Liner Popping Out

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poolneophyte

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LifeTime Supporter
Jul 1, 2009
275
Long Island, NY
We have had continual trouble with the line popping out of the track since the pool was new. The first couple of seasons, the pool builder fixed these pops and secured them by inserting dimes in the tracks. Since then, I have been able to fix most of them myself and use the same dime trick to keep it in place. This season, we have several other locations that have popped and I am having a lot of trouble getting the liner back in. I'm thinking that the only solution is to re-seat the line and then install a continuous strip of liner lock around the entire pool.

I have connected a garden hose to my domestic hot water system and use a sprayer nozzle to heat the liner but still can't stretch the liner enough to get it back into the track. In addition, this is really hard on my thumbs and have developed severe blisters trying to do this.

Questions:

  1. Is this easier to do with less water in the pool? If so, how low should I drop the level? I hate to waste my perfectly balanced water.
  2. How well does the liner lock work?
  3. Is it easier to reseat the liner from the deck or in the water? I've always had better luck being in the pool.
 
In the pool is probably easier to do. The liner lock should help substantially once you get it installed. I've found it's easier to work in small sections with near-boiling water. No reason to drain the pool to do it. Some installers and repair folks will use a heat gun (hair dryer) to allow the liner to stretch. It works but you have to be more familiar with using it so you don't over-do it on the heat, especially with a more industrial heat gun. Not sure if you want to be in the pool while using a corded heat gun though...
 
The hot tap water that I was using was around 120 degrees F but I could not get enough stretch out of the small piece of liner that was above the waterline. I figured that if the water level was lowered, there would be more exposed liner to heat up thus making stretching easier.
 
Thanks Chrissy. I'm not going to lower the level more than I do when closing the pool so I'm not sure if shrinking will be a concern. In addition, the lowering of the water level will be temporary (hours) whereas it is lowered for months at a time when I close it for winter. I'm really just trying to get some advice if having more liner exposed will make the stretching easier. My gut feeling is that it will be easier.
 
don't you have spaced pieces of liner lock holding it in already?

It's not recommended to have it continuous as that can cause the liner to bunch up later.

You want 5-8 foot pieces with inches of spaces between them at most.

Mine are all about 4-14 inches long with up to 12 inches between, but my liner
was a custom made and "tight fit."

I've heard that it is looser fitting liners that have the most trouble as far
as coming off the track.
 
Coffee maker works well also to get the vinyl supple. You can use high quality duct tape to make a sort of handle to stretch the vinyl into place (just don't punch yourself in the face if it slips). Personally (and I don't have to do it very often) I will just work the bead right at the ends of the pop-out into place--just muscle it in with your thumbs. It isn't fun, but it works.

Liner lock is a good idea--some people just have lousy track which makes it totally necessary. I've never heard of a concern with "bunching". Typically a professional will not install liner lock around the entire perimeter because it isn't really necessary and it is time consuming. In your case though, I would install all the way around. It also looks more finished with a complete perimeter install. Make sure you pound it in well. A light tap with a mallet will do the trick.
 
LinerMfgr said:
I've never heard of a concern with "bunching". Typically a professional will not install liner lock around the entire perimeter because it isn't really necessary and it is time consuming. In your case though, I would install all the way around. It also looks more finished with a complete perimeter install. Make sure you pound it in well. A light tap with a mallet will do the trick.
Click to expand...


Interesting, I had read the bunching part when I searched this forum for liner lock topics. I had in mind to close all the gaps/replace the
pieces I had with much longer ones all the way around, but now I won't do that.

But a few folks said they ended with bunched up sections of their liner later on.

My liner lock peices are very concentrated in what the installer told me were the very tight areas, especially in the shallow
corner where the liner was stretched considerably (but still under warranty when the mfg saw the photos as I filled it)
 
My liner lock goes all the way around my 33' round pool without any problems. I do not have any problems with it.

I do not know if having more liner exposed will work BUT I do like the idea of being able to heat more of the liner up. It does seem as if you would get more stretch. I have nothing to go on but my gut so.....

Kim:cat:
 

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This weekend I worked on getting the multiple liner pops back into the track. Joel mentioned in one of the posts above to use "near boiling water" and that is the trick that I needed. The liner was much more stretchy than when I used 12o degree water from the faucet. I was able to get all sections back in place and used dimes to hold it in place. Had my daughter count how many dimes were installed and she reported back with 37.

I'm still considering a continuous bead of liner lock around the whole pool. I think it will look better than long pieces with gaps every so often as recommended above. My big concern is if I will be able to get the liner lock into place around the entire perimeter. I have areas where the track is somewhat pinched closed and other areas where it is filled with concrete from the masonry work.

Right now, it's holding in place and I'll wait and see what happens.
 
poolneophyte said:
This weekend I worked on getting the multiple liner pops back into the track. Joel mentioned in one of the posts above to use "near boiling water" and that is the trick that I needed. The liner was much more stretchy than when I used 12o degree water from the faucet. I was able to get all sections back in place and used dimes to hold it in place. Had my daughter count how many dimes were installed and she reported back with 37.

I'm still considering a continuous bead of liner lock around the whole pool. I think it will look better than long pieces with gaps every so often as recommended above. My big concern is if I will be able to get the liner lock into place around the entire perimeter. I have areas where the track is somewhat pinched closed and other areas where it is filled with concrete from the masonry work.

Right now, it's holding in place and I'll wait and see what happens.
Click to expand...

Do you know of any videos that demonstrate the technique you used with the dimes? I have a number of place where I will need to pop the liner back once everything else is in order. Thanks!
 
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