Anybody have any luck with "Saran wrapping" their pool?

[VinnyinNJ]

I have use that plastic wrap in the past with little success. I tried it 2 times many years ago and it just didn't work! Although it seems to work very well wrapping my pool ladder in the tarp.

In the past I've used the pool plastic wrap but I purchase 18 inch wide food storage wrap last year to give it a try. I didn't do it last year (did do the ladder) but tried it this year and failed miserably again. I know there can be a difference between pool plastic wrap and food plastic wrap but it was cheap enough and does seem to last the winter on my ladder. I put the food plastic wrap onto the pool this year and the first wave of wind took it out!

All I'm trying to do is "seal" the winter cover on the outer perimeter on the pool to keep the billowing of the cover under control like the pool stuff claims it can do. I saw a couple of threads on here but didn't see how to do it (other than wrapping it which we did) and how successful it was to keep all winter. Anyone have any luck with it? If yes, how did you do it?

Thanks!

 

[Newdude]

I know there can be a difference between pool plastic wrap and food plastic wrap

Pretty sure the only difference on any of them, like pallet wrap, is the thickness. With enough tight wraps it's all the same in the end.

Any home center has many pallets out back wrapped fine for months and IMO your pool is just a big pallet.

Did you go buck wild with laps around ? Only one wide or did you go lower too ?

Hopefully we get some more experiences from others.

 

[ajw22]

I see boats that are shrink wrapped for the winter. My understanding is they use a heat gun to shrink the wrap around the boat.

 

[Newdude]

My understanding is they use a heat gun to shrink the wrap around the boat.

They do, but it's a different material that's thicker, almost like plastic sheeting. I don't know if heat would help but usually pallet type wrap is just pulled tight to compress it.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

Pretty sure the only difference on any of them, like pallet wrap, is the thickness. With enough tight wraps it's all the same in the end.

Any home center has many pallets out back wrapped fine for months and IMO your pool is just a big pallet.

Did you go buck wild with laps around ? Only one wide or did you go lower too ?

Hopefully we get some more experiences from others.

I did NOT go buck wild with wraps! I did 2 wraps on the pool wall and 1 wrap on the rail. Something I did notice is the plastic wrap kind of ripped if I went too heavy on the pressure; it happened twice when we did the ladder. I was thinking that we should have put more layers originally but we didn't. I got the 18 inch wide wrap so that it was wide enough for the rails.

I started putting 3/4 filled milk containers onto the cover but we had strong winds, didn't have enough and Mother Nature just laughed at me!

 

[Newdude]

I was thinking that we should have put more layers originally but we didn't.

I'd buy the 2 pack of seran wrap at BJs/Costco and use them both. It still might not work, but it wouldn't be for being stingy with it.

I'd also get several wraps on it before pulling it tight. Then I'd do tight circles until I puked.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

I'd also get several wraps on it before pulling it tight. Then I'd do tight circles until I puked.

I was getting dizzy with what we did!!!

 

[CT-Steven]

Home Depot or a company that provides moving materials. I have used palette wrap now for 4 years. Intex however is different in my opinion. Soft sided pool I do not want jugs blowing up against and rubbing the liner, there is no real way to secure it to the pool (rectangle is more difficult). I can wrap down further and protect more of the pools structure.

 

[johnnydot]

I have use that plastic wrap in the past with little success. I tried it 2 times many years ago and it just didn't work! Although it seems to work very well wrapping my pool ladder in the tarp.

In the past I've used the pool plastic wrap but I purchase 18 inch wide food storage wrap last year to give it a try. I didn't do it last year (did do the ladder) but tried it this year and failed miserably again. I know there can be a difference between pool plastic wrap and food plastic wrap but it was cheap enough and does seem to last the winter on my ladder. I put the food plastic wrap onto the pool this year and the first wave of wind took it out!

All I'm trying to do is "seal" the winter cover on the outer perimeter on the pool to keep the billowing of the cover under control like the pool stuff claims it can do. I saw a couple of threads on here but didn't see how to do it (other than wrapping it which we did) and how successful it was to keep all winter. Anyone have any luck with it? If yes, how did you do it?

Thanks!

Quite honestly, I don't know why you are making life difficult for yourself. I have had an above ground pool for over 50 years. First one was an 18 foot round pool that came with the house, second one was a 33x18 48", had it 30 years and if finally self destructed after one nasty Long Island NY winter. present one is 33x18 x 52". The only thing I do is have a good heavy duty pillow that I center in the middle by using ropes and a good solid cover that overlaps all sides by 2 ft. Sure, on some windy days when there is no rain water on the cover it billows, but as long as you have it cabled tightly, it is ok. Once the winter sets in and freezes the rain/snow on the cover, you are good.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

Quite honestly, I don't know why you are making life difficult for yourself. I have had an above ground pool for over 50 years. First one was an 18 foot round pool that came with the house, second one was a 33x18 48", had it 30 years and if finally self destructed after one nasty Long Island NY winter. present one is 33x18 x 52". The only thing I do is have a good heavy duty pillow that I center in the middle by using ropes and a good solid cover that overlaps all sides by 2 ft. Sure, on some windy days when there is no rain water on the cover it billows, but as long as you have it cabled tightly, it is ok. Once the winter sets in and freezes the rain/snow on the cover, you are good.

