Pool Leak and Wall Rust. Can it be saved?

[nathanc03]

The water level under the winter cover started to drop this spring then stopped with about 1ft left in the pool. I pulled the cover this weekend and found the liner had shrunk and was brittle (it was very cheap and was replaced 5 years ago. I then started to remove the liner and found a decent amount of rust on the walls. I also found a small dent right under one of the top rails but i suspect that is from someone standing on the rail. I'm not sure what direction to head on this.
Can the walls be saved if the are sanded, primed and painted? (the rust can be brushed off and the metal doesn't feel pitted
If the walls can be saved where should I get a new liner? What Mil?
I have always wondered about water splashing above the liner bead then getting behind it where the bead tracks join is this a legit concern?
I had a pad under the liner should I save it or replace it?
With the bottoms of my walls having a plastic riser I don't think I would be able to use a foam cove should I just stick with the sand?

Thank You,
Nathan
http://s942.photobucket.com/user/nathanc03/library/pool2018

 

[CJadamec]

If its only surface rust then a little bit of primer and paint should be good enough to keep it going for a while. Lightly wire brush the rust and use spray on primer and good quality spray paint. Rustolem is a good easy to get brand.

The thicker the liner the longer it should last. So the more mils the better. Mil and gauge are not the same thing, a 20 mil liner is thicker than a 20 gauge liner.

Replace the pad if its in bad shape or just get rid of it all together.

I have no experience with foam coving my coving was done with sand the old fashioned way.

 

[DaneCE]

If that picture represents an average of the wall condition then it is surely worth saving. As mentioned, after proper prepping, a few coats of Rust-Oleum will work fine.

I believe that there's always a chance of some water making its way past the bead. Seeing rust on the wall doesn't mean that it was caused by this. Metal pool walls sweat so any amount of moisture can slowly lead to corrosion.You can also add 1/8" foam to the walls for comfort.

I recommend putting 2 layers of Gorilla tape at least 2 inches long at each butt joint of the bead receiver. This will give protection from the somewhat sharp edges of the receiver at the joint. Also inspect for places where the ends of the receiver don't line up and one edge sticks out further. Try to flatten and bend them so they both fit together on the same plane. If they still aren't perfect, this is where the 2 or even 3 layers of tape will protect the liner from damage.

If you have a history of seeing roots under your pool floor, this is where a pad should help. Otherwise it will just add a minor padding effect. You can also use 3/4" or thicker extruded polystyrene board (XPS). This will give an even greater padded effect and keep the bottom flatter overall vs. a possible bumpy sand only floor.

I can't see the bottom of the pool wall close enough to really tell but I don't see why foam cove would not fit properly. If you have the extra time and funds I highly recommend adding foam cove.

Besides the added padding, flatter and more even surface that the foam cove and XPS board offers, it will prevent wash-out if your liner ever develops a hole. A hole larger than 1/8" or so will cause significant wash-out of the sand and can make it impossible to even make a temporary repair.

 

[zea3]

If you do not see any bubbling of the surface on the outside of the wall were the rust is you can probably save the wall. Is it all around the pool or just in one area? If there is any spot that appears to have rusted through you will probably be better off replacing the pool.