Expandable Liner Won’t Stretch

by Liz
(Colonia, NJ)

I purchased an expandable liner for my Doughboy pool online and hired a couple installers to come install it for me.

The main guy has 30 years background and owned his own pool store. They can't get the liner to stretch. He swears it's not an expandable liner.

Yes, it was a little rainy, and the temp was only around 60 degrees, but he has done this before in this weather and can't even stretch enough to reach all around. The pool was only dug 5 ft and it should expand to 7 ft. The manufacturer is telling us the only reason it won't fit is the temperature. Is this correct?

Hi Liz.

First off, yes, it could be very correct, the outdoor temperature does make all the difference in the world.

I hope they are using this method of installing the expandable liner.

Expandable Liner Installation

I have installed liners on cold wet days, with no sun to speak of, and I know how hard it can get. I have spent over an hour at times just getting the liner to stretch over the top rails. Once that part is done the stretching into a deep end is easy. It's just getting the liner over the top rails that can be killer.

Many times when putting the liner into the pool, and pulling it over the top rails, we wind up short of liner by at least a third of the pool. One would think that there is no way this liner is ever going to fit the pool. We keep working at it until it does.

I use a two person method. When the liner is pulled up and over as far as we can go, we go back to the beginning. I

take the lead and pull the liner in a horizontal manor. I pull and then plant the liner over an upright. The person behind me clamps their hands over the upright while I go to the next one and do the same thing. One post at a time we work our way around the pool. When we come to the end, and still need more liner, we start over again. This can go on for dozens of times and take over an hour. Sooner or later the liner does fit.

Once the liner is over all the uprights we then start the long process of raising it up a little at each post, working our way around the pool time and time again. Eventually the bottom seam is near the top ledge, the center of the liner is off the sand, and we are finally ready to start the hose filling.

On a warm sunny summer day this process may take thirty minutes. On a cold winter day it might be a couple of hours before the liner is ready to fill.

The photos on the expandable liner page show a 24' pool with a 6' deep end. A pool with that deep of a deep end I would probably hold off for a sunny day before installing the liner. I would not be to concerned about the temperature, but I would want direct overhead sunlight. The more sun you get on the liner the better the chances are you will be able to install it without wrinkles. Cold liners are much harder to keep smooth.

Once they are pulled up and over the rails, an expandable liner should stretch into any hole regardless of the weather, but sunshine will always get you a better job.

I would have them come back on a warm sunny day and try again.