Help with Expandable Liner

by Jeff
(Black Creek)

I own a 28' Doughboy pool, and have purchased an expandable liner for it, problem is, there are no directions,. It says it is expandable up to 72". I am unsure how to prep the bottom of the pool for this liner, I was under the impression that the liner was shaped like a bowl, and I could dish it out in the middle up to 6'.

When I called the manufacture the woman on the phone told me all there liners are flat on the bottom, and the vinyl wall height is 72". So now I'm really confused on how to dig this hole, does it need to be dug completely 72" thru out the entire pool area? Can I keep it at 4' on the side walls, and then taper it inward to 6'? I am unsure. The company I bought it from is Swimline. Thanks for the help.

Hi Jeff. The person you talked to obviously did not know what she was talking about. It is impossible to make the wall of your pool go straight down to 72". You have to have a ledge for the pool frame and cove to sit on. I recommend about a foot and a half ledge before the taper begins.

Expandable means it will stretch nicely into a pool whether you dug the center out six inches, or dug it out two foot. It should fit nicely whether the dug out area is only on one side of the pool or if it is in the center.

The pool shown on this page has the deep area on one side and the other side shallow. A true expandable liner will stretch into the deep area without any wrinkles. I have always had the best luck with Doughboy expandable liners as far as the wrinkles go. A few years back the Swimline liners were awful, they were just extra big liners with no stretch in them, just big, baggy and full of wrinkles. A true expandable liner, like Doughboys, will fit a flat bottom pool exactly the same as one with a deep end.

Expandable Liner Installation

So what you would want to do is come in from your walls about a foot and half to two feet and slope down to your desired depth. The slope should be gradual so that you will be able to pack sand on it without it falling off.

These pages might help also.

Round Pool Deep Ends

Above Ground Pool Deep Ends