Time for new liner...

[amymeme]

After 18 years on the last liner, time for a new one. This is a very old pool in finger lakes of New York. Question is liner color - our current one has faded to almost white, though I do realize 18 years on a vinyl liner is sort of a gift.

Do dark liners fade more than lighter colors? And does a darker color add any heat benefit? We've been here 34 years now, the trees around the perimeter of the yard have grown quit a bit and the pool is in shade until about 9 in the morning and becomes shaded again about 4 in the afternoon. We usually don't open until right around memorial day and close just after labor day... Water temp starts dropping second week in August as night time temps head towards the 50s (we are at higher elevation for the area so always cooler with wind.) So any heat benefit would be welcome.

Also, we have well water and have had transient iron staining in the past, would like a color that would hide that to some extent. And finally... Picky, picky husband: one bug or leaf on the bottom and he wants me to vacuum so color/design that hides debris would also be preferred. (I am thinking about treating myself to a robot vacuum as I'm old lady and shoulder complains with vacuuming)

Out liner choices are through pocono pool products. Not thrilled with selections available from any mfg at the moment but... Have no choice, current liner is failing.

Thoughts?

Addendum: Ugh - just saw this post: Can not decide on. Loop Loc liner... can anyone post photos of theirs with water?

I have migraines that are triggered by light patterns (worst is driving in spring and fall when the leaves are off the trees and the light through the trees has a strobe effect...)

 

[TheRaven]

It depends on what the base vinyl color in the liner is. If you have a print on a white base, then that liner will eventually fade to white. But you can get prints on light blue, dark blue, grey, and black base vinyl. Those will all fade to their base colors respectively. Dark liners definitely have some heating effect on the pool, I have seen objective proof of that myself. It's impossible to quantify exactly how much though, and it's definitely dependent on sun exposure. The more the better.

My wife and I almost pulled the trigger on a black liner last year but backed out at the last second and got a dark blue one. This year we are thankful we did that, a black liner at opening this past weekend would have been a nightmare. It was difficult enough with the dark blue.

 

[Newdude]

Thoughts

A lot of personal preference will be had with selecting the right color. The quality of the ink used is far more important when in comes to selecting. As such, I would never use a discount brand on an expensive pool. I’d stick to the name brands to better protect it from the inevitable fading that they will all have.

 

[amymeme]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure if the supplier of this liner is a discount brand or not. I do know that our quote is from the same contractor that installed the existing liner in 2003 AND the same liner company, Pocono Pool Products. GLI also has the same liner pattern so do not know if they use common supplier of vinyl.

And - does this look like printed on blue or white background? I'm guessing a somewhat light blue background:

 

[Newdude]

do know that our quote is from the same contractor that installed the existing liner in 2003 AND the same liner company, Pocono Pool Products.

Well if nothing has changed in the manufacturer, that is a SOLID vote for quality seeing how the last one did so well.

GLI, Merlin and LoopLoc are considered the ‘big 3’ brands. That’s not to say that others can’t do just as well, just that if you threw a dart at all of the other manufacturers out there, it may or may not hit another quality one.

 

[TheRaven]

I know Latham liners are rebranded under many names - Royal and Pacific are two that I know of. It's possible that the other big makers rebrand also.

Judging by the pattern color, my guess would also be a light blue base.

 

[amymeme]

So. After some hunting, I think I've found the manufacture of the actual vinyl material. And it appears to be used by Pocono, GLI, LoopLoc and others:

One moment, please...