J-hook Liner Problem

by Chrissy
(Des Moines, Iowa)

I installed a J-hook liner in my 24' round AGP yesterday. It was very hard to stretch to the sides but we finally got it on.

We left the foam overlap & folded it over the wall before placing the j hook over the wall and then secured with plastic coping strips from old overlap liner - only 2-3 yrs. old - but they were tight as well. We installed the top rails and started to fill.

We woke up to check it in the middle of the night and the liner is coming out from under the top rails and the walls are kind of bowed inward.

I read somewhere this morning the metal strips should have gone over the liner but we tried that first and they would not fit. The instructions did not tell me to do anything further - not even to use the strips or coping.

Is the overlapping foam causing this much of a problem? It's just the 1/8" that's glued in between the wall & liner. There is about 8 inches of water in the pool & no sun in today's forecast so the liner getting warm probably won't happen.

Please help - I am having total anxiety over this and praying that it doesn't collapse from the weak walls. My friends and family are coming back over to help me try to fix it by removing the foam but any other suggestions are GREATLY appreciated. I have already had my old pool, that was the same size collapse from age and come into my house, replaced it with this one a few years ago and now am having to replace the liner already.

Thank you in advance to all. Chrissy

Hi Chrissy.

I do think most of your problem is the foam. Just cut it off a few inches down from the top of the wall and tape it into place if needed. Next, I would use the metal rods over the liner bead, they should fit much better now.

Sunshine is another problem, you will need it to allow the liner to stretch out a little. You may need to wait for a sunny day. You may also need to remove a little more of the water to make it work.

On a warm day you should be just fine. If the liner is still tight do your filling during the day. Once the sun is down the liner tightens up and will not stretch. That may have been most of your problem to begin with. Shut the water off at night until the liner is firmly set up against the wall.