Swimming pool liner terminology

Buying swimming pool equipment can often be complicated by the jargon and terminology that is used to describe some of the components and their materials, so here is a translation of some of those terms.

• Liner gauge – refers to the thickness of a liner (in microns) and when a gauge is quoted it should be the thickness of both the base (bottom) and the side walls.
• Mil – is another way of quoting a liner thickness, however this method refers only to the base thickness and therefore it is possible for a 20 Mil liner to have a base thickness of 20 and a sidewall thickness of 15.
• Above ground pool – is a swimming pool where part or all of the pools structure is visible. i.e. it is not submerged under ground.
• Below ground pool – is a swimming pool where the pools structure is constructed or excavated into the ground and the top of the pool walls are at (or very close to) ground level.
• Overlap liner – is a liner (used on above-ground pools only) where the liner overlaps and tucks over the top of the side walls.
• Track – is a horizontal profile that runs just below the top of the pool walls and is used to secure the liner to the walls with beading that is attached to the liner.
• Beading – is found on the edges of the liner and clips into the track to hold the liner against the pool walls.
• Vacuuming – is the process of sucking out air between the liner and the pool walls during liner fitting.
• Wall foam – is a padding that can be used between the structural pool walls and the liner to protect the liner and give the liner a soft feel.
• Base protectors and bottom pads – do the same thing a wall foam, but they are used for the base of the pool.
• Coping strips – are used to slip over the top edge of swimming pool walls with overlap liners to provide a tidy and durable finish to the top of the pool.
• Beading converter – is used to give an above-ground swimming pool a track and beaded liner finish.

• Pool coving – is used as a padding and protector at the junction between the base and walls of a pool. it is usually triangular in section.