Swimming Pool Liners
Swimming pool liners enhance the life and durability of any in-ground, or above-ground swimming pool whilst providing the opportunity to add style and colour to the pool area through the liner’s finish. Swimming pool liners can be bought for a new pool, or as a replacement for an existing pool and they work equally well in traditional submerged (below-ground) pools and the increasingly popular above-ground pools.
- If you are interested in information about a swimming pool product other than pool liners, please see the menu at the very top of the page covering spa pools, filters, heaters, "above" and "below" ground pools etc.
So why should you buy a swimming pool liner and what will be the benefits?
There are a lot of good reasons to buy a swimming pool liner, but these are the main ones.
- Firstly, most modern swimming pool liners are made of a special vinyl that is comfortable to touch, but equally highly resilient and durable.
This makes your pool a pleasant environment to come into contact with whenever you touch its liner base or walls. The simple knowledge of this pleasing surface texture also makes the pool more enticing, especially to children and those who are not swimming pool fans. - Secondly, a good quality pool liner will protect the swimming pool and, in the case of above-ground pools, may extend the usable life span of the swimming pool. It does this because the liner acts as a protective skin that makes a visually pleasing barrier between the water based activities of the swimmers and the physical structure of the pool.
In the case of above-ground pools, this extra layer of protection strengthens the pool and adds an additional protective skin.
- Thirdly, a swimming pool liner enhances the hygiene of your swimming pool by providing an easily cleanable surface and one made of a material that has a high level of resistance to mould and water based bacteria.
This same material also has good resilience and is not easily damaged by the chemicals required for the on-going maintenance of a swimming pool. These qualities mean that a swimming pool with a good quality liner will always be more hygienic than a pool without a liner, or a swimming pool using a cheap liner.
- Fourthly, swimming pool liners offer the opportunity to set the colour, theme and atmosphere for your complete pool environment.
Swimming pool liners allow you to select colours, patterns, edgings and styles that you can keep within the pool, or extend beyond to patio furniture, tiling, paving, decking and pool side furnishings.
In short, a swimming pool liner is the most visible and human-sensory-connected component of a swimming pool, so it is worthy of thoughtful consideration and careful selection. Those who try to save money on pool liners invariably find themselves having to live with a pool that performs poorly and looks dull and uninviting.
Liners for in-ground and above-ground swimming pools
Although some swimming pool liners will work with both in-ground and above-ground swimming pools, the two types of pool have very different characteristics.
To keep things simple, we have specific pages (accessed from the menu to the left) covering the reasons for, and advantages of, using a liner with each of these pool types.
It is important to know which kind of pool you want or own before you decide upon a swimming pool liner.
If you are unsure of the kind of swimming pool that you have, or of the style of pool you may be considering buying, you will find a brief explanation of the differences below.
In-ground (submerged) swimming pools
- An in-ground swimming pool is a pool constructed within and excavated area cut into the ground. The swimming pool, and the body of water that it holds, are held below ground level. This means that it is not necessary to climb up and into the swimming pool as is the case with an above-ground pool.
The completed construction of an in-ground swimming pool is usually at, or slightly raised above, the finished ground level surrounding the pool.
Above-ground swimming pools
- An above-ground swimming pool does not require any excavation or significant building work. The entire body of the swimming pool is visible above the finished ground level of the immediate area and, as such, these pools can be very cheap to buy and erect.
Most owners of above-ground swimming pools use a high quality swimming pool liner and a built-up deck with access steps around the immediate pool area. These dual measures give the impression of a high quality swimming pool and disguise the fact that the pool is actually free-standing above ground.
Hybrid pools and swimming pool liners
- Just to make sure that things are never simple, some companies produce what they call "semi-in-ground" or "on-ground" pools. As the name suggests, these are hybrid pools with part of the base and walls sunk below ground level.
They should however be considered as above-ground pools since the swimming pool liners that they require are for the "above ground" construction format.