My pool liner developed a leak at the end of the season. It does not make sense to me to replace the liner when I am not going to be using the pool, running the pump and spending that money. The leak was patched but apparently not completely and it is still losing water. I would like to just drain the pool and replace the liner at the beginning of spring. I know that the oval pool needs water or something to help it keep its shape. My question is this, can I just add some wooden braces (i.e. 2 x 6 boards) to help keep it braced until the spring rather than continuing to waste money adding water?
Bracing an oval above ground pool that has no water
- Thread starter StillFaithful
- Start date
Welcome to TFP.
Assuming that it's an aboveground pool. It really depends on how much bracing you're willing to do and where you're located. You can certainly build enough bracing to hold everything in place but it may wind up being cheaper to keep it full of water. If you live where there's a lot of snow you will have to build a pretty good structure to keep the walls from bowing in or out.
Since it's been patched, you know where it's leaking so it may be better to just put a patch over the patch and refill it with water.
Assuming that it's an aboveground pool. It really depends on how much bracing you're willing to do and where you're located. You can certainly build enough bracing to hold everything in place but it may wind up being cheaper to keep it full of water. If you live where there's a lot of snow you will have to build a pretty good structure to keep the walls from bowing in or out.
Since it's been patched, you know where it's leaking so it may be better to just put a patch over the patch and refill it with water.
I live in South Alabama. We have very moderate winters, NO SNOW. The Pool is an above ground. It is only 14 x 28. I was thinking I could put about 4 to 5 braces in the straight part of the pool walls. The oval sides will hold their shape I am assuming. If I fill it with water, I also have to run the pump all fall and winter, and then I will have to drain and refill it in the spring as well, so I would think bracing it would still be much cheaper.
I'd patch it, fill it halfway with water and let it go. It will be ugly in the spring, but you're getting rid of the liner anyway.
Here in South Alabama a few braces across the parallel uprights and rayed out to the curved end uprights should hold it fine. We get a lot of rain, but it's just going to drain out anyway. We won't have enough wind or snow to be concerned with.