Liners

My sister gave me an above ground pool. We took it down and moved it to my house where now we can't get the liner to fit back into place.

We have tried everything and we are still coming up short on one side. The liner wont even touch the wall and when we go to try to make it fit the opposite wall it starts to buckle.

We need to know if we just need to purchase another liner at the beginning of next year or can we still use this one which is in really good condition.

I think they call it an "over lap liner?" I don't know, I'm new at this. Any information would be helpful.

Hi.

It is probably wise to plan on a new liner in the spring. Liners shrink as soon as the pool is empty. Most of the time these liners will not stretch back out. Making a used liner fit back into a pool takes a very hot, sunny day. The hotter it is, and the more sun the liner has on it, the more pliable it becomes. If the liner is less than two years old this might work. If it is over two years it has probably lost it's elasticity and will need to be replaced.

I recommend never attempting to install a used liner, it is just not worth the frustration. New liners install much nicer and look so much better, they are more than worth the extra expense.

One way to know how badly your liner has shrunk is to hook up the skimmer to it. With your foot, push the liner up to the coving, under the skimmer. Now go across the pool and pull the liner into the cove. With both edges of the liner touching the cove, and the skimmer in place, can you pull the liner over the wall, opposite the skimmer? This will tell you very quickly if you have any chance of reinstalling this liner. If there is enough liner to pull over the wall you might be just fine, if not don’t even try.

Three Year Old Liner in Box

by Joan
(Baltimore, MD)

A friend sold us a used pool with a liner that he purchased in 2009 from Leisure Living. It is a 25 gauge, for a 21' pool 48" deep.

Should we feel comfortable using it or buy a new one? Thanks!

Hi Joan.

There is no reason not to use the liner. Liners can be kept in their original boxes for many years and still be good as new.

Their clocks do not start ticking until they are installed. At that point the are stretched a little and exposed to the elements.

Liners are exposed to the sun and to all the chemicals we put in our pools. Depending on the quality of the liner, the amount of direct sunlight and the types of chemicals you use, you may get five years out of it, or maybe twenty.

Yes, use the liner and get as many years as you can out of it. When it comes time to change it try and learn the reason why. Did you do something wrong? Did it get pinholes from a cleaner, or did a chlorine tab fall to the bottom and burn the liner?

There are many reasons for changing a liner, and many lessons to learn. Use your liner in the box and make it last as long as you can, you have nothing to lose.

Pool Liner; Pool Specific?

by Katie
(Roscoe, IL, USA)

We just purchased a used 24' round 48" wall Doughboy pool. I have been told you can not buy a liner that is not Doughboy specific. Is this true or will any 24' round liner work?

Hi Katie.

Any liner should fit your pool. The Doughboy 24' pool is a standard size. The only time you need to be a little more careful is with beaded liners. With an overlap you just fine ordering one online.

Give some thought as to how long you want the liner to last. The best liner for your pool, in my opinion, is the Doughboy 20 mil UD liner.

This liner is what I call a ten year liner. I have seen them last up to 16 years, they are the best value for the money because of that.

Most online liners are 5 year liners, but they are much less expensive. The time frame you plan to use the pool might make a difference in your decision.

Keep in mind also that a 20 mil liner is equivalent to a 25 gauge liner. An online 20 gauge liner is about the same as a 16 mil liner, very thin.

12' x 16' Pool with 12' x 18' Liner

by Cara
(Nj)

I ordered a new liner the past winter. Today when we went to install it and it appeared to large. Took a look at the box to see if we did something wrong but it turns out it is 12' x 18' when our pool is 12' x 16'.

Is there anyway that we can use this liner on our pool? By the way its an oval shaped pool. Thanks

Hi Cara

It would be much better if you could get the right size liner. But in most cases, once the liner is out of the box you own it.

You will wind up with a liner with a lot of excess liner around the outer edge. If you bunch that excess evenly around the circumference of the pool the result should not be too bad.

Yes, the sides will be full of wrinkles, but the liner should be more than usable. Even if it's just for a few years, until the price of a new one is a possibility.

It will just come down to how bad the wrinkles bother you. But usable, yes.