. It can also get messy inside the pool and out. Unless you really have your heart set on a beach-like pool setting, using sand probably isn’t worth the trouble.