Liner replacement in old inground pool

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M

mmcg

0
Jun 11, 2011
17
North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
I have a inground pool that's about 30 years old. When I bought my house the pool was there but was empty, liner torn up very bad and galvanized walls were caving in in some spots. I dug out the spots that were caved in and straightened the walls. A fair amount of the wall panels were rusting through as well. I was able to buy 3' X 8' 16 guage Vinyl covered steel sheets and I used these to screw over the rusted through parts of the walls. I had a guy redo the vermiculate floor and then he put in a new liner, all was good.

Fast forward to this summer. Pool lost all but a few inches in the shallow end over the winter. The liner has shrunk and ripped in spots near the top of the liner and in corners, so, time for a new liner. The problem is that I can see that where the top of the 3' steel sheeting that I relined the original walls with has a gap where it meets the original walls (rusted out sections), which means I'll have to repatch the walls. I've dug down about 2 feet on the one side of the pool to take some of the pressure off the walls so that when I patch the walls again the 2 wall sections will be even.

The thing is that in order to patch the steel walls the liner will have to be out so that I can see what I'm patching. The guy that will replace the liner this time said that the liner has to stay in until they replace the liner because if the liner is removed, it will screw up the vermiculite floor and they'll have to replace the whole pool floor which will cost 1500 dollars.

Also, I want to make sure that all the walls are in good enough condition or can be patched again enough before I have them order a new liner as I don't want to order a new liner only to find out that the walls are too shot to put in a new liner and loose the cost of the liner.

Does anyone have any recommendations on the best way to go about finding out whether the walls are sound enough to replace the liner or whether it's possible to remove the liner without messing up the vermiculite floor so that it has to be redone so that I can check all the walls and patch what needs to be patched?

Thanks in advance for any recommendations,

mmcg
 
Welcome to TFP!!

I can think of 2 choices for you.

#1 - untuck the liner from the bead to let you see the walls and where you need to patch them - then tuck the liner back in.

#2 Cut the liner at the bottom of the panels so that the floor is still protected and do your patching. Some rain, etc, might get under the liner - you can secure it to the walls (where you don't need to patch) with duct tape to help prevent this.

Also, they aren't going to measure the pool for the new liner???!!!??? If they do they'll have to cut into the liner to get exact measurements and that would expose the floor to the same things as cutting it at the bottom of the liner. And while they are doing the measuring, they'll get a good idea of how the floor is holding up and if there are areas that need to be patched.

Keep us informed as to how things are going - I'll be here to assist you with the rehab. :)
 
Thanks Ted, sorry it's taken me a few days to get back as I travel quite a bit for work...

I appreciate the information. The guy I had talked to had mentioned taking the liner out of the coping and putting it back in like you said. I just don't think that I'd be able to get the liner back into the coping...

The second choice that you mention, cutting the liner down at the bottom of the panel sounds like a much better idea and that will be the way to go I think... If the duck tape won't hold it, I'll use self tapping screws and thin wood strips to secure the liner back to the steel walls until the liner is ready to install.

That's also a good thought about them having to cut the liner to measure. I will call the guy that is going to install the liner to ask about them measuring it.

One other question, if you could answer, I'd appreciate it. One pool company that I called about installing the liner, said that he'd have to have 2 to 3 loads of water delivered to set the liner in place which would cost around $800. The second company and guy who actually came out to look at the pool, said that he could do the liner replacement and set the liner with just a garden hose (I asked him specifically if he needed to have water hauled in and he said no). I'd much rather if possible save the money by using the garden hose. So, my question is, do you have to have a great amount of water quickly to set the liner or can it be done slowly with a garden hose and what is the reason of having to put a great amount of water in quickly?

Thanks Again for the information.

Mike
 
do you have to have a great amount of water quickly to set the liner or can it be done slowly with a garden hose and what is the reason of having to put a great amount of water in quickly?
Click to expand...
waste is in his busy season right now (before the snow comes in July up there in Maine :mrgreen: ) but I think I can help a little.

The liner is set tightly to the walls with vacuum. The sooner the pool is full of water, the sooner that vacuum can be released. So I think the difference is a matter of technique from each builder.

I would say this......If you are on a well, you may struggle to keep up with filling the pool and will have a chance of metals in your water.....avoid that if you can.

If your on city water, the only disadvantage of the hose is the time involved
 
Thanks for taking the time to answer, Dave.

I am on city water so the garden hose should work out well for me then. I was unsure from talking to both installers with both ideas about water on which way to go... I'm glad I found this forum and you guys have been great! I will post with how my wall patching goes and whether all works out.

Thanks Again,
Mike
 
Hey Mike :wave:

As Duraliegh pointed out, I'm a little busy right now :) Remind me the dimensions of your pool.

If you have any sort of metals in y0ur fill water, it would probably be less expensive to truck in the water.

Keep us posted and I'll reply when I can :)
 
Hi Ted,

My pool is 18 X 36 inground with what I think is considered the "Old style hopper". Around 8' at the deep end. If I use a garden hose and city water, I shouldn't get any metal when filling, correct? When you say "If you have any sort of metals in y0ur fill water, it would probably be less expensive to truck in the water" do you mean if I would be filling it with well water, not city water? And would it be more expensive because of the chemicals that would be needed to take the metals out of the water?

As has been mentioned, you are very busy, so when you can reply, I appreciate all the information...

Thanks Again,
Mike
 
Hi All,

Just an update and thanks for the previous answers...

I was able to drain the pool. I then cut the liner at the bottom of the walls and I used 1/4" X 8' strips of wood screwed into the walls with self tapping screws to re-attach the bottom of the liner to the walls so that water couldn't get behind the walls and possibly ruin the floor. I was able to patch the walls with strips of 22 guage steel sheeting.

The Liner has been ordered and I've dug down about a foot and a half against one side wall and the shallow end of the pool in order to run a new return line. The liner should be installed by the end of next week. I made a desicion to go with a plastic vertical coping to replace the original coping as it is in bad shape.


Thaniks again for your help in answering my questions.

Mike
 

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