How to fit a swimming pool liner - DIY guide

There are four main reasons why you might want to fit a swimming pool liner to a new or existing pool. They are as follows -

• Installation to a brand new pool.
• As a replacement to an existing liner.
• To enhance or improve the appearance of an above ground pool.
• Because you want to switch from a traditional tiled pool lining to a vinyl liner.

Pool preparation

Depending upon which of the above situation describes your circumstances, the pre-installation preparation will vary. You may have the option of selecting either an overlap or beaded liner - this will depend upon your pool construction. Note - Overlap liners only work on above-ground swimming pools. Beaded liners will fit to pools of all constructions, i.e. above or below ground.

In all cases you need smooth clean side walls and a base that is free from projecting matter, damage, roughness and any obstructions that could puncture the new vinylliner or prevent it from fitting flush against the pool’s horizontal and vertical surfaces when a vacuum is applied.

As an example - in the case of an existing pool with a fitted liner the first step will be to drain the pool and remove the liner by carefully cutting around all fittings, then releasing the vliner’s beading from the tracks.

In most cases some tidying up and remedial repairs will be required to complete this part of the preparation process. It is also important to keep the period of time that a pool remains both empty and without a liner as brief as possible, i.e. a few days at most. Damage can occur if this is not the case.

The liner Fitting

As with the preparation above, the complexity of fitting will be determined by existing circumstances, e.g. the condition of the pool, the construction of the pool and the type of liner that you intend to fit.

If a beaded liner is being fitted as a replacement to an existing pool that already has tracks fitted, then these tracks will probably be adequate for the new pool liner's beading. Even so, it is likely that some repair or cleaning willbe required.

If the pool is an above ground pool (non submerged), and you intend to have an overlapping liner, then tracks are not required for this type of fitting.

If the pool is a new one that is fully submerged (i.e. below-ground), then a perimeter track must be fitted around the top of the pool's side walls. This track will take the liner's beading and it will provide a smart and tidy termination of the liner. Fitting this track will take time, preparation and a degree of precision, and getting it level and firmly secured is critical to the success of the project. This task cannot be undertaken by a single person.

Once the pool is prepared and any tracks etc have been fitted, the liner should be unrolled across the width of the pool followed by its length. This is a job for 3 or 4 people, but an absolute minimum of 2.

It is good practice to unroll the liner towards the deep end of the pool first and not the other way around.

Once the liner has been opened out across the base of the pool it will be necessary to move it around in order to get it correctly aligned. Particular attention should be given to getting the corners or any curves lined up correctly.

Once things look correct and balanced it will be time to start pulling the liner up against the side walls and loosely fitting the beads into the track (or overlapping the liner if it is an above ground pool with an overlapping liner). The starting point for this should be the deep end of the pool and the bead fitting process should continue simultaneously down both sides of the pool working towards the shallow end. This is where it is advantageous to have several operatives, some working within the pool and other watching and monitoring from outside.

Final fitting

The next stages of this process are the most complex and important ones and they involve working the liner into place. This is done by smoothing it out and vacuuming it to the wall. This removes air pockets and bubbles. The task should be done whilst slowly filling the pool with water and making the final adjustments to any beading tracks or liner-overlap. You can find out how to do this (and get more details about the previous procedures) at our main liner fitting page.

You can find out more about the different types of pool liner, i.e. beaded versus overlap and the two main types of swimming pool construction (i.e. above and below ground) and the points that you need to consider in selecting and buying a swimming pool liner at the main index page.