Beaded Liner to Overlap Conversion

by Jessica Iovine Lafontaine
(Winston Salem, NC)

We have an 18 x 33 pool-bought a brand new beaded liner (pen fabricators) we purchased coping and did the liner as an "overhang" because our first pool and we didn't know what the heck a beaded liner was! We stretched over the top of wall, slapped some coping and the top track and the channel plates....however, there was only about an inch overlapping the pool- I called Pen Fab. and they said, "as long as you got the liner over the wall and the coping/top track back on it would be fine! OK, so I put the hose in!

It's 11pm and I go to peak on my pool (I thought I did a great job smoothing out wrinkles and the bottom looked BEAUTIFUL! It is evenly spaced and well lined up but LOTS of air in it but my mom said that would press out as it filled. AS it was and starting to look even better!!!

Well my hubby is dead asleep and I decide to inspect to my dismay the liner had slipped a lil and lifted the coping and track right off the pool wall very small section...NOT large but there is a little buckle in a small section of wall -I stopped the water (I probably should be just filling during the day when it's good and hot but felt like I'd wake up to a beautiful half full pool!!) I measured the water there is approx 1 1/2 foot (maybe a little less but almost 1 1/2) of water-

MY QUESTION IS THIS.

Should I drain all the water and place bead receivers on the wall?

I have decided that perhaps I should just purchase the bead receivers and put the liner on as it is meant to go on. I was totally under the impression because Penn Fab said it was ok and that the liner would stretch and be fine-I measured the overlap there is approx one inch, NOW we have never done a pool in our life but even "I" think that is NOT enough. I am not sure what would happen if I took off one section of coping at a time and think if it's only a 1 1/2 feet of water. I really didn't find

it that difficult to do the liner itself and smooth and think I did a great job so I have no problem draining all the water and doing it over (HEY this is the fun part this is when you know you're closer to enjoying your pool!!!) but my priority is that it's safe for my children and done right!!! Apparently I may be overstretching it

THANK YOU so much for your time and help!~What a great site! I will check into pricing membership for this forum now! Any suggestions is greatly appreciate! it's HOTTTT IN Carolina!

Hi Jessica.

I have installed a lot of beaded liners as overlap liners without a problem. Most of the time I find they fit better this way.

I think your only problem was filling at night. It sounds like the liner needed to stretch just a little and was unable to without the sun. It's the first two feet that is the most important, after that you could probably just let the hose run.

When I install a beaded liner in an overlap fashion I usually pull the liner over the top two to three inches.

I would drain the pool down to an inch or so, if you do not drain it all the way you will not have to reset the bottom. It sounds like it looks great the way it is. You should check carefully all the way around the pool and make sure the liner is not overly tight in any one area. If it is all the same, a little tight but not to far from the wall, you are probably just fine to leave a little water in the bottom.

You next thing would be to reset the overhang, coping, rods and such. You may just want to fix the area that came out or you may want to go around the whole pool giving it an even two inches or so.

When you start filling the pool make use of the sun and shut the water off when you start loosing it. Turn the hose back on the next morning and you should be fine. If this does not work you could always order the receivers, my guess is you won't have to.

Thanks for the compliment on the site, there is no membership however, it's just all free.