Swimming pool liner fitting tips (page 3)

This is page 3 of 3 describing how to remove an existing swimming pool liner and fit a new one (beaded or overlap). Use the links below to access the other 3 pages.

Approach 2. Since a beaded liner is always made to a precise fit, some fitters will stay outside of the pool during the entire installation. They rely completely on the dual action of manually pulling the liner from above the pool and sucking all of the folds and creases out with one or more vacuum pumps. They use observation to spot and pull out any creases and they do not initially start to fill the pool with water as they see this as preventing them from having a perfect view of the pool base. (It is also impossible to remove a crease or fold once it has become submerged.)

When using this approach it is important to start feeding the beading into the track at the centre of each wall and work outwards towards the corners. If two people do this simultaneously they will both be working away from the same point and towards opposing corners.

In theory, and with a customised bead-type liner, doing this and then releasing a small section of beading to insert the vacuum down, will suck the liner tight against the base and walls.

The vacuum will need to be lowered down inside the partially fitted liner to within a few inches of the pool's base. It is then drawn up as the liner becomes tight and water is gradually fed into the pool. (Never let the vacuum touch the pool base.)

During this vacuuming process it will be necessary to continually adjust the liner for a wrinkle free fit. No water should be hosed into the pool until the initial vacuuming has achieved a good smooth liner finish – particularly to the pool's base.

Once a satisfactory fit has been achieved, the pool can be filled from the deep end first. It is important to ensure that the hose does not subject the base of the pool to a powerful jet of water as this could dislodge the sand base in a localised area causing an unsightly and vulnerable depression.

Once the level of swimming pool water is a few inches below the liner track, the vacuum can be turned off and withdrawn and the final bit of liner (that used as the access point for the vacuum) fitted into the track.

The advantage of this approach is that it is non intrusive and no one steps on the liner until it is correctly aligned and in place. This reduces the likelihood of accidental damage.

In the event of the fitting "going wrong", you simple turn off and remove the vacuum and start again.

Finishing off

Since the fitting of both types of swimming pool liner (i.e. beaded and overlap) are continuous processes, the job will complete itself.

However, in the case of the overlap swimming pool liner, the pool edge treatment is a separate task that is not undertaken until the pool is completely filled with water. At this point the pool lip treatment can be undertaken as described below.

Overlap liner

With the overlap liner, completing the job is simply a case of repeating, in reverse order, the sequence of processes used to free the top of the old liner prior to removal. The only additional procedure is the trimming of any excess vinyl as it wraps around (and over the top of) the pool's top edge. This is a simple and quick activity.

Beaded liner

With a beaded liner it is necessary to feed the beaded top edge of the swimming pool liner into the track to complete the fitting. (This will be done as the pool is filled with water.). Since this kind of liner is made specifically to order it should fit perfectly, however it may take a bit of stretching and pulling to get the job done.


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