Overlap liner not big enough?

[nobueno]

We installed our 21x41 overlap liner and it's looking like it's not going to be big enough. The water is only about 5" deep now and the liner is not quite touching all the side and there is no slack left. Did they send us the wrong liner? The serial matched what they said they boxed up. What do we do?

 

[kimkats]

So are the rail caps still on? If so you will gain a lot of material when you take them off and put the liner under them.

 

[nobueno]

So are the rail caps still on? If so you will gain a lot of material when you take them off and put the liner under them.

Yea, they're still on but we don't have enough slack to keep filling. I think we didn't pull it tight enough when we started. Some of the liner was touching the bottom. I think we're going to have to drain it, pull it tighter and try again unfortunately. Will that game anything or is that ok to try?

 

[kimkats]

SO long as you did not cut the liner for the skimmer or return you are fine. Also do it when it is sunny and hot!

 

[Newdude]

I believe post #14 shows the way its supposed to be courtesy of @daisiduk1

Working From Home #COVID

Air Temp: 83 Water Temp: 64 If this lasts another week or so, WFH will not be too bad.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[nobueno]

Yea, I think the sunny and hot is the problem. We drained all the water and pull the liner out farther this time. We stretched some today when it was in full sun and it stretched further but by the time it was filling it was in partial shade and part of the end wall wanted to collapse. I had to release some liner and now that section doesn't have as much slack. Probably going to drain and start again. This is a massive pain in the butt.

 

[nobueno]

Also, we have a deep end so it needs to stretch extra and the end walls aren't supportive at all. Side walls are completely fine.

 

[kellyfair]

Dumb question - how much did you allow for the deep end when you ordered?

 

[nobueno]

Dumb question - how much did you allow for the deep end when you ordered?

We got a liner that will stretch to 7', the deep end is only 6.5'. It was pretty evenly stretching the first time around, there just wasn't enough. I think I need to get more sun/heat on it so it'll stretch a bit easier since it's pulling so hard on the end walls.

 

[magiteck]

Maybe a dumb question as I’ve never installed one of these before, but isn’t it supposed to go under the top rails rather than over?

Trying to go over I would think would be using up a lot of extra material?

 

[nobueno]

Maybe a dumb question as I’ve never installed one of these before, but isn’t it supposed to go under the top rails rather than over?

Trying to go over I would think would be using up a lot of extra material?

It's an overlap liner with a deep end so you need to stretch it over the top rail and release it as it fills and gets tight. Once the water is 24" up the wall, it's done stretching so you can remove the top rails and tuck it under.

 

[mariane]

It looks like you have a Doughboy pool and liner. No other pool or liner company installs liners the way Doughboy does but it is required, especially with a deep end. They need to be stretched, initially with the liner NOT even touching the bottom. We have the same as you. We've installed liners twice in our pool. Here's a pic and a video for installing a liner for a Doughboy deep end pool.

 

[mariane]

@nobueno have you installed the liner yet? See my post above ^^^^^. The best place to start in the video is at 1:50 but earlier gives good idea too.

 

[nobueno]

@nobueno have you installed the liner yet? See my post above ^^^^^. The best place to start in the video is at 1:50 but earlier gives good idea too.

Yes, we do, and we stretched the heck out of it this time and we're pretty close. There isn't much slack going over the top rail but we have about 8" of water up the wall so we're going to be forced to start clipping it to the wall soon. If it was smaller it would be so much easier but it's 41x21 so the liner is so heavy that it want to pull the end walls inward if we try to stretch it much.

 

[magiteck]

My pool is being installed next week. They are using a Latham liner, but I thought it was odd that my contract said "additional charge applies to Doughboy liners". I guess this explains why! Sounds like you're hopefully in the home stretch, though. Looks like a beautiful pool!

 

[mariane]

Yes, we do, and we stretched the **** out of it this time and we're pretty close. There isn't much slack going over the top rail but we have about 8" of water up the wall so we're going to be forced to start clipping it to the wall soon. If it was smaller it would be so much easier but it's 41x21 so the liner is so heavy that it want to pull the end walls inward if we try to stretch it much.

It sounds like you've got the hardest part done. 8 inches up the wall is good. I don't remember having to stretch it very much after the water got that high. Remember not to cut the skimmer and return openings until the water is pretty high up the wall and almost to the openings.
Do you have a butterfly gasket for the skimmer and return openings? The liner and wall are sandwiched between the 2 gasket layers. Remember to install them in this order/layer starting from inside the pool: skimmer plate, gasket, liner, metal wall, gasket, skimmer.