Inground Vinyl Liner Replacement questions-Now, later, or next year?

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Donutshop

Donutshop

Gold Supporter
Mar 29, 2022
2
Chesapeake, VA
Greetings!
I believe this is my first post, but I have been reading the Forum for a few years now. :) Thank you for all the wisdom shared!

We purchased our home with a 18x36 oval pool with a hopper near the end of 2020 and didn't open it until the season began in 2021. It came to us with an older, faded liner sagging from the beading in areas and a rip above the water line of about golf ball size and several extensive wrinkles. However, the pool had and continues to have integrity on holding water :). Other than what I mentioned, we had to replace the pump motor. My kids were eager, so we opened and balanced the pool. Due to its age, seeming a bit on the brittle side, and thinking we would replace it the end of that season, we didn't attempt to "warm and stretch" the liner back into the beading.
Fast forward to now. The liner still has integrity, still sags, still has wrinkles and the crack, and it is still faded.
Every year we say we are going to replace it. I think this may be the year. :)

So my first question is: When? End of this season or beginning of next? Or perhaps immediately? Our water is so nice and warm though...
I have read thicker is better: Any other recommendations of brands or vinyl?
We were thinking we would go through the local Aqua Leisure as the old estimate seemed to be a decent price... but what did I know at the time. Should we steer clear?
We live in Virginia in the Great Dismal Swamp area. Are there any considerations we should make as we replace the liner in regards to the higher water table? We did have times where areas bubbled up. Always the areas that had wrinkles. And always settled back down.
I could not find one, but is there a wiki for steps in this process that we should be aware of... a check list of sorts... best practices?

Thank you for your help.
 
Welcome to TFP

I'd give the following advice, but others here may have different thoughts/opinions:
  1. I'd replace it in the swimming offseason if it were me. Heck if you order it now, it probably won't be ready until swimming season is over anyway. Maybe order this year if cost could increase and schedule time early next year or after the rainy winter/spring season to install so you know it'll be ready when you're ready to use it again next year.
  2. Not sure liner thickness matters too much, except for cost. I'd maybe go thicker if your wall and floor surfaces are suspect and could potentially cause any damage to liner. I think a thinner liner conforms better to the pool surface, especially in corners or sharper angles. Being that your pool is oval, it may not matter that much.
  3. Color to me matters more over thickness. Some liner colors aren't offered in all thicknesses. My preference is darker is better due to fading, hiding any imperfections in walls/floor, and covering up that little bit of dirt you never get fully clean. But that's totally up to you. I will say what you see with it unfilled vs filled with water will totally lighten up a few shades even totally brand new and you'll think dang, I thought that would be darker than it is. As time passes, even with good pool chemistry, the UV is going to lighten the color up year over year.
  4. Get a reputable pool company/contractor to do accurate measurements of your pool. Be there when they take them to verify. I'd get multiple quotes and references for each you have bid work. Ask people in your area who they would/would not recommend using.
  5. Make sure they account for disposal of old liner.
  6. I'd have contractor repair any damaged/unsmooth areas in floor/walls before install of new liner. If you have wood walls like I do, it is imperative they replace foam cushioning. Glue along with roofing tacks with plastic caps would be what I recommend.
  7. I'd strongly advocate that contractor cost in "bead lock" for the liner track. It is simple/cheap insurance to keep liner in it's track and keep it from pulling loose.
  8. I'd have contractor replace all fixtures in pool (light covers, pool returns, skimmer covers, etc... so they look new as well. Cheap and easy to do while pool is empty).
  9. No sure if your stairs are vinyl lined or fiberglass. If fiberglass, I'd have them replace the liner retainer that goes around the outline of them vs reusing what is there. Also if white fiberglass have them pressure washed/acid cleaned when pool is empty so they will look new when you refill pool.
  10. For your water table issues, you could look at installing a well point system to help keep liner from floating, but that's going to cost some more $$ with electrical, plumbing, equipment, etc... As far as wrinkling goes, when you have excessive rains and the liner is bubbled or floating, you can easily maneuver the liner around...it just takes constant attention as the ground water table recedes to make sure you get it back in right place to hopefully keep it from developing wrinkles (I use my pool brush to push it around)
Good luck
 
