Swimming pool liner – versus - tiles and grout

With the building of a new swimming pool, or the refurbishment of an older one, the big decision is "what should the pool be lined with?"

The two choices are the traditional tile and grout construction, or the newer, cheaper and more easily fitted vinyl pool liner. Naturally there are pros and cons with either choice, so this page is intended to help you make the best decision for your pool, your budget and the look or style that you are after. Ultimately, neither system is superior to the other, but each has its own set of advantages.

Firstly, if you have an above or semi-above ground pool you will only have one option, the vinyl pool liner.

Pool lining option – pros and cons

To keep things simple we will look at each option separately starting with the tiles and grout method.

Tile and grout lining

For

• This type of lining is structural. This means that it is an integral part of the pool's physical construction.
• Tiled linings are not easily damaged. They cannot be torn, scuffed, ripped or scratched and consequently accidental or careless damage is almost impossible.
• Because the tiles are laid by hand there is an almost infinitesimal number of patterns and style options available.
• Proper tiles are terra cotta (clay based) products and as such they are resistant to just about anything from extreme heat to toxic chemicals, be they acids or alkaline. This means that a tiled the pool offers incredible resilience and resistance to damage of all kinds.
• A damaged or broken tile can usually be replaced quite simply. There may be a resultant variation in the colour of the grout around the repair, but this will rarely be obvious. Similar damage to a vinyl pool can create a much bigger problem.
• Ultimately, the most expensive pools will have proper tile and grout linings. This, after all, is the original way to line a swimming pool.

Against

• COST. A tile and grout pool lining costs considerably more than an equivalent vinyl liner. The tiles themselves will cost more than the liner, then there is the water resistant and repellent grout, and finally there is the cost of labour. This labour cost alone will be several times that of the labour charge for installing a vinyl liner.
• TIME. A tiled and grouted lining can takes several days, or even weeks, to complete. This work needs to be done in dry weather with a minimum temperature requirement and it then needs to set and harden before use.
• Grout can discolour over time and different parts of the lining (completed at different times) may have slightly different colour variations.
• Tiled pools take longer to clean and are more difficult to clean than vinyl pools. The subtle contours of the tiles and the wavering profile of the tiles and grout mean that there are more edges, ledges, spaces, gaps etc for dirt and debris to attach to. It may even be advisable to clean some areas of the lining (particularly the grout) by hand if dirt or staining is stubborn. The other side of the coin to this is the fact that, this type of lining is much more rugged than a vinyl liner, so it can be subjected to more rigorous cleaning without the fear of damage.
• Finally, although it is possible to touch up and even re-grout a tiled pool, when the lining finally begins to degrade and fail the cost of a similar replacement will be high.

Vinyl swimming pool liner

For

• COST. The biggest single positive to the vinyl liner is its cost. Its cost a fraction of the price of tiles and grout and that saving becomes multiplied several times over when you include labour and fitting charges.
• TIME. A vinyl liner can be fitted in a day provided that there is no requirement for repair or renovation of the pool's structural construction. It can also be used immediately after completion.
• REPLACEMENT. Replacing a liner is a simple task and normally the old liner can be removed and the new liner fitted in the course of a single day. With beaded liners the existing tracking can normally be re-used for the replacement liner.
• Liners come in a vast array of colours and even textures that mean that choice is never limited. Furthermore, it is very difficult to tell a good quality vinyl liner apart from tiles and grout without very careful inspection.
• By using a liner, particularly in conjunction with cushioning batts and corner edging, a very soft feeling tactile swimming pool environment can be created. The liner will feel soft and smooth and the side walls will have a slightly cushioned feel to them.
• You are less likely to bruise or scratch yourself in a pool lined with a vinyl liner. The liner surface has no edges and the vinyl (and any cushioned backing) offer a soft feel. Most people prefer the feel of a vinyl liner to tiles and grout.
• Vinyl liners are the only option for above ground swimming pools.
• Although a high quality vinyl liner will be beaded, there are also cheaper "overlap" style liners that can be use on non structural and non submerged pools as money saving options.

Against

• Vinyl liners can be scratched and torn, however this kind of damage is not easily done.
• Although a small tear in a liner can be repaired, large tears may require complete liner replacement as the repair may not easily be disguised.
• Vinyl liners can only be applied to the walls and floor of a swimming pool after it has been dressed or cleaned of any projections, edges and rough surfaces that could puncture the liner. However, this is usually a fairly simple and straightforward task.
• LONGIVITY. Most liners will come with a guarantee that could extend up to 10 years, however, no liner will have the life expectancy of a constructed lining. Even so, the cost of replacing and refitting a liner multiple times would still work out cheaper than the single cost of tiles and grout. It also offers the opportunity to periodically change the appearance of the swimming pool.