AGP Expandable Liner Construction

[TomU]

Hi all.

I will be installing a new liner on a 27' round above ground pool. I have not decided whether to use an expandable liner, or a standard beaded liner. I'm thinking about digging down the floor and using an expandable liner to give the pool a deep end. My question is, how are the expandable liners constructed? Do they have extra material that simply follows the shape of the deep end (and therefore causes wrinkling on the floor), or do they actually stretch like a balloon to the shape of the deep end? If they stretch, then why couldn't a standard liner be used? Is the material for beaded liners actually different material than what expandable liners are made out of? If there simply is extra material available to pull into the deep end, and no expansion is occurring, then why are they called expandable? Most of the expandable liners seem to be 20 mil. The less expensive beaded and overlap liners are 20 mil, but the better ones seem to be 25 mil. I find it interesting that the expandable liners never seem to be made out of the thicker material. If the expandable liners are designed to actually stretch and expand to the shape of a deep end, is there a specific shape that they are constructed to best support? Would they support a gentle concave shape that started from the walls of the pool and was deepest in the center as well as they would support a deep end that started in the middle of the pool and "dropped off" to the 3/4 point of one end? Confused yet? Thanks!

Tom

 

[NWMNMom]

This is a really good question Tom. This one I will research for you. Our pool was intened to be a deep end pool but due to high water tables, we had to opt for the normal build.

Let me get back to you on this. (sorry for the delay in addressing your question)


EDIT: Ok, checked it out. Technically, all liners "expand" and the overlaps are more so able to provide this function as there is the additional material available for variance. The liners designated as "expandable" are in fact an overlap liner with additional material in one end for ovals or centered for round (thus the wrinkle factor) but are made to stretch, just as most of the liners do. So its a combination of the stretch and the additional material. If you do not intend to go extremly deep (up to the full 72") others have dished out portions of their pool and stretched the regular overlap into the pool without the use of the expandable liners. Matt4x4 as an example. He has a large 30' round pool which he dished out. My thoughts would be to shop around though and find one in the 25gauge rather than 20 if you can.

On a side note, the liners available in the expandable versions are woefully plain-Jane though. After extensive searching, I have seen only the regular blue and the blue swirl bottom versions. I myself really like a fancier liner design (Tuscan Tile in J Hook is my current model) - it adds an additional touch of class to the AGP.