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Aubie99 said:
Welcome to TFP

I'd give the following advice, but others here may have different thoughts/opinions:
  1. I'd replace it in the swimming offseason if it were me. Heck if you order it now, it probably won't be ready until swimming season is over anyway. Maybe order this year if cost could increase and schedule time early next year or after the rainy winter/spring season to install so you know it'll be ready when you're ready to use it again next year.
  2. Not sure liner thickness matters too much, except for cost. I'd maybe go thicker if your wall and floor surfaces are suspect and could potentially cause any damage to liner. I think a thinner liner conforms better to the pool surface, especially in corners or sharper angles. Being that your pool is oval, it may not matter that much.
  3. Color to me matters more over thickness. Some liner colors aren't offered in all thicknesses. My preference is darker is better due to fading, hiding any imperfections in walls/floor, and covering up that little bit of dirt you never get fully clean. But that's totally up to you. I will say what you see with it unfilled vs filled with water will totally lighten up a few shades even totally brand new and you'll think dang, I thought that would be darker than it is. As time passes, even with good pool chemistry, the UV is going to lighten the color up year over year.
  4. Get a reputable pool company/contractor to do accurate measurements of your pool. Be there when they take them to verify. I'd get multiple quotes and references for each you have bid work. Ask people in your area who they would/would not recommend using.
  5. Make sure they account for disposal of old liner.
  6. I'd have contractor repair any damaged/unsmooth areas in floor/walls before install of new liner. If you have wood walls like I do, it is imperative they replace foam cushioning. Glue along with roofing tacks with plastic caps would be what I recommend.
  7. I'd strongly advocate that contractor cost in "bead lock" for the liner track. It is simple/cheap insurance to keep liner in it's track and keep it from pulling loose.
  8. I'd have contractor replace all fixtures in pool (light covers, pool returns, skimmer covers, etc... so they look new as well. Cheap and easy to do while pool is empty).
  9. No sure if your stairs are vinyl lined or fiberglass. If fiberglass, I'd have them replace the liner retainer that goes around the outline of them vs reusing what is there. Also if white fiberglass have them pressure washed/acid cleaned when pool is empty so they will look new when you refill pool.
  10. For your water table issues, you could look at installing a well point system to help keep liner from floating, but that's going to cost some more $$ with electrical, plumbing, equipment, etc... As far as wrinkling goes, when you have excessive rains and the liner is bubbled or floating, you can easily maneuver the liner around...it just takes constant attention as the ground water table recedes to make sure you get it back in right place to hopefully keep it from developing wrinkles (I use my pool brush to push it around)
Good luck
Click to expand...
This has been so helpful. I have a list ready. We have been down and out for a bit. so now that we are up and running, I will be reaching out armed with great tips. We have Fiberglass steps and they have what appear to be hairline cracks where it meets the concrete. hmmm.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share.
Cheryl.
 
Donutshop said:
but is there a wiki for steps in this process
Click to expand...
The wiki is in the left sidebar menu for easy access. It's also linked towards the bottom of any forum page.

Read through anything relevant to you in your spare time, and check back when something new pops up. Chances are it's well covered already. :)

Donutshop said:
recommendations of brands or vinyl?
Click to expand...
I would only buy a liner from well known company. Looploc, merlin, GLI and Latham are the big players. There are some regional companies that have been around decades also.

That's not to say the name brand liner won't fade or have issues in a couple years, but are least I'd know it wasn't because I cheaped out.

Thicker liners are less prone to punctures and rips IMO and I will always go thicker when possible.
 
The only thing I have to add is that you consider getting a liner with a base color of blue instead of white. That's so as it ages and fades, it fades to blue instead of white.
 
And - I really like the look of the dark colors/patterns and keep getting them. But they fade even faster. So enjoy while they last, but with a good liner, and lots of luck, it will still be faded to light blue or white by the time you again need to replace. Hopefully in many years.
 
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