cutting round skimmer hole to use Hayward skimmer

[seadooxp30]

Hi everyone,
I have round openning for the skimmer that came with Summer Wave pool. I want to replace that with Hayward skimmer that is wide mouth.
Can I cut the liner to install new skimmer?

 

[Teald024]

Hello and Welcome to TFP!!

simple answer is yes you can cut the liner to add the skimmer. The skimmer does need to be positioned so that the water is about halfway up the skimmer opening. Many members have done this. Most install the skimmer and then cut out the square hole. You should be able to fine some pics from others that have done this. Use the white search box on the upper right of each page and use "intex skimmer" or something similar.
The round hole, if below water level, isn't used or it can become a second return.

Edit: to add links

try these
skimmer
skimmer

 

[zea3]

Yes. First make sure the new opening is going to be bigger than the current opening. You may need to patch the current skimmer opening if it is taller than the Hayward opening.

 

[mwfaith1971]

I did my Summer Waves and the square Hayward skimmer is just the right size so you don't need to patch.

 

[seadooxp30]

Hello and Welcome to TFP!!

simple answer is yes you can cut the liner to add the skimmer. The skimmer does need to be positioned so that the water is about halfway up the skimmer opening. Many members have done this. Most install the skimmer and then cut out the square hole. You should be able to fine some pics from others that have done this. Use the white search box on the upper right of each page and use "intex skimmer" or something similar.
The round hole, if below water level, isn't used or it can become a second return.

Edit: to add links

try these
skimmer
skimmer

Thank you for your input and links

- - - Updated - - -

I did my Summer Waves and the square Hayward skimmer is just the right size so you don't need to patch.

Do you happen to have pictures ? I want to use my exsisting round openning and cut it into sq for Hayward

 

[Macboy]

I didn't take pictures but if you look through my threads (there aren't many so it should be easy to find) you can see the advice I followed. I did mine during a monsoon couple of days so I didn't feel bad drawing the pool down to the point where I was going to cut. Mine came with the butterfly gasket and I chose to cut the hole so that I could use it. I had seen some threads suggesting to "un butterfly" the gasket. Didn't make sense to me to do that. I positioned things without the gasket, screwed the screws through the liner into the skimmer body and then marked the hole to be cut. Use a fresh, sharp knife so you cut clean and straight and cut just outside of this line to accommodate for the butterfly gasket thickness. You don't need to be perfectly perfect but try to be close. My hole was a little snug once done but it all went together without any leaks (after methodically tightening the screws little by little as I installed it). One little leak but a bit of snugging on the screws and it stopped.

It was nerve wracking to cut the liner but worked. And when it came time to cut the bigger return in when we got our new pump I confidently had my eight year old daughter hold the bowl inside the pool while I worked ; )

 

[mwfaith1971]

Do you happen to have pictures ? I want to use my exsisting round openning and cut it into sq for Hayward

No I don't I'm sorry. All I did was fill the pool to just below the skimmer level, then "dry" install the Hayward skimmer using 4 of the screws. Then I used the skimmer itself as the template and cut where the liner was showing. It's really very easy...the hardest part was making the holes for the screws.

 

[seadooxp30]

No I don't I'm sorry. All I did was fill the pool to just below the skimmer level, then "dry" install the Hayward skimmer using 4 of the screws. Then I used the skimmer itself as the template and cut where the liner was showing. It's really very easy...the hardest part was making the holes for the screws.

Thanks again for your reply.
Did you had round opening on your summer wave? I have round one that I'm going to cut into square ...

- - - Updated - - -

I didn't take pictures but if you look through my threads (there aren't many so it should be easy to find) you can see the advice I followed. I did mine during a monsoon couple of days so I didn't feel bad drawing the pool down to the point where I was going to cut. Mine came with the butterfly gasket and I chose to cut the hole so that I could use it. I had seen some threads suggesting to "un butterfly" the gasket. Didn't make sense to me to do that. I positioned things without the gasket, screwed the screws through the liner into the skimmer body and then marked the hole to be cut. Use a fresh, sharp knife so you cut clean and straight and cut just outside of this line to accommodate for the butterfly gasket thickness. You don't need to be perfectly perfect but try to be close. My hole was a little snug once done but it all went together without any leaks (after methodically tightening the screws little by little as I installed it). One little leak but a bit of snugging on the screws and it stopped.

It was nerve wracking to cut the liner but worked. And when it came time to cut the bigger return in when we got our new pump I confidently had my eight year old daughter hold the bowl inside the pool while I worked ; )

Thank you...
I'm just little nervous cutting the liner
I take my time

 

[mwfaith1971]

Thanks again for your reply.
Did you had round opening on your summer wave? I have round one that I'm going to cut into square ...

Yes I did and I also cut it into a square. You'll mostly be cutting the corners out as the hole is pretty much the right size across and up and down.

 

[seadooxp30]

Yes I did and I also cut it into a square. You'll mostly be cutting the corners out as the hole is pretty much the right size across and up and down.

perfect....
not sure if you are using soft pipe or hard PVC. Did you setup some sort of stand to hold the skimmer up? Or you are using PVC pipe which will hold it up.

 

[mwfaith1971]

I did a partial hard pipe and there hasn't been an issue with it. The return line I put a piece of PVC behind it just to straighten it out a bit because the water was blowing along the surface rather than down into the pool.