Hammer Out Crease In Sidewall

by Joe
(Uxbridge, Ma)

Quick question. My above ground pool wall buckled below the filter. I was going to hammer out the crease using a 2x4 on one side and a hammer on the other. Should I hammer the outside of the wall or does it matter?


Hi Joe. I usually use the 2 x 4 on the outside of the wall to help reduce any visible damage. On the inside, once the repair is made, you can always do a little sanding and painting, just to add a little more protection to the wall.

Some creases have a habit of coming back once water is in the pool. Sheet metal can be taped to the inside of the wall as further reinforcement. Most of the time, when this is done, the wall never creases in that spot again.

When the damage is as bad as the one in the photo, or worse, I find it helpful to remove the pool wall and lay it out flat on a slab of concrete. I can then walk over it to get out the worst of the creases. Then I start with the hammer and lumber.

We use this method a lot for pools that have been set in the ground. If they are left empty, the dirt around the pool falls in, and the pool collapses. This causes an awful mess with the sidewall. They can, however, be fixed.