Vinyl Liner Replacement
Liner Changing Tips
Are you ready to do a vinyl liner replacement in your above ground pool? Here are a
few suggestions that could save you time and money. Especially if you are
paying a professional installer to do the job for you.
You should of course check with your installer before doing these things just
to be sure that is his preferred method. It is better to ask these things
up front than to find out later that is not the best way of doing things in your
area.
We do vinyl liner replacements all over the state of Arizona and this is the
checklist of things I would like to see done before my arrival.
- Completely drain the pool.
- Using a razor blade remove the liner from just under the top rail.
- Cut the liner into small enough pieces to toss out of the pool.
- Examine the base for sink holes, roots and grass.
- Examine the wall for rust.
- Examine the coping for signs of age.
- Examine skimmer and return gaskets.
When preparing for a vinyl liner replacement it is very important to have the
pool completely empty. An installer may not be equipped to drain a pool. If arrangements have been made prior
to the installation date then that's different. If the installer shows up
and has to finish the draining of a pool, be prepared for the extra charge.
Once the pool has been pumped or siphoned to the lowest point, cut some holes in
the liner and allow the rest of the water to sink into the ground.
Next, it is a good idea to get inside the pool and remove the liner. Do
not take the pool apart. Just use a razor blade and cut the liner out a
few inches down from the top rail. To make removing a large liner from a
pool easier it may be necessary to cut the liner into thirds or fourths.
Once the liner has been removed you can check the pool base and side walls.
If you have a sand base with some sink holes a couple of bags of play sand from
a nearby hardware store will usually be enough to level them out. If the
bottom of the pool is full of tree roots they should be removed. If doing
this messes up your pool base you may need some more sand to smooth it out.
If there are grass and weeds present pull them and treat the area with a grass
and weed killer.
You should also check the pool wall very closely for any
signs of rust. Rust spots should be sanded and painted. This pool wall is
probably just fine with some sanding and paint. If need be some reinforcement on
the inside could be used. Learn more about that on my
Pool Wall Repair page.
Most above ground pool walls can be repaired, just catch it early and repair it
early. What's most important is fixing, of replacing those leaky liners before
they do this to your pool wall.
If you have an
overlap liner it is secured to the sidewall with coping
strips. These plastic strips are then covered with the metal stabilizing
rods. There is usually enough of the coping below the rods to allow for an
examination, without taking any of the pool apart. The coping should be
pliable. If it is old and brittle it will fall apart as you pull on it.
If in doubt have new coping on hand, what you do not use can always be
returned.
A rule of thumb about gaskets. Rubber gaskets are usually reusable,
anything else should probably be replaced. If you are in doubt have new
ones on hand.
It is amazing how many people never think about this one. If you have a pool
deck against, or over the top rails, are you, or the installer, able to get to
all the screw needed to remove the decorative caps, the top rail and the top
plate over the upright? If the deck needs taken apart in anyway this should be
done before the installer gets there. With a beaded liner that goes into a bead
receiver taking the pool apart is not necessary.
This is an important checklist if you are installing the new liner yourself.
If you hired me to install the new liner for you, and I found all these things
done when I arrived I would be a happy camper.
Learn more about vinyl liners on this page.
top of Vinyl Liner Replacement
My name is Dennis Gourley and I am located in Mesa Arizona. I cover the entire state of Arizona with quality above ground pool installations and vinyl liner installations. Reach out to me at 480-935-2848 or use my contact form.
