Liner extremely tight.

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C

Carrier

0
May 11, 2018
5
Chicago/il
I have read every post I can find. Viewed every video. I have had a pool since I was 5. By no means even close to an expert but thought when my pool finally got too old I could put the new one up myself.

Same size 27 foot round. But much taller. A 54 inch height. The pool store convinced me the way to go with line was a unibead. All I have ever done was a overlap. He said I woukd need to raise the bottom some as it is fitted but it could handle 6 inches drop to middle. I made it 4 1/2. I laser leveled all my blocks, got the pool up and put in the new liner. I also have a center drain. Important to acknowledge.

Fast worward to now. I foot of water and the pool liner is tight. Very tight. Not all the way round though. Only on north and east side. Other two sides are tight but against the wall. It seemed perfect when we first put it in. Problem is I cannot shift it because of the center drain. Everything I read is you will be amazed and how much the liner will stretch in the sun and 80 degree weather. But I'm scared. On top of all of this the east side has buckled a little. I originally thought the water was pulling the liner down and causing it so I stopped filling. Now I am not sure. I have one wall support which has shifted on the block. Guessing from water pressure when filling and was just a little off. I'm wondering if the shift in the wall caused the buckle and it will just correct with pressure.

I started draining it with the intention of adding some more sand to the one side. I'm down to 6 inches and the buckle is still there leading me to again wonder if it's a shift and not water pulling it down after all.

I don't know if I should just keep filling during hot weather and watch it to see if it starts to collapse anymore or finish draining, add more sand to the one side and smooth and tamp it. Then refill and see what happens? I can't raise it all because of the center drain. That is not going up or moving now. So It would just be around the edges to 3/4 in.

I realize this is a huge post but better to have all the details instead of giving it along the way. Hoping an expert can give me some advice. The stress of what to do is killing me.

Thanks in advance!
 
Have you cut your drain in yet?

did you use a vacuum to get the fit first?

I was told the same thing about a liner and how much it can stretch into place. The example I was given when cutting out for the steps it was almost a 45 degree angle from the step to the floor. Once the warm sun hit it, it fell right into place.
 
I did cut the drain already. So I'm kind of stuck with placement. I had done multiple liners in the past on my last pool but they were always overlap and never had any issues. This was new and now I'm kind of stuck.

I did not do the vacuum. Never did in the past. So I didn't think about it. If I finish draining and add sand I will definitely try that but im guessing it won't help as much now that the bottom can't move. Will still remove air but I don't think it would pull it to the sides with how tight it is.

Trying to figure out how to add a couple pics to the post.
 
Sounds to me like you are at the point of no return since you cut your drain. If it was me I would start the fill process and let'er rip (no pun intended).

If it rips you'll have to buy a new liner. Double check your measurements. Might also ask if they do summer cuts or winter cuts for your liner. And use the vacuum to get liner placement!
 
Pool with 1 foot of water. You can kind of tell it is Ballon ing away from wall. I believe. That because it still has about 3 inches till it reaches the cove.

One is of a spot at the top of the seam. I didn't notice it when we first installed but I had a couple friends helping and I'm not sure if it was there in the beginning or if it started to pull apart? It still feels strong so maybe there from the beginning.

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Worst part about this is it is taking forever to fill. Wait for a good hot day. Usually when I'm at work. Try to fill for 3 hrs after. Hope for a hot weekend. It wasn't this one, cold and rainy. And in 6 weeks we have my daughters graduation swim party...
 
From the description and looking at the pics it sounds like the liner isn't properly centered all the way around. The way the wall is buckling tells me that the liner isn't centered and so as it fills its pulling too much on that one side causing the wall to buckle in. Since the drain is already cut there likely isn't a way to get the liner centered properly now unfortunately.
 
Fill it up and it should stretch and push the wall out. It's buckled because its a tight fit. When installing unibead and j-hook liners, just imagine the pool as a clock. Lay the liner in the pool and center it in the bottom. Now, you'd start to work clockwise attaching the liner at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. Then attach at 1, 4, 7 and 10 o'clock and keep going until it's all attached. It helps to keep the liner centered. Having extra help is a plus.
 
Jamison04 said:
From the description and looking at the pics it sounds like the liner isn't properly centered all the way around. The way the wall is buckling tells me that the liner isn't centered and so as it fills its pulling too much on that one side causing the wall to buckle in. Since the drain is already cut there likely isn't a way to get the liner centered properly now unfortunately.
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I agree with Jamison04.

I also agree with Casey and it should push the wall out when it fills up.

Unfortunately if this doesn't work either your wall is going to collapse or your liner is going to split. In both situations you are looking a new liner.
 
I appreciate all the replies. So I still have about 6 inches of water in it and 16 bags of sand sitting here. Would you drain it, pull back the liner and add the sand to the one side. Obviously smooth and tamp it. The. Fill back up and hope the extra sand helps alleviate some of the pull or just fill it with the belief that the sand won't help at all?

I don't mind the extra work if I can save the liner. But if it's a waste and I should just keep filling and see what happens I will.
 

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mclifford said:
I would find out how much a new liner would be. You might go back to an overlap liner.
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Thinking about it I have noticed that overlap liners are actually very good. The previous owners of the house and pool used one and about 12" was overlapped. I replaced the liner 10 years later and noticed there was also a lot of overlap. So if you use an overlap liner it appears there is a lot of vinyl to play with. I also noted that our pool is dished out at least 6" and the liners worked great.
 
I was think about this thread when I was driving into work this morning. The OP is faced with decision. Let the pool fill and see what happens, add more sand or replace the liner.

After looking at the pictures and understanding there was mistake done during installation I would suck it up and order a new liner.

I know I recommend right off the bat adding the water and letting it stretch, but it looks like it needed to stretch a lot. He risks damaging the walls which would cost a lot more to repair than purchasing a new liner.

Adding more sand is just a band aid in my opinion. People will get in your pool and wonder why one side is lop sided.

Purchasing a liner would be the correct repair. If a lap liner is what you have most comfortable with then go back to that. If you do a track liner use the vacuum and get a foot or so of water in the pool before you cut the main drain.
 
azide999 said:
Thinking about it I have noticed that overlap liners are actually very good. The previous owners of the house and pool used one and about 12" was overlapped. I replaced the liner 10 years later and noticed there was also a lot of overlap. So if you use an overlap liner it appears there is a lot of vinyl to play with. I also noted that our pool is dished out at least 6" and the liners worked great.
Click to expand...

I agree. They can be more forgiving to install. However, I have seen installs where the pool walls have slightly shifted and the liner is no longer a good fit.

I used to install overlap liners. After we installed the liners we always trimmed the excess.
 
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