Well, I have spent the last two weeks opening my pool and getting everything just right! Water balance is PERFECT!! Only took six days, 25 jugs of bleach and several hours of vacuuming, but we are ready to swim. I just went to look at my beautiful masterpiece and noticed most of the water is GONE :grrrr: My liner has torn :grrrr: There isn't enough :grrrr:'s to explain how I feel. It already had a couple patches so, I need a new liner. Can everyone pretty please educate me on what to look for, what to buy, what not to buy? I purchased my pool used three years ago, so I'm basically starting from scratch. My pool is 24' round.
need new liner.
- Thread starter 8corneflakes
- Start date
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
oh boy I feel for you! I am going through the new liner install myself. Do you have an overlap, beaded or Jhook/unibead liner? Just look for a merchant that has your type of liner in your size with the pattern you like at the best price. If purchasing online (better prices, usually free shipping) be prepared to find a merchant that has good reviews, ratings and/or is listed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) - otherwise if you are going to have someone install it for you, check around for an installer that has good reviews in your area. Perhaps check Angie's List to see who has the best reviews. I got my liner from PCPools - best all around price including shipping/handling/taxes, etc but perhaps you may find one at a better price - shop around! Good luck.
I have a beaded liner I think. It has a plastic type lip at the edge of the liner. I am seeing where some companies are talking about mil. Is there a minimum thickness I need to go with?
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
some say mil and some say gauge. The 15 (hardly see those anymore) are the old thin liners, 20 and 25 are kind of standard. I just ordered my new one in 25. Usually the 25 will have a longer warranty on it.
oh boy, I just measured my pool and it measures bigger than a 24, but not quite a 27. What the heck? Now what do I do?
Sorry to hear you have to get a new liner 
Measure the pool from different points across, when the tape measure 'maxes out', you've got the true diameter of the pool (I don't think I said this well enough, if you need me to try to clarify, let me know)
You'll end up getting a stock liner, so be sure that the cove at the bottom of the wall is measured correctly and 'bowling' the floor a little helps the liner fit in better, if you had an 'overlap' liner, it wouldn't be quite the issue, but is still a good idea
Again, should you find yourself needing a little more help, simply ask
Measure the pool from different points across, when the tape measure 'maxes out', you've got the true diameter of the pool (I don't think I said this well enough, if you need me to try to clarify, let me know)
You'll end up getting a stock liner, so be sure that the cove at the bottom of the wall is measured correctly and 'bowling' the floor a little helps the liner fit in better, if you had an 'overlap' liner, it wouldn't be quite the issue, but is still a good idea
Again, should you find yourself needing a little more help, simply ask
I looked at the top rails and underneath each one is printed a huge number 24. It is a vogue pool and my local pool store seems to think it is a 24 also. What does 'bowling' the liner mean? We put the pool up ourselves (with the help of neighbors) a little over three years ago and I remember it being a big fat pain in the butt. Does anyone have any secret foolproof way to put in the liner, or advice for the big day? I will also check this website for a help link. Thanks so much for taking the time to help! I LOVE TFP!
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
If you plan to do your own install and have an overlap liner there was reported to be an almost "foolproof" method that involves placing the liner across the top of the pool framework and adding water until it is just to the edges, then lowering it all the way into the pool to settle, securing and continuing to fill. I have heard where this was used with beaded liners as well, however they said there was less guarantee of it being quite as neatly stretched or wrinklefree. None of these methods would be guaranteed obviously since there are so many variables with a pool build/setup and having additional help is always best.
I just replaced/installed an 18' x 33' oval unibead liner myself - something I would NOT recommend since it was the biggest pain in the drain ever to get in correctly and took so much longer than if I had a few extra hands to help.
I just replaced/installed an 18' x 33' oval unibead liner myself - something I would NOT recommend since it was the biggest pain in the drain ever to get in correctly and took so much longer than if I had a few extra hands to help.
8corneflakes said:
Beware of liars and deceivers. If you find someone talking about the "gauge" thickness of vinyl, just run away and find someone who refers to the thickness of vinyl in mils (thousands of an inch). There is no regulation on the term "gauge" when it refers to vinyl thickness, so they can state whatever thickness they want.
Another frequently overlooked aspect to above ground liners is whether the material is embossed or not. An embossed 20 mil liner is 20 mils thick at the peaks and less at the valleys (not sure the exact dimensions but could guess 15 mils). The vinyl is only as strong as it's weakest part--the valleys. Your better off getting a 16 mil non-embossed liner then a 20 mil liner with 15 mil valleys for example.
I wanted a 25 mil liner, but could not find one for my pool size. It seemed they were only available for inground poools. As for brands, my installer told me that when it comes to 20 mil beaded liners, they are all pretty much the same quality, as a matter of fact, they are all made at the same place and sold to different manufacturers (according to him) . You will notice that different manufacturers have the same patterns (but different names for them). Proof in point, we just bought a brand new GLI liner from National Pool Wholesalers. I called GLI to ask about their quality compared to Swimline, a more expensive line with which I was more familiar. GLI told me that they are comparable and that the President of Swimline is on their board of directors. Well, low and behold, the GLI liner had a Swimline warranty card enclosed, so I guess it was really a Swimline. Go figure. I think they are all in bed together.
As for the embossed liners, I read that too, but i have never seen a liner advertized as embossed.
As for the embossed liners, I read that too, but i have never seen a liner advertized as embossed.
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
My new liner is a "Rolling Rock" design heavy duty unit - really could tell it was heavier than my last one - I got it from PCPools at a pretty darned fair price and in about two days after the order was processed
Great thread with excellent advice!
By 'bowling' , I mean to have the floor be a little (~ 1") lower in the center than at the bottom of the wall (slightly cupped might be a better way to phrase it).
I'm here, most every day, to assist with your pool
By 'bowling' , I mean to have the floor be a little (~ 1") lower in the center than at the bottom of the wall (slightly cupped might be a better way to phrase it).
I'm here, most every day, to assist with your pool
I ended up buying one from a local pool store, then hired a guy to install it because my husband was out of town. They had us up and running in an hour and a half, then the water guy came and filled us up. The old liner came out at noon, and we were swimming again at 5 pm. All six kids were captivated for five straight hours while I sat back with a couple glasses of wine. Not a bad day at the pool afterall!! Thanks for all the great advice! I have my own advice in case anyone cares. The demise of my old liner was because I put an automatic pool cleaner in to clean the pool overnight. It got caught on the ladder, flipped upside down and vibrated two holes in the bottom of the pool. I went back to read the directions and it says to NEVER use it on an older or less than perfect brand new liner. I ended up selling it. Manual labor is good for me anyway!!