Life's not difficult and I'd figure I'd try something new, I happened to be at BJs, saw the stuff a couple of years ago and said let's give this a try. We never used it for the pool but have used it for wrapping the tarp on the ladder. I've owned a pool now for 22 years and been through 21 years of NJ winters; we had a cover get ripped apart last winter so thought why not try. Usually by this time of year my pool cover has water on it but if you're still in L.I. then you know how dry it's been ... even the water that was on my cover evaporated off of it!

 

[johnnydot]

Life's not difficult and I'd figure I'd try something new, I happened to be at BJs, saw the stuff a couple of years ago and said let's give this a try. We never used it for the pool but have used it for wrapping the tarp on the ladder. I've owned a pool now for 22 years and been through 21 years of NJ winters; we had a cover get ripped apart last winter so thought why not try. Usually by this time of year my pool cover has water on it but if you're still in L.I. then you know how dry it's been ... even the water that was on my cover evaporated off of it!

I have never had a cover rip, and we get some pretty nasty noreasters here on Long Island. I used to buy a good quality cover and use it for multiple years , taking it off every spring and power washing it , letting it dry and humping it up to the storage area in the attic over the garage. Believe me, no easy job with a total size cover of 37x22 ! Of course I was younger and a lot stronger then. Now I buy a medium quality cover for $90-100, use it once and chuck it. At 76 years of age, it is worth the money by not having to deal with it after pool opening.

 

[phonedave]

Quite honestly, I don't know why you are making life difficult for yourself. I have had an above ground pool for over 50 years. First one was an 18 foot round pool that came with the house, second one was a 33x18 48", had it 30 years and if finally self destructed after one nasty Long Island NY winter. present one is 33x18 x 52". The only thing I do is have a good heavy duty pillow that I center in the middle by using ropes and a good solid cover that overlaps all sides by 2 ft. Sure, on some windy days when there is no rain water on the cover it billows, but as long as you have it cabled tightly, it is ok. Once the winter sets in and freezes the rain/snow on the cover, you are good.

That part in red is the key, I believe. I have a 27' round, which I believe is the pool nobody in the industry wants to accommodate. Sure, you can get 27' liners (you have to, they have to fit exactly). But winter covers, leaf nets, and solar covers? Yeah, go get a 28' one.

Well, on a 27' pool, having a 28' cover makes it really easy to get it locked down. I have never used jugs, wrap, weights, cover clips, or any other do-dads. Just the cable that comes with the cover, and a big pillow (held in place with rope). Sure, it billows in the wind until it gets a some water on it, but I have never had it come off or cause problems.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

That part in red is the key, I believe. I have a 27' round, which I believe is the pool nobody in the industry wants to accommodate. Sure, you can get 27' liners (you have to, they have to fit exactly). But winter covers, leaf nets, and solar covers? Yeah, go get a 28' one.

Well, on a 27' pool, having a 28' cover makes it really easy to get it locked down. I have never used jugs, wrap, weights, cover clips, or any other do-dads. Just the cable that comes with the cover, and a big pillow (held in place with rope). Sure, it billows in the wind until it gets a some water on it, but I have never had it come off or cause problems.

Since you're in NJ you know we have had zero rain. It could be the covers that I buy used to be cut with 2 foot overhangs but may just be advertised that they do today. I've never had an issue like last year where there were gaping holes in the cover this spring and this year with no water on the cover the wind is just billowing the cover. My backyard gets a wicked wind at times but usually in the winter never really in the fall. I had tried the pool version of the wrap years ago without any success and do use the wrap on my ladder cover with great success and thought I'd try it again on the pool which was a complete failure. I did get a few more jugs and repositioned them on the cover and they worked somewhat yesterday as I need a few more. Any water I did have since we put the cover on did evaporate quickly with the wind and low humidity. I just thought I'd ask here in case someone has/does use it and can give pointers. I may just put the hose on top of the cover, put a couple of inches in once the leaves are done falling and call it a day.

 

[phonedave]

Since you're in NJ you know we have had zero rain. It could be the covers that I buy used to be cut with 2 foot overhangs but may just be advertised that they do today. I've never had an issue like last year where there were gaping holes in the cover this spring and this year with no water on the cover the wind is just billowing the cover. My backyard gets a wicked wind at times but usually in the winter never really in the fall. I had tried the pool version of the wrap years ago without any success and do use the wrap on my ladder cover with great success and thought I'd try it again on the pool which was a complete failure. I did get a few more jugs and repositioned them on the cover and they worked somewhat yesterday as I need a few more. Any water I did have since we put the cover on did evaporate quickly with the wind and low humidity. I just thought I'd ask here in case someone has/does use it and can give pointers. I may just put the hose on top of the cover, put a couple of inches in once the leaves are done falling and call it a day.

Mine billows all over the place as well, but it does not come loose.

It is going to billow no matter how well you seal around the edge. Some of the billowing is from wind getting under the cover, but it is also from wind going OVER the cover (and the subsequent drop in pressure.

I like the fact it blows the leaves off. I may do the same as you, once the leaves are all down - add some water on top, because as you said, it is dry dry dry around here right now.

 

[CT-Steven]

Here is mine (Just closed it yesterday). I do it every year. I still have to wrap it down further as I like to protect the legs of the pool the best I can.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

Here is mine (Just closed it yesterday). I do it every year. I still have to wrap it down further as I like to protect the legs of the pool the best I can.

Wow! You really wrap it up. I didn't do anything like that.