ACON assembly
Sinking an ACON into the ground is not an assembly job. It is an excavation.
A pit, drainage, and a retaining wall. ACON say so themselves, they strongly recommend professional help, and they publish a guide specifically for you to hand to your contractor.
Above ground is easy. In ground is a different project entirely.
Let us be straight about the assembly, because ACON are. A round model goes together in about two to three hours if you are organised. A big rectangular HD, with more springs and a heavier frame, takes four to five. The instructions are good, the videos are good, and a spring pull tool comes in the box. Most people can do this in an afternoon.
In-ground is not that. It means digging a pit, managing water drainage, and building a retaining wall so the sides do not collapse into it. ACON put it plainly: professional assistance is usually required. And more than that, they strongly recommend finding a local installation service with previous experience of in-ground trampolines, and they publish an in-ground guide specifically so you can share it with the contractor you choose.
That is the manufacturer telling you to hire somebody local. We are not going to improve on that sentence.
What it actually takes
From ACON’s own guidance and assembly write-ups.
| Model | Time | People |
|---|---|---|
| Round models (Air 14ft, 15ft)If you are handy and organized. Longer solo. | 2 to 3 hours | 1 to 2 |
| Rectangular HD modelsMore springs, bulkier frame. | 4 to 5 hours | 2 |
| The springs themselvesA 14ft round has 96. A 15ft has 110. Use the tool. | the tedious bit | 1 to 2 |
| In-ground: the pitExcavation, drainage, retaining wall. Not a weekend. | a project | a contractor |
| Moving oneA 13 HD with net, ladder and anchors weighs about 454 lbs. | plan it | 3+ |
ACON do offer their own assembly service. It is worth checking, because availability depends on where you are, and plenty of people find it does not reach them.
What to know before you dig
The 13 HD warranty does not cover in-ground use. At all.
This is the most expensive thing on this page. ACON state that the 13 HD trampoline warranty does not cover any type of in-ground use. Customers do it anyway, and ACON acknowledge that several have done so with good results. But you are doing it with no warranty on a premium trampoline, and that is a decision you should be making knowingly rather than discovering afterwards. Check the terms for your exact model before anybody breaks ground.
In-ground makes it bounce less
Counterintuitive, and ACON are honest about it: sinking a trampoline reduces bounce performance, because the air under the mat has nowhere to go. You can mitigate it with vent tubes or by leaving gaps between the trampoline and the edge of the pit, and ACON sell a Performance Mat designed to cut air resistance, which they strongly recommend for in-ground installs. If bounce is your priority, they suggest reconsidering sinking it at all. That is a manufacturer talking you out of an upsell.
Drainage is the thing that ruins in-ground trampolines
A pit is a hole, and holes fill with water. Every backyard is different in its soil type, slope, and how well it drains, and that is exactly why ACON want somebody who has done one before. Get the drainage wrong and you own a pond with a mat over it.
The springs, and the cross pattern
Ninety-six springs on a 14ft round, a hundred and ten on a 15ft. They go on with the supplied pull tool, and the technique that makes it bearable is to work in a CROSS pattern rather than around the circle, so the mat tension stays even and the last few springs are not fighting you. Same principle as tightening wheel nuts.
Space, and three feet of it all round
ACON ask for three feet of clear space in every direction. That means a 14ft trampoline actually needs about 20 feet of yard. Measure before you buy, not after it arrives.
Before you commit
Decide above-ground or in-ground with your eyes open. In-ground looks better, is easier for small children to get on and off, and handles wind better. It also costs more, bounces less, is harder to service later because the parts are below grade, and on some models it voids your warranty.
If you are going in-ground, download ACON’s guidelines and give them to whoever is doing the work. ACON built that document for exactly this purpose.
Check whether ACON’s own assembly service reaches you. If it does not, that is what a local installer is for.
What an installer is for here
Not the above-ground build, necessarily. Two or three hours, good instructions, a tool in the box. If you want to do it, do it.
The in-ground job is the one. Excavation, drainage, a retaining wall, ventilation so it still bounces, and a frame that sits perfectly level in the hole. ACON recommend a professional for it in their own words, and they mean somebody who has done one before rather than a general landscaper learning on yours.
And moving one. A 13 HD weighs around 454 pounds fully kitted out.
What an installer does
- Talks through in-ground versus above-ground, including the warranty implications on your specific model.
- Excavates the pit, builds the retaining wall, and gets the drainage right, which is what actually fails.
- Ventilates the pit so the trampoline still bounces properly.
- Assembles the frame square and the mat evenly, working the springs in a cross pattern with the pull tool.
- Sets the frame dead level in the ground.
- Fits the enclosure and the padding, anchors an above-ground unit, and clears the site.
Get it built by someone who has built one before.
Tell us your ZIP and what you bought. Installers near you will quote you directly, and you deal with them, not with us.
Questions people ask
How long does an ACON trampoline take to assemble?
Two to three hours for a round model if you are reasonably handy, and four to five for a large rectangular HD. The instructions and videos are good and a spring pull tool is included. Above-ground assembly is genuinely manageable.
Can I install an ACON in the ground?
Yes, and any of their backyard models can go in-ground. But it means excavating a pit, managing drainage, and building a retaining wall, and ACON strongly recommend using a professional with previous in-ground experience. They publish a guide specifically for you to give to your contractor.
Does in-ground installation affect the warranty?
On some models, yes, and significantly. ACON state that the 13 HD warranty does not cover any type of in-ground use. People do it anyway and report good results, but check the terms for your exact model before anyone starts digging.
Does an in-ground trampoline bounce as well?
No, and ACON say so. Sinking it increases air resistance under the mat. Vent tubes or gaps around the edge of the pit help, and ACON sell a Performance Mat designed to reduce air resistance which they recommend for in-ground installs. If bounce is your priority, they suggest thinking twice about going in-ground.
How much space does it need?
ACON ask for three feet of clearance in every direction, so a 14ft trampoline wants roughly 20 feet of yard. That is a measurement worth taking before you order.
Installers.org is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ACON or Distributacon Inc. ACON is a trademark of its owner, referred to here only to describe the assembly and installation services that independent installers on this directory provide.