What Size is My Pool

by Leah
(Louisiana)

A friend of mine gave me a pool, I need to buy a liner how can I tell what size liner? My friend thinks the pool is 27'round but doesn't know how tall!

Hi Leah

It is very important to know exactly how big your above ground pool is. Vinyl liners can be impossible to return once they are removed from the box.

The best way to tell the height of the wall is to measure it. A 52" wall will actually measure 52". There is no secret formula to use with wall height. Also, most overlap liners are made to accommodate either a 48" or a 52" and some even go as big as a 54".

Be sure to get the exact measurement across your pool as there are a few 28' pools out there, although far more 27'. Lay out all the bottom rails and foot plates and get it all connected. Using a center point make this frame perfectly round. If the radius used to make the pool round is 13' 6" then you have a 27' pool.

Here are a few pages that might help with your installation.

Above Ground Swimming Pool Installation

Above Ground Pool Liner Installation

Above Ground Pool Installation Mistakes

Doughboy Pool Size

by RJ Ray
(Omaha, NE)

I am getting ready to install a used Doughboy pool, but I'm not sure what size the overlap liner is. The previous liner is stamped "doughboy 0-3018-725 J." Does this mean it is a 30'x18' pool? If so, I'm not finding this size. Any advice would be most helpful. Thank you! RJ

Hi RJ

If the liner is a Doughboy brand liner there will be a stamp on the back side of the liner where the vertical and horizontal seams meet. I assume this is where you found the numbers you posted. If so, then yes, that is the size of the liner. It would be an 18' x 30' oval.

That is a very odd size for a Doughboy, but anything is possible. Most of their ovals are 16' wide and the lengths are 24', 28' and 32'. They have many other sizes but these are the most common.

I did find an 18' x 30' Doughboy solid blue overlap liner at Pool-Store.com for $648.00.

So apparently they still make liners that size although I did not find a pool that size in their current lineup.

Be sure to brush up on liner installation tips on this page.

Above Ground Pool Liner Installation

Gallons of Water in Pool

by Keith Walters
(Calhoun,La.)

How many gallons of water are in my pool? It is an 18ft.round x 3ft.deep above ground pool.

Hi Keith

I will give you some approximate gallons for standard 48" wall round above ground pools. These pools would normally hold about 3'6" of water. A 15' is 5,000 gallons, an 18' is 7,500, a 21' is 10,000 and a 24' is 12,500.

Sterns Pool

by Jenny
(Darwin)

We have just bought a second hand Sterns pool 12' x 4'6" so the manual that came with the pool states. We have leveled the ground and erected the walls. Upon doing this I measured the diameter and it is measuring 12'5". The length of the pool wall is just under 40', the circumference of a 12' pool would be 37'.

I have already got a new liner that I was told would be suitable for a 12' Sterns pool. The manual has photos of the pool and it is the same pool, apparently Sterns only ever made a 12' and a 15' pool. What should I do? Will this liner fit my pool?

Thanks, Jenny

Hi Jenny

The radius of above ground pools will vary. The most important thing is that the radius is the same, meaning the pool is perfectly round. It cannot be 12' 6" across in one spot and 11'6" in another. It needs to be the same all the way around.

Liners have plenty of stretch, I'm sure your 12' liner will fit just fine. Be sure you are installing it in full sunshine on a warm day.

Above Ground Pool Wall Length

by Shannon Wiley
(Woodford, VA)

I currently have a 24ft round above ground pool that has rusted sides with holes in it and in the liner so I know i have to replace. My mother is giving me a 15x30 oval pool that I would have to take down myself. Someone told me that the skin(walls) are the same size. Is this true? It would be a lot easier to put up another round pool and cheaper to use her pool walls. Thank you for your input.

Shannon Wiley

Woodford, VA

Hi Shannon

No, they are not the same length. There is about a three foot difference between the two sizes. If my memory serves me correctly the 15 x 30 is the longer one.

Your idea is still a good one. If you use the new wall in your old framework, and it is too long, just overlap it and run two rows of nuts and bolts. If by chance it is too short just use a good section of your existing wall to make up the distance. Either way, it should work out for you without too many problems.