Patching Skimmer Hole In Pool Liner

by Allen
(C.B. Iowa)

I replaced my old skimmer with new and bigger skimmer. I set it too low and now I am missing out on about 8 to 10 inches of water in my pool due to it overflowing through the skimmer.

I would like to patch the new hole to move skimmer up wall as to have my water level deeper in my pool. Can I patch the hole?

Hi Allen.

Patching the hole in the liner is very possible, I have done it many times. You first need to find a piece of pool liner that's at least a one foot square. Most of the pool stores I've dealt with sell squares of pool vinyl for the purpose of making patches. Hopefully you can find a piece of vinyl to do the repair with.

The way I have done this is to lay the liner out in the yard and center the hole over a piece of plywood. I lay the front side of the liner on the wood so that I have the backside facing up. I then spread Boxer vinyl glue onto the vinyl covering an area about the same size as my patch. The patch goes on and another square of plywood gets laid on top of it. On top of that I set a large building block. The next day this liner is ready to reinstall into the pool.

Patching the hole in the wall is easy also. You just tape some sturdy flat stock aluminum or steel to the inside of the wall. A new hole can then be cut in a different area of the pool wall.

Patching Skimmer Opening

by Allen
(C.B. Iowa)

I posted question earlier on if I could patch the 6 inch by 6 inch hole... You stated I would need to have it empty and on ground.

I was wondering if it would be possible to do it with pool half full of water, well below the skimmer. I have some material like my pool to use as patch. I figured if I put one on inside and one on outside I was hoping it would work with the proper glue. Is there a good heavy duty glue preference??

Thanks again

Hi Allen.

When I first answered your question I was talking about a vinyl lined, steel walled, above ground pool. I believe you are referring to an Intex type pool. In which case, the procedure might be a little different.

I believe my original advice about laying it on the ground, doing the repair, and applying weight to hold it in place while it dries overnight.

But it might work just as well with the pool up and about half full of water. I like your idea about patching both side, and of using the same type material your pool is made out of.

Any place soft sided pools are sold should have the proper glue for them. I have never used it, but from what I have heard it should work just fine.

Let us know how the repair goes, we could all learn from it. Thanks.

Patching Over a Skimmer Hole

by Brian
(Alabama)

Hi, We have an above ground Dough Boy, but it's sunk in the ground and surrounded by concrete. Under the skimmer, where the steel meets the concrete, we noticed some rust holes in the metal. We drained the water down enough to pull the liner back and tape some aluminum inside over the holes. When we were refilling the pool, the liner had shrunk a little, and the hole for the skimmer is about an inch lower than it should be.

We tried to stretch it up to make it fit, but the top screw hole in the old skimmer hole started to rip a little, so we quit. I decided to patch over the entire skimmer hole on the liner and then cut it out after the skimmer is reinstalled. I have new gaskets for the skimmer, etc.

Does this sound feasible? We've already glued the patch over the skimmer hole. I overlapped it a few inches on each side and slathered on the Boxer glue. The patch was from a pool liner sampler that a friend of mine, who used to do pool work, gave me.

My only concern is that if it leaks, it will be between the liner and steel, right? Then we won't know it's leaking.

Also pertinent info that you need to know is that this is not permanent. We ordered a new liner, but will have it installed in April. (Dough Boy is about 12 weeks behind, so the earliest we could have it installed would be October, so we're waiting until April.) The company that we ordered it from was the original installation company. Our liner is 9 years old, so it's time.

If this solution will hold until October, we'll close it then, and reopen it after the new liner is installed.

You said in another post that you've patched over skimmer holes with no problems. Do you see any issue with my plan? I'm thinking the skimmer face plate will help hold off any water from getting in between the liner and the steel wall.
Thanks, Brian

Hi Brian You should be fine.