Liner Repair Plan

[OneWildOat]

Hi TFPeers!

I have a plan to repair the liner for an in-ground pool and would like to run it by those with more experience than I have. I have read many of the forums posts and further reading materials here. We would not have ever done as well as we have for the past several years without these resources. We are very grateful.

The return had been patched with silicone by the previous owner and held for several years. We suspected a leak at this return, and I removed the excess silicone and return face plate to discover what you can see in the attached picture.

My repair plan is as follows.

1. Release the liner from the above track enough to gain access behind the liner. The return is not that far down the pool wall.
2. Use the Boxer Adhesives Pool Repair products to glue large patches on each side of the vinyl liner (Welcome to Boxer Adhesives The Finest Name in Vinyl Adhesives).
3. The outcome should produce a solid-hole-free vinyl liner surface where one would proceed as though he were installing a return and face plate to a new liner.

My initial question is about the Boxer Adhesives products. They seem to be produced and marketed to owners with above-ground pools. Our pool is an in-ground pool. What would be the difference, if any?

Thanks in advance!

 

[heikejohn]

How pliable is the liner?
Depending on the age, it might be too brittle & just tear further.

 

[OneWildOat]

How pliable is the liner?
Depending on the age, it might be too brittle & just tear further.

That is a concern for me also. For the liner's age (2013) the feel is quite soft and pliable. From what I know of the previous owner and their maintenance habits, I don't see him as one who was throwing an abundance of shock in the pool. Also, this is Louisville, KY. The pool is opened in early June and closed early September (Labor Day). Compared to other regions/states, we don't get but a few months of pool fun. Kentucky has types of clouds like Eskimos have types of snow all year round.

Now, when I removed the face plate, I noticed how much the liner has faded. That surprised me considering how good the liner feels to the touch - flexibility and all. Also, the liner around the screw holes of the face plate and return are more brittle-like and hard. I'll trim that to make the area as flat as possible before patching and lower the risk of any punctures from hard places.

I'm aware of the risk of removing part of the liner from the track and tearing. We're prepared for a new pool liner. When I asked my husband, "Are we replacing the liner because it needs replacing or only because of the suspected leak at the return?" this question gave us pause on replacing the liner.

Thank you for responding. What would you do?

 

[OneWildOat]

That is a concern for me also. For the liner's age (2013) the feel is quite soft and pliable. From what I know of the previous owner and their maintenance habits, I don't see him as one who was throwing an abundance of shock in the pool. Also, this is Louisville, KY. The pool is opened in early June and closed early September (Labor Day). Compared to other regions/states, we don't get but a few months of pool fun. Kentucky has types of clouds like Eskimos have types of snow all year round.

Now, when I removed the face plate, I noticed how much the liner has faded. That surprised me considering how good the liner feels to the touch - flexibility and all. Also, the liner around the screw holes of the face plate and return are more brittle-like and hard. I'll trim that to make the area as flat as possible before patching and lower the risk of any punctures from hard places.

I'm aware of the risk of removing part of the liner from the track and tearing. We're prepared for a new pool liner. When I asked my husband, "Are we replacing the liner because it needs replacing or only because of the suspected leak at the return?" this question gave us pause on replacing the liner.

Thank you for responding. What would you do?

I failed to write that the return face plate has a small crack at one screw hole and a hairline crack at another screw hole. I understand these are common especially if overtightened and leads to leaks.
Thanks!

 

[duraleigh]

If you have more of the liner material, I would suggest "patching" a piece of that material over the liner and return......allowing 2-3 " all around.

Even if you don't have any of the same liner, I would do it with plain white pool liner. Patching the liner is a fairly easy fix.

Be sure to replace the cracked gaskets.

 

[OneWildOat]

If you have more of the liner material, I would suggest "patching" a piece of that material over the liner and return......allowing 2-3 " all around.

Even if you don't have any of the same liner, I would do it with plain white pool liner. Patching the liner is a fairly easy fix.

Be sure to replace the cracked gaskets.

I wondered about that too. Would actual pool liner as a patch perform better than the vinyl patch provided by Boxer Adhesives or other kits? If I'm understanding what you're implying, actual pool liner as a patch is better.

I'm already on board with replacements . . . Hayward SPX1408B Return Inlet Face Plate and Hayward SPX1408C Inlet Gasket G-226. Ordered and on the way.

Thanks!

 

[duraleigh]

Pool liner is really only better because the colors will match up

 

[OneWildOat]

Pool liner is really only better because the colors will match up

 

[OneWildOat]

Heatwave Howdy!

I wanted to provide an update and thank everyone for their help and input.

The patch was successful.

I purchased Boxer Adhesive from a pool store that gives away samples of vinyl liner to use as patches for free. They brought over a sample book and allowed me to flip through it to a sample that matched our liner. I came home with plenty of patch vinyl liner. Also, I purchased Boxer brand vinyl patch that was clear. I used the pool liner sample on the back of the repair and the clear patch on the front . . . and it worked wonderfully.

Getting the liner from the track is a BOOGER! I watched YouTube videos and CAREFULLY used a heat gun. I had to do it twice after the gasket fell. Ugh! Just more practice.

I found another YouTube video demonstrating how to install a return because installing a faceplate and gasket isn't necessarily intuitive to me and I was thankful since I'd never think to do it in that manner which is feeling through the liner for the holes and poking through with a screwdriver before attaching the screws. After attaching the faceplate, I cut through the liner to the return pipe with a clean to the surface cut. Was as if the liner was new again.

My skillsets are somewhere between ikea and garage mechanic. I never know until I try. My husband was thrilled.

The pool is open, and we're now in the process of SLAMing.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

OWO